Green Dot program launched at Osan Published July 5, 2016 By Master Sgt. Marelise Wood Seventh Air Force Public Affairs OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- As more and more Airmen at Osan Step Up and Step In to help one another, the Air Force has now adopted a proven violence prevention program, Green Dot. This program addresses power-based violence and is now being launched at Osan Air Base as another method building on our current successes in changing our culture where all Airmen take action. Green Dot aims to arm all bystanders with the tools they need to overcome their barriers to stepping up and stepping in to make a positive difference. Airmen from across the Air Force were selected to complete training as implementers of the program and then returned to their units to train members at their respective bases. The training is being conducted in phases where leadership is first trained, followed by Early Adopter Bystanders and Overview Talks where the entire base will be introduced to Green Dot. “I’m a Green Dot Airman,” said Chief Master Sgt. Anthony Johnson, 7th Air Force command chief. “I’ve gone through the training and most of you all probably have not just yet, but they offered it to the senior leaders and I’m telling you up front, it opened my eyes.” Johnson went on to express what he knows may be some hesitation on people’s part to accept another program. “I know some may be reluctant, I may have been one of those, but it’s nothing like I’ve ever taken before,” he said. “This training is interactive. It’s going to challenge you right now to look at your values; I’m talking your deeply-rooted values.” The Green Dot program acknowledges that these deeply-rooted values can create barriers that impede people from responding in power-based violence situations like sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking. “Green Dot teaches us about the personal, organizational and relationship barriers that exist,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua Gurchiek, 51st Munitions Squadron, Munitions Storage Shift Lead and Green Dot implementer. “Being shy can be a barrier. Being raised in a household where you’re told that telling on someone makes you bad can be another. So what Green Dot does is gives people tools so they can still be involved even with their barriers.” “Green Dot is an extension of Step Up Step In,” said Master Sgt. Patrick Odom, 7 AF Staff First Sergeant. “This is another initiative to make sure that we continue to assist in changing our culture. We’re looking at the bystander through a different lens. We understand what a bystander is, but how do we go to the next level and accept the barriers. That’s what Green Dot is focusing on.” All the implementers have seen the effects of power-based violence and are passionate about making the culture change they believe can happen through Green Dot’s continued focus on stepping up and stepping in. "The responsibilities we have to one another to Step Up…and have the moral courage to Step In at the appropriate time and stop someone from hurting themselves or somebody else; think how rewarding that would be," said Col. Andrew Hansen, 51st Fighter Wing commander. About 15% of the base population has volunteered to become Early Adopters of the program and they will receive training in late July. The remaining base population is scheduled to receive Green Dot training in the August/September time frame. “No one has to do everything,” said 1st Lt. Anna Helmkamp, 7 AF/A1, Deputy Directory of Manpower, Personnel and Services and Green Dot implementer, “but everyone has to do something.” Her hope, and that of all the implementers, is that the day would come when bystanders are no longer needed and people would do the right thing because they know the culture they live in would accept nothing less. “If we’re willing to embrace it [Green Dot], I believe it will help prevent a lot of things that are harming us as Airmen all across the Air Force,” added Johnson. “You have the ability to affect change if you’re willing to do so.”