Policy implementation
ARMY
All these policies are assessed and managed
by the Chain of command in particular the Commanding Officer of
each establishment.
Bullying and Harassment. Every unit is
required to maintain a record of all inappropriate behaviour and
to report all incidents up the chain of command. A new IT system
is being introduced which will allow automated reporting of all
harassment and bullying incidents. The system's security guidelines
will allow only those in the immediate chain of command to view
all the details, including names, thus satisfying the requirements
of the data protection act. However, a superior headquarters will
be able to view the data allowing them to monitor the level of
incidents.
Recruits are made aware of the policy by being
taught and issued the following documents:
"Basically Fair—equality and Diversity
in the British Army"—This defines unfair treatment,
bullying and harassment and details how complaints are to be dealt
with in theory, as follows:
The Measure of Your Conduct
The actions and behaviour of soldiers are measured
by the effect on the operational effectiveness of the team to
which they belong, both on and off duty. Your conduct is measured
by the code of conduct:
"Have your actions or behaviour damaged,
or are they likely to damage, the ability of your team to do its
job effectively?" If the answer is yes then you are not doing
your duty or living up to your responsibilities as a soldier.
It is your right and duty to tell someone in your chain of command
if you are being discriminated against, harassed or bullied. Every
soldier is encouraged to seek advice if they think they are being
discriminated against, harassed or bullied.
Definitions of Unfair Treatment
Direct Discrimination occurs when a person is
singled out for less favourable treatment because of such things
as gender, race, sexual orientation, or religious belief.
Indirect Discrimination occurs when some conditions
or requirements may appear to apply to everyone, but in reality
exclude people from certain minority groups.
Harassment is any behaviour, which you feel
is unacceptable, is unwelcome or is unreasonable; it can be physical,
verbal or non-verbal. It may take the form of bullying, victimisation,
or the misuse of authority, and could be one incident or repeated
behaviour.
Bullying is unwelcome or threatening behaviour,
the abuse of physical or mental strength, or of a position of
authority, to intimidate, persecute or victimise individuals or
groups. Sexual and racial harassment are forms of bullying. Physical
assault should always be reported to (the chain of command) someone
in authority.
Prejudice is based on preconceived opinions
that are often irrational and not based on actions and behaviour.
Prejudice results in the unfair treatment of a person or group.
Victimisation occurs when an individual is treated
unfairly further because they have made a complaint, or have been
a witness in a complaint.
Situations of Unfair Treatment
The Army wants soldiers to feel confident that
they can deal with situations of unfair treatment: to trust the
Army to take their complaints seriously, and to understand why
fair treatment is important to the Values and Standards of the
Army.
The Impact of Unfair Treatment
The person who is treating you unfairly may
not realise that they are causing you offence. Remember it is
the effect the behaviour is having on you that is important.
The ATRA Code—Issued to each recruit
and completed on arrival. Details by name the empowered officer
in the unit to which the recruit can complain.
THE ATRA CODE
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| The CO (Insert Establishment Name) commits to:
| As an ATRA recruit/trainee, I commit to:
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1. Train you to be a professional soldier in an inspiring, challenging, exciting and enthusiastic manner.
2. Treat you as an individual, honestly and fairly.
3. Clearly explain what is expected of you at all times.
4. Ensure that your training is progressive, safe and relevant.
5. Ensure that you are kept informed of major events in the course, including time off.
6. Provide your basic requirements, such as accommodation, food and equipment.
7. Provide you with a living and working environment free from harassment, bullying and unlawful discrimination and explain the complaints procedure to you, including whom to contact. (Add name, location and contact telephone number)
8. Provide reasonable and easy access to welfare personnel and facilities. Explain to you how to contact an officer independent of the chain of command to objectively listen to serious concerns you may have. (Add name, location and contact telephone number)
9. Cater for your spiritual and cultural needs.
10. If required, provide the remedial training and rehabilitation necessary for you to succeed in training.
| 1. Work hard, enjoy myself, try my best and be committed to becoming a professional soldier.
2. Dress and behave appropriately at all times.
3. Treat others with respect.
4. Read and obey Daily Detail and Part 1 Orders. Read and obey Standing Orders and notice board information. Obey all other orders and instructions including those given by Permanent Staff: military and civilian.
5. Attend all parades, daily routines and duties of which I have been notified and ensure that I am punctual at all times.
6. Remain alert to the security threat.
7. Not steal or vandalise MoD property or the property of others, respecting all property as though it were my own.
8. Look after all kit and equipment issued to me and understand that I will have to pay for any losses for which I am responsible.
9. Report all incidents of harassment, bullying, unlawful discrimination or unsociable behaviour immediately to the appropriate officer. (Add name, location and contact telephone number)
10. Live by Army Values and Standards.
I have read and had explained to me the above ATRA Code.
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Instructors are taught the policy as part of their compulsory
induction training and this is reinforced in annual training.
They are also issued in the ATRA Code of Practice for Instructors,
which further reiterates the policy. Copies of the ATRA Code of
Practise for Instructors will be provided to the HCDC.[13]
Identification. Any part of the supervisory regime
may identify someone at risk, the padre, WRVS, platoon staff,
medical staff, pay staff, military or civilian trainers as well
as the Unit Welfare Officer. In addition recruits and trainees
are encouraged to report any suicidal inclinations among their
peers, this is part of the military ethos of looking after your
mates. The important thing is that once identified the information
is shared with those who need to know, and in particular the Medical
Officer.
Management. A risk assessment is carried out on anyone
identified as being at risk and they are given extra supervision
as required. Units have a formal system of recording and monitoring
Vulnerable and At Risk students. A confidential register is maintained
and reviewed at least monthly. The review is by an appropriate
management group, possibly, but not necessarily, the Welfare Committee.
A specific risk assessment is carried out before anyone on the
list is placed on guard or given access to weapons and live ammunition.
Action on Posting. When a student on the Risk Register
is posted to another unit an assessment is made and, if necessary,
the new unit is informed as to the nature and seriousness of the
individual's vulnerability or risk.
The MoD Guidelines for the Implementation of a Supervisory
Care Regime for Recruits and Trainees within Phase 1 and 2 Training
Establishments are followed in all establishments.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures are partial or complete fractures of bone
arising from repetitive strain during sub maximal physical activity.
The bone matrix is unable to deal favourably with the stresses
imposed upon it by the physical activity and a stress fracture
develops. These fractures occur most commonly in the lower limb
with the specific anatomical site dependent on the type of activity.
Most Army recruit stress fractures occur in the tibia (larger
bone leg), fibula (smaller, thinner bone leg) and metatarsal bones
(foot). A small number occur at other sites (eg pelvis).
There are a number of factors associated with the risk of
developing stress fractures—age, sex, anatomical and biomechanical
factors, fitness history, endocrine status, nutritional factors,
footwear and training error. Typically stress fractures occur
after introduction of, or change in activity, and an increase
in running mileage or intensity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that
those individuals who are more sedentary and least fit are more
at risk when engaging in a training programme.
The incidence of stress fracture in recruits can be reduced
by adapting the training requirements to allow development of
physical fitness at a pace not exceeding the capacity of the bone
matrix to remodel. Recruits are issued new training shoes at commencement
of training (a 1988 study revealed the relationship between age
of training shoe and development of stress fracture). Training
is varied across running surfaces and route direction to reduce,
as far as is possible, impact pressures (hard surfaces result
in higher impact forces) and unequal distribution of weight within
the feet (road camber).
Occupational Medicine HQ ATRA has previously commissioned
research that allowed development of the Surgeon General's Training
and Exercise Medical Advisory Group (TEMAG) programme for active
rehabilitation of tibial stress fractures. Other HQ ATRA commissioned
research has revealed a relationship between the use of injectable
contraception and an increased risk of development of stress fracture.
Medical Officers responsible for Army recruits have been advised
to recommend other means of contraception to female recruits.
Research studies are ongoing in relation to recruit nutritional
intakes (to increase calcium intake) and diagnostic imaging (which
is more effective: radio isotope scan or magnetic resonance imaging).
Stress fractures are more common in female recruits and,
although there is currently some streaming according to ability
in early recruit physical training, a major study is shortly to
commence to stream separately male and female recruits. American
research has demonstrated that cigarette smoking is closely linked
to the development of all types of training injury. British Army
recruits are advised not to smoke and those that do so are offered
smoking cessation intervention.
RAF
Policies flow down from Government, MoD and Service HQs to
individual training units and are implemented by Commanding Officers
and their staffs. Tri-Service guidelines have also been produced
covering, for example, Supervisory Care Regimes and Remedial Training.
Risk of Self-harm
As a result of the DOC Audit and the RAF Instructor Studies
Paper, a new three-week modular course was designed for all RAF
Phase 1 and Phase 2 Instructors to be undertaken prior to taking
up appointment. The new course commenced in April 2004 and includes
a Care of Trainees module, which is undertaken at Amport House.
Instructors trained prior to 1 April 2004 attended the old Basic
Instructional Techniques (BIT) course with the emphasis on training
delivery. Duty of care training for these instructors and other
administrative support staff is conducted as part of their induction
training at that training establishment. Duty of care issues (including
self-harm) will still be included as part of the Induction Training
for personnel completing the new instructors course.
Stress Fractures
There is strong scientific evidence that involvement in regular
physical exercise during formative years will provide a level
of protection against the incidence of musculo-skeletal injuries,
such as stress fractures. Recognising that fewer than in the past
will have had regular PEd at the recommended levels during full-time
education, the RAF has a holistic approach to minimise the risk
of injury among recruits while still achieving the training objectives:
— Firstly, we provide all recruits with comprehensive
literature and information on the physical preparation needed
before entry into the Service. Secondly, all initial RAF training
courses programme five periods of PEd per week. The aim of this
training is to develop physical fitness to the required levels
for RAF Service and, along with a similar level of programming
in Phase 2, encourages the adoption of an exercise habit and a
healthy lifestyle.
— Moreover, while the RAF wants recruits to achieve
the necessary physical fitness standards ideally before completion
of Phase 1, with PEd also programmed into RAF Phase 2 attainment
of the necessary physical fitness standards can be achieved before
the end of this phase without detriment to productive Service.
Consequently, PEd programmes can be progressive, challenging,
but not be overly strenuous for those with low levels of physical
fitness on arrival who are at greatest risk of injury from concentrated
periods of physical exercise.
— Thirdly, on arrival at initial training all recruits
undertake a physical fitness assessment, which is used to stream
recruits into appropriate physical ability groupings; this allows
trainees to work in groups of similar physical abilities so that
the less physically fit can undertake a challenging programme,
but are not over-stretched.
— Fourthly, during the first three weeks PEd lessons
use many "low impact" activities (such as aerobics in
the swimming pool) to improve physical fitness and introduce "high
impact" activities such as running gradually.
— Lastly, recruit training is programmed so that
physically-demanding lessons, such as PEd and drill for instance,
are not consecutive on the timetable, thus, minimising the risk
of injuries caused through over-use and fatigue.
By applying this holistic approach the RAF is able to minimise
(but not eliminate) the risk of musculo-skeletal injuries, such
as stress fractures, and still achieve its training aims. Since
employing such strategies (some years ago) the RAF has reduced
the number of musculo-skeletal injuries among its recruits. Injuries,
including stress fractures, which do occur during training are
treated through a comprehensive medical and remedial PEd regime.
NAVY
Much research has been undertaken within the Naval Service
on the identification of those at risk of self-harm. However,
this is an extremely difficult issue to tackle. Key issues are
identification of previous instances and training of line management.
A mechanism for implementing the former is under consideration
but has significant cost and DPA implications, the latter is
addressed through the trainer package (see Ev 264).
Trainees are issued with a small card, which lists the responsibilities
of the establishment to the trainee (and vice versa) and gives
useful contact telephone numbers (including a 24 hour helpline).
Transfer of documentation between Phase 1 and 2 schools has been
much improved since the Director of Operational Capability Appraisal
of Initial Training (Reference D/DOC/10/64 dated 18 December 2002)
as has the liaison between key staff (including Chaplains).
Publication brochure available to all; RN and RM personnel
entitled "Combat Harassment & Bullying".
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