Equal opportunity crosses service lines

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Dilia Ayala
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFNS) --  Equal opportunity advisers from the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command and surrounding Army units here are currently hosting their quarterly Equal Opportunity Leader's Course here.

The classroom is filled by more than 40 Soldiers from across Iraq with one exception: Master Sgt. Joe Newton, the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing equal opportunity director.

He is the sole Airman in the course and is teaching a portion of the Army curriculum. In addition to being the Air Force EO liaison to the Army EO advisers and helping teach the EO course here, Sergeant Newton is the only one of his kind in the Iraqi theater and is responsible for providing guidance to more than 10,000 Airmen at four bases and 63 forward-operating bases. He is responsible for looking into allegations of unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment, provides human-relations education, and is an adviser to commanders and first sergeants.

"When my Army counterparts needed an additional instructor for the course, I didn't think twice about helping," Sergeant Newton said. "We have a really good relationship will all our Army counterparts. We have the same foundation and the same goals."

Students did notice the change between uniforms when the Air Force master sergeant took charge of the class, but the difference in uniform was the only difference.

"I don't see a difference between Air Force and Army, just in the person," said Army Sgt. Kyle Kizer, a 50th Engineer Multirole Bridge Company crew chief. "This is the first time I've ever been taught by an Air Force instructor. I'm learning a lot from him. He is one of the best instructors we've had in the class so far.

"I think it's good to get the services together," said the Imperial, Mo., native deployed to Joint Base Balad from Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. "It's interesting and a good experience to have an instructor from another branch come and teach us. The Army and the Air Force have the same standard when it comes to teaching. EO training is important. It's one of the main foundations the Army believes in. You can't have a good work atmosphere if you don't have it. I'm going to use what I am taught to the best of my abilities to promote EO."

Although the EO advisors are from different services, the training both Army and Air Force personnel receive is the same and has helped in their joint efforts.

"We all go to the same school, so our alma mater is the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute," Sergeant Newton said. "Since we do that, we can teach on the same level on equal-opportunity issues."

"Master Sergeant Newton and I trained side by side at the institute," said Army Master Sgt. Tuynuykua Jackson, the 3rd ESC senior human relations and EO adviser. "That qualifies us to be able to work together and teach the course together no matter what branch we are from.

"When it comes to regulations or service specifics on handling complaints, (the Army) has our regulations and the other branches of services have theirs," the Army sergeant said.

Due to some differences between Air Force and Army EO programs and regulations, the EO course is currently not open to Airmen, Sergeant Jackson said. But she hopes this is something that will change in the future. 

Regardless of service-specific regulations, the Army and Air Force members have the same goal here: to take care of Joint Base Balad personnel, servicemembers and civilians alike.

"Whether it's an equal-opportunity issue, morale issue, or someone feels their issue isn't being resolved, regardless of branch of service, the key thing we need to worry about is that the mission is being taken care of," Sergeant Newton said. "The way to do that is to make sure the people are being taken care of first, and we do that in a collaborative effort.

"With us being embedded with one another, we do have cross-service issues and the issues we have had, it's been as simple as making a phone call, or we've been able to interact with the Army and get those issues resolved quickly," he added.

Both master sergeants have enjoyed the opportunity to work together on EO issues and hope to continue teaching together.

"It is great working with the Air Force, and I will keep inviting our sister service back to help facilitate the course because no matter what service you are in, there is zero tolerance on discrimination of any kind and sexual harassment or assault throughout our armed forces," Sergeant Jackson said. "Also, it allows the Soldiers a chance to see that our sister branches of service are consistent across the board on EO matters."

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