Those signs have little to do with feminism or a PC culture run amok.
They are essentially about using alcohol responsibly. At my last military assignment, I was in charge of a duty section of about 60 people. Most were below the age of 25 and I had to deal with every incident that landed them in some kind of trouble.
Alcohol is a factor in so many of these incidents, to not bring up the issue of being too drunk to give sexual consent would be irresponsible.
I'm sorry that you find the sign aggravating, but our young people do need to hear about this.
They need to be prompted to think about it in a variety of ways, and the use of signs is only one.
One thing that aggravated me was my junior and mid-level NCOs who called messages like that bullshit.
Most of our young troops are away from home for the first time, and many have little experience with alcohol and social situations at large.
They need to learn how to take care of themselves off duty, and how to take care of each other.
They need to have that idea reinforced by everyone in the chain-of-command above them.
When line NCOs call a public service message about alcohol and sexual consent bullshit, it isn't helping matters.
You know damned well that our young people drink too much, and get into all sorts of trouble.
What in the world could possibly be wrong with putting posters up to get them to think about such things?
I agree that alcohol is a factor in many of these incidents, and that someone who has consumed alcohol is not in anyway able to give consent.
I find the sign aggravating because it only puts the blame on the man and it was very misleading. Who is to know for sure it was John, it could have very well been Mary who to advantage of the situation, though I do agree that young people need to hear about this.
I do agree that there needs to be a variety of prompts if not proper leadership and or counseling done on a near daily basis and not to well perpetuate the ideal of the American alpha military male gets anything he wants. The sign again needs to be redone and rethought.
I am a mid-level NCO and sadly I do call the sign bullshit, however it's those mid-level NCOs who need to do more. Let's face it, they are more then likely closer to the age of the junior enlisted and have more interaction with them than senior leadership. I know with my juniors I tell them like it is, and guide them and show them how to let loose in a responsible manner.
Couldn't agree more with you on this point. The simple fact that some of those troops, sailors, airmen, marines this is not only their first time away from home, but the first time they have flown on a plane or been in a country where English is not the primary form of communication. Add to the fact that many of the places where they will be stationed the legal drinking age on and off base is that of the host country. Very little is done in the means of a cultural exchange and or explaining what can and can not be done in said host country. For the most part they tell them the horror stories of the host nation jail say a few facts about the culture and move on. It BARELY covers what is socially acceptable and unacceptable. Add alcohol into the mix and well you see where I am going with this.
Though I do agree with this statement of having to take care of each other how they do while they are on duty, the thing is no one is going to really do it. I try with all my might in order to stop destructive behavior, but at the end of the day some times how my mother says, "Bought sense is better than told sense, and you are going to buy you some sense."
I wish CoC was like that I truly do, but in my experience it's more or less they are waiting for someone to screw up and hang em out to dry. I know this personally because I got into trouble for breaking a rule and even though I knew that my leadership was bragging about going out drinking past curfew and causing all sorts of trouble out in town they threw the book at me and said I was a threat to international relations. In my mind it was I don't want you screwing up what I already have going on for me. When I see the CoC taking responsibility for themselves and their actions going in just as hard as the junior enlisted only then will I see a significant change.
I know plenty of mid-level NCOs who think the same way as me. The message is not lost it is fairness. What does it say to a male junior enlisted, he says no, she takes advantage of the situation, he gets charged. The issue is how the sign is depicted and is not fair.
Yes, I am fully aware that young people have issue with drinking large amounts of alcohol however like you said, you are away from home. You are going to try and explore new things, it's like being a baby or a toddler all over again, only this time your parents are not there to tell you no. It comes down to knowing your limits, in fact I know a family whose daughter went to college for her freshman year at a party school mind you, they got her drunk on her HS graduation party with just the family and well showed her in a controlled environment what her limits were. Long story short the parents did ORM.
There is nothing wrong with putting up posters with such things on it, however when the vast majority of those posters are saying the guy did this and the guy did that, that is when I take issue. That is when I call foul.
