Final answer:
The general steps taken when a soldier submits a formal sexual harassment complaint involve identifying the incident, reporting it, filling out complaint forms, a preliminary assessment, investigation by an appointed officer, providing evidence, reviewing the investigative report, command determination, taking appropriate action, and informing the complainant with possible appeal options.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a soldier decides to submit a formal sexual harassment complaint, they would typically follow a set of procedures to ensure that their grievance is officially recognized and appropriately addressed. While specific steps can vary depending on the military branch and the current protocols in place, a general overview of the process may involve:
- Identifying the incident as potential sexual harassment, which includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
- Bringing the concern to a superior officer or directly to an Equal Opportunity (EO) representative.
- Filling out the necessary complaint forms, clearly detailing the incident(s) and alleged perpetrator(s).
- Undergoing a preliminary assessment or inquiry to determine the validity of the complaint.
- The appointing of an investigating officer or entity to gather facts and evidence.
- Providing a statement and any credible evidence to support the claim, including witness accounts.
- The investigating officer or entity conducts a thorough investigation of the complaint.
- Upon conclusion of the investigation, a report is compiled outlining the findings.
- The command reviews the findings and makes a determination based on the evidence.
- Appropriate actions are taken if the complaint is substantiated, which may include disciplinary measures against the perpetrator.
- The complainant is informed of the outcome, and if dissatisfied, they may have options to appeal or pursue alternate channels.
This process is designed to ensure that allegations of sexual harassment are taken seriously and that soldiers have a clear path to seek justice and resolution.