1. The scene was notan uncommonone.A manand hiswife sitacrossfrom eachotherarguing.
The cause? A slightlyflirtatiouswaitressandasmile thatperhapslingeredalittle toolong. Asthe heatof
the conflictbeginstorise,sodo the voicesandsoonthe couple isshoutingat eachother.Notfar away,
a neighborhearsthe commotion.The altercationbecomesphysical andthe police arrive tobrokenglass,
brokenfurniture,andverypossiblyabrokenhome.The audience sitsinraptattentionasthisscene
playsoutbefore theirveryeyesinthe classroomwhere theyhave come tolearnaboutDomestic
Violence.
Trainingisvital to the successof a Soldierintoday’sArmy. Itis instilledinall of usto train in
peace howwe will fightinwar. Soldierstrainconstantlytosharpentheirskillsforcombat,maintenance,
supplydiscipline,andaseeminglyneverendingstreamof requirementswe mustfulfill inservice tothe
nation. Asa result,AmericanSoldiersare the bestinthe world.Ournational culture placesgreat
emphasisonsuccessandaccomplishmentinacareerand we trainto gain that success.Anoften
overlookedareaisthe warat home.A successful marriage oftenisn’t recognizeduntil acouple hasbeen
marriedfor10, 15, or 20 plusyears.While Soldiersare requiredtohone theircombatskills,trainingof
relationshipskillsis leftuptothe desiresof the individual.Soldiersare givenpamphletsandbriefingson
whatresourcesare available tothemandtoldtofigure itout intheirowntime.
On April 20, 2012, the 180th
TransportationBattalionheldaSafetyStandDowndayto take time
to focuson winningthe warat home. Conductedina“round robin”format,eachcompanytook on a
specifictopicof trainingtoemphasize safetyandhelp sharpenSoldiers’skillsinXXX,XXX,ansXXXto
ensure greatersuccessintheirpersonal andhome lives.The 263rd
Maintenance Companywasaskedto
conduct trainingonDomesticViolence.
There wasan immediateandobviousproblemthe unitrecognizedwiththistrainingtopic.How
couldwe make thistrainingeffective?The besttrainingthe Armyconductsistrainingthatis immersive
and hands-on;trainingthatputsthe Soldierinthe situationandforceshimtomake decisions.Another
slide showthattoutsstatisticsandthe evilsof domesticabuse wouldhave anegligible impact.We had
to finda wayto put Soldiersinthishighlyuncomfortable situationbutensure theirsafetyatthe same
time.The NCOsand Soldiersof the 263rd
developedacomplex andinvolvedscenariothatdidjustthat.
As the daybegan,the sky wasovercastand the firstunitto be trainedstoodinformation.The
Soldierswere obviouslydreadingyetanotherdayof mindnumbingsafetytraining.Astheywaited,a
Soldierfromthe 263rd
Maintenance Companyapproachedthemandtookcharge of the formation.

2. “Ladiesand gentlemen,”he began,“youare about to go upstairsbutyouare not goingintoa classroom.
Thisis nota classand there are no slides.Thisisadisclaimer.Youare not goingupstairstohear a lecture
or to see a video.Youare goingupstairstoexperience something.Whatyouare about to participate in
will likelymake youhighlyuncomfortable,especiallyif youorsomeone youlove haseverbeenavictim
of domesticviolence.Youwill verylikelybe offendedbysome of the thingswe are goingto show you
and some of the thingswe are goingto discuss.We askthat you remaininthe trainingandshare your
thoughtswithusand, if youfeel comfortable enoughtodoso,your experiences. Shouldyoufind
yourself unable toremaininthe training,please excuse yourself quietlyandreturnwhenyouare able.”
Thisopeningdisclaimerincreasedthe tensionlevel of the Soldiersinformation.Theirapprehensionwas
palpable asthe NCOin charge instructedthemtomove towardsthe stairwell inrankorderbeginning
withthe mostjuniorSoldier. Astheyenteredthe stairwell itwasobviousthiswasgoingtobe no
ordinarytraining.Immediately,theywere bombardedwithinformation.Uponopeningthe doorand
climbingthe stairsagut-wrenching911 calledplayedof ayoungchild,onlythree orfour yearsold,
screamingforhelpas hisfathercouldbe heardattackinghismotherin the background.Hiscriesfor help
dug deeplyintothe heartsof these Soldiers,whoare sworntoprotect the Americanpeople,asthey
heardthe terrifyingandhorrificconsequencesof domesticviolence oninnocentchildren. Climbingthe
stairs,alongthe wallswere hungvarioussignsdescribingthe effectsof domesticviolence.
[inputsignverbiage here]
At the top of the stairs hunga final signindicatingthatinthe few secondsittookto climbthe 22 stair
stepsto the secondfloorfive womenhadbeenabusedbysomeone theyloved.
Upon turningthe corner,Soldiersentereda dimlylitroomandwere struckby whattheysaw next.

3. The scene witnessedasSoldiersenteredthe room for DomesticViolence Training.
Behindtwolarge white scrims satthe silhouettesof aman and a woman. Theyfacedeach otherin
silence asthe Soldiersfiledintothe roomandquietlytooktheirseats.Betweenthe manandwoman
couldbe seena room inan obviousstate of disrepair.A brokenwindow,anoverturnedplant,and
brokenglasslayaroundon the floor.On the wall there wasan unmistakablestainof blood.Asthe last
Soldiertookherseat,the doorto the roomslammedloudly,perceptiblystartlingeveryone inthe room.
Immediatelythe manandwomanbeginto argue.It is obviousthata keyeventtriggeredthe altercation
but an underlyingpatternof insecurityisdistinctlyinthe air.Afterabarrage of extremelyhurtful verbal
attacks on one anotherthe lightssuddenlywentout.Inthe pitchblackof the rooma sense of
discomfortcouldbe feltcomingfromthe audience.Inthe darkness,another911 call is heardas a
neighborcallsthe police. Asthe call concludes,the flashinglightsof apolice cruiserappearandthe
MilitaryPolice arrive.Astheyseparate andtalktothe couple,the storyunfoldsasseenthroughvery

4. differentperspectives.While the mandescribesascene withanunreasonable,insecure,andjealous
wife;the womandescribesapompous,arrogant,self-absorbed,anddisrespectful husband.
Suddenly,alightappearsinthe neighbor’shouseacrossthe street.Anotherhusbandandwife discuss
the scene.Asthe neighbortellsherhusbandshe calledthe police,he isfrustrated. Couldn’tshe just
mindherown business? Theirlightgoesoutandwe returnto the police talkingwiththe silhouetted
couple. Asthe police getthe final detailsof the storyitbecomesobviousthatbothhusbandandwife
allowedtheiremotionstogetoutof control and neitherof themcan accuratelyrecall the entire event
includingthe physical altercationthatresultedinthe damage andbloodvisible inthe room.The lights
go out one lasttime andthe police leadthe manandwomanfrom behindtheirscrimstoface the
audience.Asthe lightscome up,the man’sface isbadlybruisedandhisshirtis stainedwithblood.His
wife holdsasmall,iron,cookingpan.She isarrestedandthe audience sitsinshock.
While we commonlythinkof DomesticViolence asmenversuswomen,thisscenarioisnotasfarfetched
as youmightthink.
(indicate percentagesof womenonmenviolence)
However,followingthis reenactmentwasadiscussionperiod.SFCSamuel Fazio, the unit’straining
facilitator, withthe helpof 263rd
Soldiersplantedinthe audience,movesthroughthe crowdandworks
specificallytoincite emotionalresponsesfrompeople. He tellsthemthatthere mustbe a leaderof the
householdandthatif the subordinatesdon’tfall inline,thisishow theyshouldbe treated. SFCFazio
asksfor and getsagreement (fromhisplantedassistants)thatthisisokay.That people shouldtreat each
otherthisway andthe crowdis appalled.Asthe Soldiersintrainingbecomemore enragedthatsucha
thingcouldbe consideredacceptable SFCFazio asksasimple question.Whyisn’titacceptable?Soldiers
thenbegintodefendtheirstance:itiswrong,itis abusive,anditisimmoral.The Soldiersare angrynow
and determinedtoconvince SFCFaziothathisviewsare abhorrent. He smiles;he hasaccomplished
whathe setout to do.His commentshave stirredanemotional outcrytostopand to prevent Domestic
Violence.He thenremindsthe audience thattheyare intrainingandhisstatementsdonotreflecthis
views,the viewsof hiscommandorthe viewsof the UnitedStatesArmy.The audience thenleadsthe
discussionandSoldiersbegintoshare some personal storiesof violence andhow theyhave overcome it.
We discussthe cycle of violence andhow domesticabuse canand doesleadtoPTSD for childrenin
violenthomes. Thiseventplaysout,fromstartto finish,six timesduringthe dayaseachnew set of
Soldiersissubjectedtothisimmersive trainingthatimplementsvirtuallyall methodsof learningfrom

5. visual,audible,reading,demonstration,andcombinationsof themall. Some Soldiershadtoexcuse
themselvesfromthe trainingdue tothe intensityof the scenarioandthe memoriesitelicited. Atthe
conclusionof each group’sexperience, the Soldiers are askedtosigna large bannerinsupportof
DomesticViolence AwarenessandPrevention.
Front Row from leftto right: SFC Thomas Anderson,XXX, XXX, XXX, XXX, SFC Samuel Fazio; Top row
from leftto right: 1SG James Yuras, 2LT Leslie Farris, SFCMiltonSmith, and CPT Shane Phillips
The bannerwas thendonatedtoa women’sshelterinthe local community todemonstrateour
battalionssupportfortheircause.
Summary: Trainingisimportantbut thistype of trainingisoftenoverlookedordone ina classroom,
lecture,slide readingformatthatisnotconducive tolearning.How successful wouldwe be asan army if
we tookthe same approachto combat training?
ResourcesforSoldiers,victims,orchildrenof DomesticViolence:

6. Wheneveryaudience leftthe roomwe feltlike we hadachievedourgoal. We informedthe
audiencesof the availableresourcesandwhatavenuestheycouldandshouldtake if everputina
situationlike the one theyjustobserved. Byputtingthe extratime andemphasisintousingthisstyle of
trainingSoldierswill rememberthe experience,because that’swhatitwasan experience notjusta
“check the block”trainingclass.
How successful wouldwe be asanArmyif we tookthe same approach to combat training?