The director of the Army Resilience Directorate will speak April 8 during the Association of the U.S. Army’s Thought Leaders webinar.

James Helis, who has been in the job since March 2019, will discuss the Army’s efforts to prevent sexual assault and harassment in the ranks. He also will talk about how the Army works to provide professional, compassionate and comprehensive care and support to members of the Army team when sexual harassment or assault incidents occur.

The event begins at 2 p.m. Eastern. It is free, but registration is required here.

The Army Resilience Directorate works to provide policy, resources and capabilities for individuals and leaders to increase resilience and readiness. It includes the Ready and Resilient program, the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program, as well as the Army’s programs to prevent suicide and deal with substance abuse.

Recently, the Army has stepped up efforts to eradicate sexual assault and harassment and issues such as racism and extremism—what leaders call “corrosives”—from the force. The push is part of senior Army leaders’ “People First” initiative, and it follows a report that found a “deficient” command climate and ineffective implementation of the Army’s SHARP program at Fort Hood, Texas.

Helis has previously urged troops to seek help if they face harassment or assault. Reaching out can help stop the misconduct and allow the Army to hold perpetrators accountable, he said in an Army news article. 

“The first step is to take care of the victim,” Helis said. “The second step is to make the harassment stop.”