Non Typical Military Community Representatives

DISCUSSION PROTOCOL:
Non-Typical Military Community Representatives
INTRODUCTION
Hello, my name is ___________ and I am accompanied by [INTRODUCE OTHERS IN THE
ROOM AND THEIR ROLES]. Thank you for taking the time to talk today about the structural
and systemic barriers and facilitators associated with how your military installation approaches
integrated primary prevention or IPP. Our discussion today is part of an effort by the Office of
Secretary of Defense to improve prevention efforts across the enterprise.
Being able to do prevention successfully is key to ensure it achieves its maximum benefits. We
know DoD released their DODI on integrated primary prevention and a prevention plan of action
that describes the prevention system and a process for conducting prevention. DoDI on the
prevention workforce is forthcoming.
These describe the human resources, collaborative relationships and infrastructure needed to
understand abuse and harm, take a comprehensive approach to prevent it, and evaluate
implementation and impact of these efforts.
Figure 1. Prevention System (PPOA 2.0)

As these have been released, DoD services and components are beginning to implement
prevention. We would like to understand the structural and systemic barrier and facilitators that
are most important to consider when trying to build a prevention system and implement a
process for conducting prevention.
CONSENT
Before we begin, I’d like to discuss the expectations for participation today. I want to assure you
that your answers will be kept confidential to the furthest extent allowed by law. [If more than
one person in the room: However, there are others in the room so please do not share anything
you do not want others to know.] We are not collecting any personally identifiable information,
and our notes for this session will be stored on password protected computers and network
drives accessible only by the research team. Findings from these discussions will be reported in
a memo to the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office to inform their future
prevention planning. We will not report your responses individually and we will not name you

specifically in any documents. We will be taking notes during these discussions, but they will not
have your name on them.
Your participation is voluntary. You may have been instructed to meet with us, but the degree to
which you participate in the discussion and provide responses is your decision. You may decide
not to participate in our discussion and can discontinue participation at any time after starting
without any penalty. If you have questions or concerns about your participation in this
discussion, you can contact [INSERT NAME OF PRIMARY RAND POC] whose contact
information can be found in the calendar invitation that you received for this discussion.
Any questions before we begin?
--START-First I want to talk about the way your military installation is organized to understand how its
unique structures and systems may help or hinder prevention. When I say military installation, I
mean the location at which you are currently serving. This can include a ship, base, a joint base,
an embassy, etc. The unique structures and systems at your military installation can include the
occupational, functional, and geographic factors such as the administrative support at your
military installation, presence of embedded or civilian personnel, size of your installation
commander’s budget, and available pool of professionals from which to draw a prevention
workforce.
SECTION 1. STRUCTURAL AND SYSTEMIC BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS
1. So first let’s discuss what systems or structures might be hindering prevention activities
at your installation.
a. What are some of the barriers that you have encountered or gaps that you seen
in the prevention system at your location? Think about challenges related to both
the workforce and prevention activities.
b. Thinking about these barriers, do you see any of them as being influenced by
organizational, occupational, or geographic features related to your location?
1. (if yes, probe) Can you tell me a little more about how features related to
your installation have created barriers to prevention activities?
 Are there geographic features?
 Features related to the turnover or composition of the population
at your installation?
 Features tied to the chain of command?
2. How have you tried to work around these challenges (if at all)?
2. Now let’s talk about what’s working well and helping support prevention activities at your
installation.
a. What are some of the factors that helped support the prevention system at your
location?
b. Thinking about these helpful factors, do you see any of them as being influenced
by organizational, occupational, or geographic features related to your location?
1. (if yes, probe) Can you tell me a little more about how features related to
your installation have helped support prevention activities?
 Are there geographic features?



Features related to the turnover or composition of the population
at your installation?
 Features tied to the chain of command?
3. I’d like to switch gears a little and talk about the roles and responsibilities for prevention
activities at your location.
a. Who is accountable for prevention activities at your installation and who at the
installation has been assigned prevention-related roles and responsibilities?
1. Thinking about the arrangement of who is accountable and who is
assigned those responsibilities, how does that arrangement impact the
prevention system at your location?
 Does it impact resourcing?
 Does it impact communication or collaboration – especially
between prevention workforce and installation leadership?
 Does it impact policy or associated guidance?
 Does it impact data access or quality?
2. Thinking about the needs at your location, are there recommendations
you would make as to how to structure the assignment of roles and
responsibilities at your installation?
SECTION 2. PRIORITY GAPS AND NEEDS
4. What are the most impactful barriers that we have discussed?
a. What barriers are most likely to hinder your efforts to prevent harmful behaviors?
b. What barriers are most likely to hinder efforts for your prevention workforce?
 For your prevention activities?
 For prioritizing prevention?
c. What barriers cascade downstream to create other barriers, gaps or unique
needs in the prevention system?
5. What are the most impactful helpful factors that we have discussed?
a. What helpful factors are most likely to support your efforts to prevent harmful
behaviors?
b. What helpful factors are most likely to support efforts for your prevention
workforce?
 For your prevention activities?
 For prioritizing prevention?
c. What facilitators cascade downstream to create benefits or address needs in the
prevention system?
6. What gaps or needs are among the highest priorities to address or maintain?
a. What gaps do you think will be most detrimental to prevention at your military
installation?
b. What gaps do you think will be most detrimental to efforts related related to your
prevention workforce?
 Related to implementation of your prevention activities?
 Related to prioritizing prevention?
c. What unique needs do you think are most critical to address to help ensure
prevention at your military installation are successful?
CLOSING

Thank you so much for your time and for sharing your unique thoughts and perspectives.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or additional thoughts that
come to mind.