MISSION: The U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz Equal Opportunity Office assists commanders in their efforts to formulate and sustain a comprehensive effort to maximize human potential and to ensure fair treatment of all persons based solely on merit, fitness and capability in support of readiness.
Through the cooperative efforts of unit commanders and the EO advisors, the goal of the EO program is to create and sustain effective units by eliminating discriminatory behaviors or practices that undermine teamwork, mutual respect, loyalty and shared sacrifice of the military members and their family members assigned to this installation.

About Equal Opportunity

EO is a responsibility of leadership and a function of command. This philosophy is based on fairness, justice and equity. Commanders are responsible for sustaining a positive EO climate within their units.

Goals

  • Provide EO for military personnel, civilians and family members both on and off post and within the limits of the laws of localities, states and host nations.
  • Create and sustain effective units by eliminating discriminatory behaviors or practices that undermine teamwork, mutual respect, loyalty and shared sacrifice of the men and women of America's Army.
  • Additionally, in many circumstances, Department of Army civilians may use the Equal Employment Opportunity complaint system. Army Regulation 690-600 provides further guidance.
  • Contribute to mission accomplishment, cohesion and readiness.

DA civilians may lodge complaints under this regulation that can result in an official investigation and possible disciplinary action against the Soldiers involved. They may also file discrimination complaints in accordance with AR 690-600. However, civilian employees who engage in discriminatory actions are not subject to discipline under AR 600-20: Army Command Policy, but are subject to the separate procedures of AR 690-600.

Responsibilities

  • Understand and articulate Department of Defense, Army and local command policies concerning Equal Opportunity.
  • Assist the commanders in implementing a Consideration of Others Program.
  • Recognize and assess indicators of institutional and individual discrimination in organizations.
  • Recognize sexual harassment in both overt and subtle forms.
  • Recommend appropriate remedies to eliminate and prevent unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment.
  • Continuously assess the command climate through formal surveys, interviews and accessibility to the unit.
  • Collect, organize and interpret demographic data concerning all aspects of EO climate assessment.
  • Assist commanders in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the EO program.
  • Prepare input for the Quarterly Narrative Statistical Review, which supports the Army's Military Equal Opportunity Assessment.
  • Train unit Equal Opportunity representatives and institutional training course/service school instructors to assist commanders/commandants in meeting EO responsibilities.
  • Organize or assist with training sessions that pertain to EO, unlawful discrimination, prevention of sexual harassment and the Consideration of Others Program.
  • Assist in evaluating the effectiveness of unit training conducted by commanders.
  • Plan and help conduct executive seminars for senior leadership on EO action plans and affirmative action, EO, unlawful discrimination, the Consideration of Others Program and the prevention of sexual harassment.
  • Receive and assist in processing individual complaints of unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment and conduct EO inquiries according to the commander's guidance.
  • Provide advisory assistance to commanders and investigating officers in the investigation and resolution of unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment complaints.
  • Review and comment on investigative reports of EO complaints for compliance with DoD and DA EO policy and objectives.
  • Conduct follow-up assessments of all formal EO complaints.
  • Assist in the planning and conduct of ethnic observances/special commemorations.
  • Assist commanders in developing the EO policy for their unit.
  • Maintain, where appropriate, informal liaison with community organizations fostering civil rights.
  • Conduct staff assistance visits to subordinate units and other headquarters.
  • Conduct or attend EO coordination training at least once quarterly at the installation level.

Customers

  • Military personnel and their family members.
  • DoD civilian employees, both on and off post.

Equal Opportunity Leaders/Representatives

Equal Opportunity Representatives' responsibilities include assisting commanders at the battalion-level or equivalent and below in carrying out the EO program within their units. EORs serve a special duty at small unit level. Commanders must appoint EORs in their units who are members of the chain of command in the rank of SGT (P) through 1LT.
Units of action or higher headquarters' EO advisors are available to train unit EORs using the 80-hour training support package published by the EO Proponent Office, Soldier Support Institute. Army Reserve can use the 40-hour training support package.
 

​Typical roles and duties

  • Assist commanders in addressing EO climate detractors
  • Assist commanders in conducting unit climate assessments
  • Prepare and assist commanders in conducting EO training
  • Establish and maintain liaison with other EORs and with the EOA at higher headquarters
  • Assist commanders and assigned project officers in preparing and conducting ethnic observances and special commemorations

​Prerequisites

Prior to course enrollment, you must:

  1. Complete Equal Opportunity Leaders Course application (signed by SM commander and EOA)
  2. Be assigned on appointment orders as either the primary or alternate EOL for your organization
  3. Must be a SGT (P) or above, and a member of the unit chain of command
  4. Must have one-year retainability in U.S. Army Europe as an EOL

Waiver

To be eligible for a EOL 471 waiver, the student must be assigned to a detachment which is 45 minutes away from the parent organization and is not structured to supported the required rank structure of Sgt. (P) to Master Sgt.

USAG RP EOLC APPLICATION 

USAG RP APPOINTMENT ORDERS TEMPLATE

FY23 EOLC COURSE DATES

 

Complaint Process

The EO complaints processing system addresses complaints that allege unlawful discrimination or unfair treatment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (to include gender identity), national origin and sexual orientation. Attempts should always be made to solve the problem at the lowest possible level within an organization.

  • An informal complaint is any complaint that a Soldier, family members or DA civilian does not wish to file in writing. Informal complaints may be resolved directly by the individual, with the help of another unit member, the commander or other person in the complainant's chain of command.
  • A formal complaint is one that a complainant files in writing and swears to the accuracy of the information. Formal complaints require specific actions, are subject to timelines and require documentation of the actions taken.

EO COMPLAINT PROCESS FLOWCHART

BEFORE YOU TELL EO

Ethnic Observances

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday

January, third Monday
Authority: Public Law 98-144, November 1983 (Federal holiday)
 

African-American/Black History Month

February, all month
Authority: First Presidential Proclamation, February 1976
 

Women's History Month

March, all month
Authority: Public Law 100-9, March 1987
 

"Days of Remembrance" for Victims of the Holocaust

April/May, Sunday to Sunday for week incorporating Yom Hashoah
Authority: Public Law 96-388, October 1980
 

Asian Pacific Heritage Month

May, all month
Authority: First Presidential Proclamation, May 1991
 

LGBT Pride Month

June, all month
Authority: Army Directive 2017-01
 

Women's Equality Day

August 26
Authority: First Presidential Proclamation, August 1973
 

National Hispanic Heritage Month

September/October, Sept. 15-Oct. 15
Authority: Public Law 100-402, August 1988
 

National Native American Indian Heritage Month

November, all month
Authority: Public Law 102-188, March 1992

RESOURCES

ARMY DIRECTIVE 2013-29 (Army Command Climate Assessments)

ARMY DIRECTIVE 2018-07-6 (Prioritizing Efforts -- Readiness and Lethality)

ARMY DIRECTIVE 2018-23 (Improving the Effectiveness of Essential and Important Army Programs)

ARMY REGULATION 600-20 (Army Command Policy)

DOD DIRECTIVE 1350.2 (Military Equal Opportunity Program)

USAG RP COMMAND POLICY #3 (Equal Opportunity)

USAG RP COMMAND POLICY #4 (Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Employment)

USAG RP POLICY MEMORANDUM #1 (Processing Equal Opportunity Complaints)