Study guide
6.1 SHARP Under AR 600-52: Reporting Options, Complaint Processing, and the OSTC
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1 The Promotion Board Process, Eligibility, and Preparation
1.1 AR 600-8-19 Board Eligibility, TIS/TIG Zones, and PME Requirements 1.2 Board Proceedings, Protocol, Uniform Inspection, and Boardroom Bearing 1.3 Promotion Points, the AFT Conversion, IPPS-A, and Monthly Cutoff Scores 1.4 Board Preparation: Study Plan, Current Events, and World Affairs 1.5 Situational Questions, ICTL Proficiency, and Board Scenario Technique
2 Uniform Standards, Grooming, and Awards (AR 670-1, AD 2025-18, AR 600-8-22)
2.1 ASU and AGSU Configuration, Insignia, Badges, and Awards Placement 2.2 Hair, Cosmetics, Fingernails, and Jewelry Standards (AD 2025-18) 2.3 Wear of Combat Uniforms, Duty Accessories, and Body Modification & Tattoo Policies 2.4 Facial Hair, Medical Exceptions to Policy, and Religious Accommodation 2.5 The Army Awards and Decorations System (AR 600-8-22)
3 Army Leadership & Doctrine (ADP 6-22 & FM 6-22)
3.1 The Army Leadership Requirements Model: Attributes and Competencies 3.2 Leadership Levels, Dynamics, Command Climate, and the Warrior Ethos 3.3 The Counseling Process (ATP 6-22.1 & DA Form 4856) 3.4 The Evaluation Reporting System & NCOER (AR 623-3 & DA Form 2166-9 Series)
4 Customs, Courtesies, and Military Traditions (AR 600-25 & TC 3-21.5)
4.1 Saluting Protocols, Courtesies to Officers, and Hand Salute Standards 4.2 National Flag Etiquette, Colors, Reveille, Retreat, and Honors to the Nation 4.3 Drill and Ceremonies Fundamentals (TC 3-21.5) and Formations 4.4 Rank Structure, Chain of Command, the NCO Support Channel, and Unit Organization
5 Army History, Heritage, and Creeds
5.1 Army Birthday, Continental Army Foundations, and Historical Milestones 5.2 Evolution of the NCO Corps and the Sergeant Major of the Army 5.3 Major American Campaigns and Military Battle History 5.4 The Army Values, The Soldier's Creed, and The NCO Creed
6 Army Programs, Command Policy, and Soldier Readiness
6.1 SHARP Under AR 600-52: Reporting Options, Complaint Processing, and the OSTC 6.2 The Military Equal Opportunity and Harassment Prevention Program (AR 600-20, Chapter 6) 6.3 Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) and SUDCC (AR 600-85) 6.4 Soldier and Family Support Programs: AER, Red Cross, ACS, EFMP, and BOSS 6.5 Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health, and Resilience 6.6 Prohibited Activities: Extremism, Retaliation, Prohibited Relationships, and Political Activity 6.7 Retention, Reenlistment, and the Career Counseling of Subordinates
7 Tactical Combat Casualty Care & First Aid (TC 4-02.1 & ATP 4-02.83)
7.1 TCCC Phases of Care: Care Under Fire, Tactical Field Care, and TACEVAC 7.2 MARCH PAWS Assessment: Massive Hemorrhage and Airway Management 7.3 Respiration, Circulation, Shock, Burns, and Environmental Injuries 7.4 9-Line MEDEVAC Request Protocol and Tactical Evacuation Procedures
8 CBRN Defense & Force Protection (ATP 3-11.32 & AR 525-13)
8.1 CBRN Hazards, Chemical Agent Classifications, and Physiological Effects 8.2 MOPP Gear Levels, Protective Mask PMCS, and Decontamination 8.3 Antiterrorism, Physical Security, and Force Protection Conditions (AR 525-13)
9 Weapons, Land Navigation, and Physical Readiness
9.1 M4/M16 Rifle Characteristics, Clearing, Malfunctions, and Weapons Safety (TC 3-22.9) 9.2 Map Reading, Grid Coordinates, and Marginal Information (TC 3-25.26) 9.3 Land Navigation: Terrain Features, Azimuths, Intersection, and Resection 9.4 Holistic Health and Fitness, the Army Fitness Test, and the Combat Field Test 9.5 The Army Body Composition Program and the Waist-to-Height Standard (AD 2026-13) 9.6 Crew-Served Weapons, Sidearms, and Munitions
10 Military Justice, the Law of War, and Duty
10.1 The UCMJ, Article 15 Non-Judicial Punishment, and Courts-Martial 10.2 The Code of Conduct, the Law of War, and Rules of Engagement 10.3 Guard Duty, the Three General Orders, and Operations Security
11 Training Management and Unit Sustainment
11.1 Training Management: ICTL, the Digital Job Book, and Sergeant's Time Training 11.2 Maintenance, Supply Discipline, and Property Accountability
6.1 SHARP Under AR 600-52: Reporting Options, Complaint Processing, and the OSTC
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
SHARP is governed by AR 600-52, the Army's first standalone SHARP regulation, effective 10 February 2025; AR 600-20 no longer contains the SHARP program.
A sexual assault victim elects restricted or unrestricted reporting in writing on DD Form 2910; a restricted report may be taken only by a SARC, a SHARP victim advocate, or healthcare personnel, and disclosure to anyone in the chain of command makes the report unrestricted.
A formal sexual harassment complaint is sworn on DA Form 7746 and is acted on by the SUBJECT'S BRIGADE COMMANDER, who initiates an AR 15-6 investigation within 72 hours and forwards the complaint to the first GCMCA within 72 hours.
AR 600-52 directs that sexual harassment investigations should be completed no later than 14 calendar days after initiation, with a progress or final report to the GCMCA within 20 calendar days and every 14 days thereafter.
When a military protective order is warranted, the first O-6 in the subject's chain ensures DD Form 2873 is issued no later than 6 hours after the determination.
Last updated: September 2026
SHARP Under AR 600-52: Reporting Options, Complaint Processing, and the OSTC
Core Doctrine: For the first time in Army history, the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program has its own standalone regulation — AR 600-52 , effective 10 February 2025 . The 6 February 2025 revision to AR 600-20 removed SHARP from Army Command Policy entirely . A candidate who cites "AR 600-20, Chapters 7 and 8" is citing a superseded structure.
1. Purpose and Structure
AR 600-52 prescribes policy, procedures, and responsibilities for SHARP. The program's goal is a culture free of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and associated retaliatory behaviors , built on prevention, education and training, response capability, victim assistance, reporting procedures, and accountability . The regulation gives SHARP two legally required overarching responsibilities: prevention and response , and it makes prevention a commander's responsibility .
The standalone regulation also expanded the full-time SHARP staff , formalized the roles of SHARP program managers, sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs), and victim advocates (VAs) , and codified the relationship between SHARP and the independent prosecution structure.
2. Sexual Harassment vs. Sexual Assault
- Sexual harassment Sexual assault
- Nature A form of sex discrimination and misconduct A criminal offense under the UCMJ
Conduct Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature Intentional sexual contact by force, threat, or intimidation, or where the person does not or cannot consent
Forms Quid pro quo and hostile work environment Rape, sexual assault, aggravated and abusive sexual contact
Primary UCMJ articles Art. 134 (sexual harassment is a specified offense), Arts. 92 and 133 Art. 120 , Art. 120b (child), Art. 120c (other sexual misconduct)
Formal complaint vehicle DA Form 7746 (Sexual Harassment Complaint), sworn DD Form 2910 (Victim Reporting Preference Statement)
The three categories of sexual harassment
Verbal: sexually explicit jokes, teasing, intrusive questions about sexual history, catcalls, and demeaning pet names.
Nonverbal: leering, suggestive gestures, blocking a person's path, displaying sexually explicit material, and sending sexually suggestive digital messages.
Physical contact: unwelcome touching, patting, hugging, pinching, cornering, or unnecessary physical proximity that does not rise to criminal sexual contact.
Consent
Consent is a freely given agreement to the conduct at issue by a competent person, expressed through words or overt acts. Board-critical rules: lack of resistance is not consent; submission from force, threat, or fear is not consent; a current or prior relationship is not consent; and a person who is asleep, unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to appraise the nature of the act cannot consent .
3. Reporting Options for Sexual Assault
The victim elects a reporting option in writing on DD Form 2910 (DA Civilians use DD Form 2910-8 ).
Restricted reporting
Restricted reporting allows a victim to confidentially disclose the assault to specifically identified individuals and receive healthcare, counseling, and advocacy without triggering the official investigative process . Its stated purpose is to give victims time and control over the release of their information so they can make an informed decision about participating in a criminal investigation.
Who may take a restricted report: a SARC , a SHARP victim advocate , or healthcare personnel . A chaplain holds privileged communication and will refer the victim to a SARC or VA to execute DD Form 2910.
Who may NOT: anyone in the chain of command , military police, or Army Criminal Investigation Division. SHARP program managers, instructors, and support staff are not authorized to take restricted or unrestricted reports and must refer the victim to a SARC or VA.
Entitlements: emergency and ongoing medical care, a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE) , advocacy from a credentialed VA, behavioral health and pastoral support, and a Special Victims' Counsel — an independent judge advocate who represents the victim.
Boundaries: if information reaches the commander or law enforcement from an independent source , the USACID special agent-in-charge is authorized to initiate an independent investigation , and SHARP professionals remain barred from disclosing covered communications unless an exception applies.
Restricted reporting does not create actionable rights and is not a grant of immunity for either party.
Unrestricted reporting
Unrestricted reporting triggers command notification and a USACID criminal investigation , plus the full range of victim services.
The SARC notifies the first O-5 in the victim's chain of command within 24 hours of receipt of a signed DD Form 2910.
The victim's brigade commander submits a commander's critical information requirement report to the senior commander within 24 hours , with victim personally identifiable information excluded.
The victim's commander provides monthly updates on investigative status until final disposition, and follows up within 45 calendar days after disposition .
Military protective order: when facts warrant one, the first O-6 in the subject's chain of command ensures the subject's commander issues DD Form 2873 no later than 6 hours after the determination.
Expedited transfer: the requesting Soldier's battalion (O-5) or brigade (O-6) commander processes the request under AR 614-100 and AR 614-200, informs the SARC, and arranges losing- and gaining-SARC handoffs.
Conversion and CATCH
A restricted report may be converted to unrestricted at any time ; an unrestricted report cannot be converted back. The Catch a Serial Offender (CATCH) program lets a restricted reporter enter anonymous suspect information into a secure database; if another entry matches, the victim is notified and offered the opportunity to convert.
4. Formal Sexual Harassment Complaint Processing (AR 600-52)
This is a brigade-level process, and the timelines are shorter than the ones many older study guides print.
The SARC assists the victim in completing DA Form 7746 , contacts the USACID special agent-in-charge if a criminal offense is alleged, notifies the victim's brigade commander , assigns a VA on request, and enters the information into ICRS within 48 hours .
A commissioned officer administers an oath and swears the victim to the truthfulness of the complaint.
The subject's brigade commander (or civilian supervisor equivalent) coordinates receipt of the complaint. Where the victim and subject are in different units, the complaint is elevated to the first brigade-level or higher commander with command authority over both.
If sufficient information exists, the brigade commander appoints an AR 15-6 investigating officer and initiates the investigation within 72 hours of notification, and forwards the complaint to the first commander with GCMCA authority within 72 hours of receipt.
Investigations should be completed no later than 14 calendar days after initiation. Within 20 calendar days of initiation the brigade commander forwards a progress or final report to the GCMCA, and progress reports continue every 14 calendar days until completion. Every investigation requires a legal sufficiency review .
If the complaint includes unwanted physical contact that is not clearly sexual assault , the brigade commander coordinates with the legal office about informing USACID — and any doubt is resolved in favor of reporting .
5. The Office of Special Trial Counsel
Acting on the recommendations of the Independent Review Commission and the National Defense Authorization Act reforms, the Army stood up the Office of Special Trial Counsel (OSTC) in December 2023 . AR 600-52 recognizes the Lead Special Trial Counsel (LSTC) , who supervises and manages the independent OSTC .
Legacy system Current system
Who decides to prefer and refer charges for covered offenses The convening authority in the chain of command Special Trial Counsel, independently
Who investigates USACID USACID
Commander's residual role Full disposition authority Non-covered offenses, good order and discipline, GOMORs, administrative separations, and Article 15 for minor offenses
Covered offenses include rape and sexual assault (Art. 120), sexual assault of a child (Art. 120b), other sexual misconduct (Art. 120c), domestic violence and stalking, murder and manslaughter, kidnapping, and child pornography offenses. Special Trial Counsel decisions on covered offenses are binding ; the command cannot override them.
6. What the NCO Actually Does
Know that you are a mandatory reporter. If a Soldier begins to disclose, say so immediately and offer to take them to a SARC or VA who can take a restricted report.
Do not investigate. Do not interview the subject, do not gather statements, do not ask for details of the assault.
Protect the Soldier from retaliation and gossip. Retaliation is itself a SHARP offense and a mandatory board topic under AR 600-8-19.
Know the numbers. Your unit SARC, the installation 24/7 SHARP hotline, and the DoD Safe Helpline.
Intervene early. The Army's bystander framework is I. A.M. Strong — Intervene, Act, Motivate. Most criminal conduct is preceded by boundary testing that a squad leader can shut down.