Commandant's Diversity Advisory Council
Shipmates,
The Diversity Advisory Council is meeting at HQ this week and I spent an hour with the group this morning with RADM Breckenridge, RDML Neptun and Mr. Curt Odom. There were a number of issues raised at the last meeting and we discussed the current status and progress being made.
Remember, these are "works in progress" ... but here are some updates.
1. Reserve/Auxiliary "C" School Quotas: There are some business processes and policies that are impeding access for our Reservists and Auxiliarists to attend "C" School. For example, the current e-mail notification process excludes personnel who do not have access to the Coast Guard Data Network (CGDN). The new internet access to Outlook will address part of this problem, for members running Windows platforms, but we need to make sure all our personnel have access. We are also looking at how quotas are prioritized between Active, Reserve, Civilian and Auxiliary personnel.
2. To increase cultural awareness and promote language skills we are experimenting with an online "Technology Mediated Language Training" program through the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language. The software program is "Tell Me More" by Auralog, Inc. We are conducting a one year test to see if this has servicewide potential.
3. The DAC believes and I concur that we need to include "generational" diversity training for our more "mature" members as we currently do at the CPO Academy.
4. We are reviewing procedures for using additional reservists to assist with recruiting in those geographical areas where reserve recruiting is most challenging/where we have the greatest needs.
5. An update on our Strategic Metropolitan Area Recruiting Territory (SMART) initiative has resulted in an increase in minority enlisted accessions from 17% to 35% since its implementation.
6. Master Chief Bowen and I concur with the DAC?s conclusion that women and minorities are underepresented in high visibility (i.e. Company Commander, CMC) and command cadre positions (OIC, XPO, EPO). We need a combination of better education on A school options, ASVAB preparation, involvement of mentors/CMCs, and use of role models.
7. The DAC proposes providing better resources for commands to accommodate the diversity of religious groups in the Coast Guard. There are two parts to this issue as we move forward, the first is greater visibility of religious pluralism and the second is the role of our Chaplain corps.
8. We discussed social networking tools and the creation of this Blog and the FACEBOOK page. I also previously tasked the DAC to provide feedback on transparency in the Service and that dialogue continues. With a direct line of communication available to members, there will always be a tension between the traditional chain of command and the need to be responsive to members. The DAC comments reflect that tension, but the comments also convey transparency should only be limited in cases where it will negatively affect the execution and support of our missions. We must work through that tension and understand that the convergence of information technology and social networks creates transparency and we don't control the environment. See my previous comments on social media, we will continue the dialogue.
9. We are reviewing the temporary separation policy to see if we can provide greater flexibility to accommodate the needs of our workforce.
10. The DAC had a concern that there may be a nexus between performance evaluations and whether the member is pregnant. We are reviewing data and conducting surveys on performance evaluations of pregnant members and will report our findings once the review is complete.
As I noted above these are works in progress, but I wanted to let you know the topics we are discussing and the world of work that the DAC is creating.
The Diversity Advisory Council is meeting at HQ this week and I spent an hour with the group this morning with RADM Breckenridge, RDML Neptun and Mr. Curt Odom. There were a number of issues raised at the last meeting and we discussed the current status and progress being made.
Remember, these are "works in progress" ... but here are some updates.
1. Reserve/Auxiliary "C" School Quotas: There are some business processes and policies that are impeding access for our Reservists and Auxiliarists to attend "C" School. For example, the current e-mail notification process excludes personnel who do not have access to the Coast Guard Data Network (CGDN). The new internet access to Outlook will address part of this problem, for members running Windows platforms, but we need to make sure all our personnel have access. We are also looking at how quotas are prioritized between Active, Reserve, Civilian and Auxiliary personnel.
2. To increase cultural awareness and promote language skills we are experimenting with an online "Technology Mediated Language Training" program through the University of Maryland Center for Advanced Study of Language. The software program is "Tell Me More" by Auralog, Inc. We are conducting a one year test to see if this has servicewide potential.
3. The DAC believes and I concur that we need to include "generational" diversity training for our more "mature" members as we currently do at the CPO Academy.
4. We are reviewing procedures for using additional reservists to assist with recruiting in those geographical areas where reserve recruiting is most challenging/where we have the greatest needs.
5. An update on our Strategic Metropolitan Area Recruiting Territory (SMART) initiative has resulted in an increase in minority enlisted accessions from 17% to 35% since its implementation.
6. Master Chief Bowen and I concur with the DAC?s conclusion that women and minorities are underepresented in high visibility (i.e. Company Commander, CMC) and command cadre positions (OIC, XPO, EPO). We need a combination of better education on A school options, ASVAB preparation, involvement of mentors/CMCs, and use of role models.
7. The DAC proposes providing better resources for commands to accommodate the diversity of religious groups in the Coast Guard. There are two parts to this issue as we move forward, the first is greater visibility of religious pluralism and the second is the role of our Chaplain corps.
8. We discussed social networking tools and the creation of this Blog and the FACEBOOK page. I also previously tasked the DAC to provide feedback on transparency in the Service and that dialogue continues. With a direct line of communication available to members, there will always be a tension between the traditional chain of command and the need to be responsive to members. The DAC comments reflect that tension, but the comments also convey transparency should only be limited in cases where it will negatively affect the execution and support of our missions. We must work through that tension and understand that the convergence of information technology and social networks creates transparency and we don't control the environment. See my previous comments on social media, we will continue the dialogue.
9. We are reviewing the temporary separation policy to see if we can provide greater flexibility to accommodate the needs of our workforce.
10. The DAC had a concern that there may be a nexus between performance evaluations and whether the member is pregnant. We are reviewing data and conducting surveys on performance evaluations of pregnant members and will report our findings once the review is complete.
As I noted above these are works in progress, but I wanted to let you know the topics we are discussing and the world of work that the DAC is creating.
I was also advised today by our human resources folks that we achieved 100% of our active duty recruiting mission (goal) and 94% of the Reserve mission for FY08. Our quality of recruits based on a combination of the Armed Forces Qualification Test composite scores and the percent of our recruits in the top 50% was the highest of all services and continues to rise for the second year in a row. So, we are recruiting a more diverse work force and improving the quality of enlisted people coming into the Coast Guard. As I noted in an interview with the New London Day earlier in the month, we need to improve minority accessions and retention in the officer corps and we are working on it.
ADM A
ADM A
Posted at
1:40 PM
3 Comments:
Admiral,
Can you update us on the Functional Review of the Office of Civil Rights?
Do you have a new policy other than that published in the EO Manual on providing commands with copies of the EO Reviews conducted each year. My unit didn't see a copy of report until two weeks ago, about 378 days after the review.
Who or what group is testing the "Tell Me More" program?
The Auralog "Tell Me More" program is being beta tested with the help of members from the following groups: Active Duty, Reserve, Civilian, and Coast Guard Auxiliary.
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