Staff Reports
The SAF/DI of the U.S. Air Force is making efforts to guarantee that airmen and guardians are promoted to leadership roles fairly, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or gender. The first 2023 Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) newsletter, which the Daily Caller News Foundation has obtained, outlines this initiative. The newsletter explains the Air Force’s strategy for bridging the knowledge gap between senior leaders and members of the DAF (at all levels) regarding the obstacles that female and underrepresented Airmen and Guardians (both military and civilian) encounter while serving.
EXCLUSIVE: Air Force Touts Plans To Track Promotions From A ‘Race, Equity And Gender Standpoint’ https://t.co/HrP9kAzzq6
— US Burning (@UsBurning) February 21, 2023
Following an evaluation of current initiatives aimed at promoting equitable representation of ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ identifying individuals in the Air Force, the DEIA office identified five gaps in DEIA. These gaps encompassed disparities in the distribution of judicial and non-judicial punishment, as well as a lack of awareness among certain leaders about the existence of racial/ethnic disparities within the Department of the Air Force.
In response to these concerns, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall has instructed SAF/DI to monitor the race, ethnicity, and gender of individuals who are promoted to leadership roles. Additionally, the Air Force is providing updates on the status of officer promotions, civilian recruitment, and force development data, with a focus on race, ethnicity, and gender. SAF/DI has also created a “barrier analysis tool” to help identify DEIA-related obstacles and improve the precision of barrier assessment.
The Air Force is also making efforts to foster inclusive leadership and combat “unconscious bias” by providing DEIA training for its leaders. In addition, the Air Force is keeping track of administrative actions every quarter, categorized by race, ethnicity, and gender, in comparison to the baseline determined in the racial disparity evaluations.
After the 2021 reports were made public, Secretary Kendall issued a statement saying, “Creating an inclusive environment where our Airmen, Guardians, and Department of the Air Force civilians can reach their full potential is an essential aspect of our ‘One Team, One Fight’ philosophy. This is a crucial objective for me and for leaders throughout the Air and Space Forces.”
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller
