Racial and gender biases and systemic inequality have a deleterious effect on military readiness, and the U.S. Navy is adopting dozens of recommendations to address it, the service announced Wednesday.
The Navy released a comprehensive review of these issues by a task force launched amid last summer’s racial justice protests.
The task force’s 56 recommendations span all aspects of the Navy’s sprawling organization, from recruiting and promotion disparities to the names of ships that honor Confederates and White supremacists. It also recommends adding a fourth “core value” to the service’s current ethos of “honor, courage, commitment” respect.
To do nothing is unacceptable | Task Force report says Navy needs to do more to become diverse, inclusive
Navy Task Force One was created to address concerns brought to the forefront by the death of George Floyd. Author: Laura Geller Updated: 6:51 PM EST February 3, 2021
WASHINGTON During his six months of work on Task Force One Navy, Chief of Naval Personnel Vice Admiral John Nowell Jr. had an eye-opening revelation.
“I thought as a white male admiral in the U.S. Navy, that we had made more progress with equality in our nation and in our Navy,” Nowell said. “And I learned, somewhat to my chagrin, that I had overestimated where we were.”
The 142-page report includes analysis and a comprehensive set of nearly 60 recommendations meant to enhance the Navy’s overall diversity and ensure that a culture of inclusivity is evident at every command.
The COE board will closely review the report’s findings and make a decision on how to best implement its recommendations. Some recommendations may require further research and review prior to implementation.
“As a Navy – uniform and civilian, active and reserve - we cannot tolerate discrimination of any kind, and must engage in open and honest conversations with each other and take action, said Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday. That is why we stood up ‘Task Force One Navy’ - to identify and remove racial barriers, improve inclusion efforts, create new opportunities for professional development, and eliminate obstacles to enter the Navy.”