Nearly one of every six pages of a document detailing the Pentagon’s management strategy are devoted to combating climate change and fulfilling Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
The Strategic Management Plan for 2022 to 2026, released Tuesday, covers 124 pages and underscores the actions the Department of Defense (DOD) is taking to fulfill the Biden administration’s broader national defense strategy.
It lays out high-level, long term goals and steps the department will take to accomplish those objectives and overcome anticipated challenges, as well as performance metrics for so-called Agency Priority Goals (APGs) that include climate and diversity targets.
“Challenges in building a diverse workforce must be holistically addressed through strategic, systemic intervention and must support the DoD mission; global talent must be matched to global security challenges,” the document says.
The APGs “are intended to highlight priority policy and management areas where agency leaders want to achieve near-term performance advancement through focused senior leadership attention,” the document states.
Of the three short term goals outlined in the document, aimed for completion between 2022 and 2023, one zeroes in entirely on managing anticipated impacts of climate change and consumes about eight pages in the document.
DOD plans to increase the number and resiliency of energy sources to withstand extreme weather conditions associated with climate change, including building solar-power microgrids and adding military installations to a DOD Climate Assessment Tool to “support climate-informed decision making,” with a goal of 100% use by 2024, the document states.
In a separate section, the Navy touted the release of its climate action plan for the decade, creation of a Climate Change Working Group and completion of a first-of-its-kind climate change tabletop exercises to better prepare for fighting in extreme environments. The Air Force also highlighted its first ever climate strategy, published in October.
The second goal, focused on assembling a ready and skilled workforce, falls almost entirely under a broader Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) strategy for 2022 and 2023 to help DOD “eliminate perceived barriers for advancement,” “build a climate of dignity and respect” and prevent extremist behavior.
To support DEI in the workplace, the Pentagon seeks to increase the representation of minority groups in underrepresented career fields and senior-level positions within the military, according to the strategy.
In 2023, 46.4% of new hires fell into racial and ethnic minority categories compared to 44.2% the year prior, and the Pentagon hopes to keep that number nudging upward.
In research and development, the Pentagon wants to strengthen cooperation with universities and colleges that focus on minority recruitment.
While the Pentagon plans to measure how DEI principles are adhered to across the agency, it has not set any targets for the upcoming years.
The Navy, Air Force and Intelligence and Security office each devoted portions of their performance report to highlighting DEI programs implemented over the past year, such as an Air Force inclusivity training that aims to help airmen understand one another’s “lived experiences” and “serve as their authentic selves.”
Every line of effort helps the Pentagon conduct operations “from humanitarian assistance to nuclear deterrence and everything in between,” the document states.
The White House requires the Pentagon, along with all federal agencies, to submit a Strategic Management Plan alongside the president’s annual budget request to Congress.
By Micaela Burrows, The Daily Caller News Foundation
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Nearly Half Of New Pentagon Hires Were Minorities In 2022, Strategy Document Shows (Daily Caller, 15 MAR 23)
Roughly 46% of new Department of Defense (DOD) hires in 2022 came from minority groups, up from the year prior, according to a performance progress update included with the Pentagon’s annual budget request released Tuesday.
The Strategic Management Plan for 2022 to 2026 lays out high-level, long term goals and steps the department will take to accomplish those objectives and overcome anticipated challenges, as well as a report on the department’s progress in the previous year. DOD gave a positive report in advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) in 2022, and as a measure of good performance, DOD wants to see the percentage of underrepresented military members increase in 2023.
The Pentagon says its DEIA efforts “promote a culture that represents our core military and advances military readiness,” according to the plan.
In 2022, DOD set a goal to increase the number of accessions, or new personnel, who are women or fall into minority racial or ethnic demographic categories, the document states. In 2022, 46% of new hires were racial or ethnic minorities and 23% were women, up from 44.2% minority and 20% women in 2021.
Promotions and retention of underrepresented groups also increased from 2021 to 2022. Minority groups received 43.4% of promotions in 2022 compared to 42.2% the year before, while a smaller proportion opted to leave the DOD — 38.7% from 40.5% in 2021. . . . . (read more)
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