A special U.S. Navy task force recently submitted its final diversity and inclusion report to the service’s Culture of Excellence Governance Board, the Navy announced on Thursday.
Following the country’s social justice movement last summer, Task Force One Navy (TF1N) was established in July to analyze the fleet’s cultural climate by surveying Navy members in focus groups.
After six months, 285 interviews, and a review of nearly 900 officers and enlisted sailors, TF1N submitted a 142-page report that highlighted issues of sexual harassment, biases, racism, and sexism.
“We have fallen short in the past by excluding or limiting opportunity for people on the basis of race, sexual orientation, sexual identity, gender or creed,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday said in a Navy press statement.
“Our Navy must continue to remove barriers to service, and most importantly, be a shining example of a workforce centered on respect, inclusive of all.”
To combat the issues within the fleet, TF1N featured nearly 60 recommendations in the report. One such suggestion included creating a student exchange program between the U.S. Naval Academy and historically Black colleges and universities and other Minority-Serving Institutions. The task force also advised creating anti-bias training and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion measures that include reviews of selection processes, refining career paths, and standardizing talent management processes.
“While there is still work to be done, I am confident that this report’s recommendations will help make our Navy better, and we will move forward together towards meaningful, long-lasting change,” Gilday said. ”Make no mistake, I am personally committed to this effort.”
