Thursday, June 03, 2010

Diversity Thursday

Diversity, I guess, is in the eye of the beholder.

Diversity for thee, but not for me .....
The Department of Defense announced today selection of the new chairwoman and nine appointees to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS).
"The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services has provided invaluable insight into the issues facing women in the military services," said Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley. "Their work is vital to development of informed department policy."
Previously comprised of 15 members, the 2010 charter authorizes a total of 35 committee members. "This committee will be more robust to better address emerging and existing issues concerning our women in uniform, and Secretary Gates and I look forward to their continued efforts in this important endeavor," said Stanley.
The committee, established in 1951 during the Korean War by Secretary of Defense George C. Marshall, is an independent advisory committee that provides the department with advice and recommendations on matters and policies relating to the recruitment and retention, treatment, employment, integration, and well-being of highly qualified professional women in the armed forces.
"The department has made great progress in recognizing the contributions and concerns of women in military service. However, there is still work to be done," said Stanley. "The face and capability of our military has changed greatly, not just since the creation of DACOWITS almost 60 years ago, but in the last 10 years. I am thankful for the service of these new committee members and the wise counsel they will provide me and the secretary, to continue to identify and enhance the service of our female service members and as a result, our total force."

The initial incoming members are as follows; additional committee members will be appointed as approved:
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Claudia J. Kennedy, Hilton Head Island, S.C. (chairwoman)
Retired Army Reserve Col.
Margarethe Cammermeyer, Langley, Wash.
Nancy D. Campbell, Washington, D.C.
Retired Air National Guard Brig. Gen.
Julia J. Cleckley, Springfield, Va.
Ruby DeMesme, Oakton, Va.
Retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. John L. Estrada, Orlando, Fla.
Deborah L. James, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
Retired Army Brig. Gen.
Maureen K. LeBoeuf, Cary, N.C.
Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj.
Roberta Santiago, Castro Valley, Calif.
Retired Marine Corps Col. Felipe "Phil" Torres, Helotes, Texas
I'm buying drinks for Phil and John.

I am sure the panel will address hard issues like prostitution on aircraft carriers pregnancy's impact on readiness in deployed units. Yep.

PS: note to Thursdsay Trolls; I am a supporter of women serving, so don't go there in your ignorance.

38 comments:

LT B said...

Prostitution in the field and on ships?!  I am SHOCKED!  Ya know it is because the women are treated SO poorly and they have SUCH a poor image of themselves due to the patriarchal nature of the military.  It is, thus, not their fault.  Natch.  Hey!  I have an interesting idea.  Let's hire people based on their capabilities and promote based on their performance.  And let's approach EVERYTHING we do w/ the meme that Honor, Courage, and Commitment actually mean something.  Double standards won't be needed, more often than not, the people being promoted are deserving.  Warm fuzzies for all!  This group and others like it will approach their job and charter under the idea that women are victims.  Sad.  They should try to eliminate double standards and promote the hardest working people and in their case, women. 

UltimaRatioRegis said...

Ahhh, the politics of preference.

I am sure SgtMaj Estrada is thrilled beyond words....

Hey Phib, wait'll you get DACOGITS.

Barney Frank will be steering that love boat....

MR T's Haircut said...

Phil and John need more than a drink...

LT B said...

Yeah, but unless you are a tailback for the USNA, anything stiffer is illegal.  :)

Dave said...

This group needs some junior personnel on it who think like today's Navy and not the "When I was on active duty" generation.  All of these people are looking in the rear view mirror.

 Dave

Brian said...

<span>Army Reserve Col. <span>Margarethe</span><span> Cammermeyer was forced into retirement for homosexuality. Interesting. Looks like this administration is going to ensure the death of DADT. Another comment - didn't a previous administration the Gates was part of try to disolve or at least diminish the roll of this group?</span></span>

Grumpy Old Ham said...

<span>The committee, established in 1951 during the Korean War </span>

There's the proof that the Diversity crowd really is self-perpetuating.  A 60 year old "Advisory Committee" sure sounds like a permanent staff element to me...

LT B said...

True dat.  It's the me me me, and now I'm guilty guys ruining the Navy w/ their sissified, double standard view of the world.  Then again, if the Navy starts fighting and I don't mean the land elements in a real world, bullets and warfare tend to cull the weak.  I hope it not to the detrement of winning a battle/war.  We'll worry about that AFTER we work the social issues.  Focus gang, focus.  What is our priority?  Winning and preventing wars through strength or politics? 

John said...

If, after 59 years, this Committee has not fixed whatever they perceive as problems, there is little likelihood they will do any better in the future.

Going from 15 members (who may actually be able to reach some conclusions) to 35 just ensures chaotic and meaningless meetings that will be ineffective in accomplishing anything.  Especially when manned by a bunch of superannuated folks out of touch with current realities.

Declare victory and shut it down, just like the rest of the diversity industry.

Salty Gator said...

As long as we continue to perpetuate the myth of folks who aren't white christian men as victims of society, we will continue to witness:
- failure to live up to potential
- diminished performance across the board
- decrease of standards
- MONEY TO BE MADE BY THE DIVERSITY INDUSTRY!

DeltaBravo said...

Makes me think of people who have therapists for years.  Umm... if you have a therapist for that long, they haven't helped you fix anything either.  Get a new one.

DeltaBravo said...

Buy them two drinks.

DeltaBravo said...

Damn, MTH!  Before I've finished my second cup of coffee!?  Not playing nice this morning, are we?  (Runs for eye bleach.  Barney hurts the eyes on a good day.)

DeltaBravo said...

C'mon, LtB, like the song says, "She works hard for the money."  Gotta give a workin' girl a break!

MR T's Haircut said...

No I meant they need the proper plumbing...

Anon said...

I wish the article would talk about why the HUGE increase in members.  I'm not sure what the 15 original members do, so what are 35 going to do?  Per Diem and frequent flier miles?

virgil xenophon said...

Obama is packing DACOWITS just like FDR tried to "pack" the Supreme Court. The make-up of the current organization has FAR too many un-PC members for comfort.

Salty Gator said...

Anon, I'm still angry at you from other posts.  So I refuse to click "like."  I'll simply say "agreed."

Salty Gator said...

Just wait, folks.  Just wait.  DADT dies, female prostitution won't be the only game in town.
I don't know if you guys ever had the "pleasure" of working with them, but when we embarked Dutch Marines on Mighty Warship [Anonymous] back in [ ], it was downright YMCA.  No details to be provided, but needless to say we had to calibrate some Bosn's mates who wanted to beat up some Dutch fellas they caught in a troop berthing space.....

DG said...

Boosting the size to 35 is a great way to lobotomize the committee. When was the least time a group of 35 got something done?

Byron said...

Sorta like a chiropractor, they never have cured anyone either.

UltimaRatioRegis said...

I only WISH I were MTH.  :-D

DeltaBravo said...

Sorry... see what happens when I have to look at that before my coffee is finished... short-circuits the whole brain!  (Sadly there is only one MTH.  The world is a poorer place for that.)

UltimaRatioRegis said...

But can you hear the conversation?  "So Steve, when do you pin on Vice Admiral?"

Andrewdb said...

Did you see what the President said during the campaign?  Did you hear him at the State of the Union?  It shouldn't surprise anyone that the stated goal of this administration is repeal of DADT.

Andrewdb said...

COL Cammermeyer was Chief Nurse of the Washington National Guard.  She served in Vietnam.  After she was discharged she sued and won, and ended up serving openly until she retired in 1997.  She was also 1985 Nurse of the Year for the VA.

UltimaRatioRegis said...

I also heard him talk about a comprehensive study to end in December 2010, and then I heard him say he supports the legislation put forward for repeal of DADT with the comprehensive study barely begun. 

To quote his loyal toy poodle named Mullen, "it is an issue of integrity".  Except I mean the issue is promising something with no intention of delivering, and then reneging on his promise at the first opportunity.  Integrity.

Grumpy Old Ham said...

Anyone seeing a therapist for that long is looking for companionship, not help.

I gave two different shrinks 6 months each to fix what ailed me.  Neither one could do it, so I fired 'em both and just learned to love the bomb instead.  I don't have time to waste on non-productive activities, unless I'm gettting well compensated for them.

DM05 said...

Women are here to stay - just pull the weight, quit complaining, maybe "sunset" near legislative garbage like this after 50+ years? Sorry, more my sensitivity filter is busted again.

Grumpy Old Ham said...

People keep trying to tell me that indoor plumbing is superior to outdoor plumbing.  I say there's a place for both.

Casey Tompkins said...

The last one, especially.

Casey Tompkins said...

I think the formula is take the IQ of the smartest person on the comittee, and divide by the number of members...

Anon said...

Gator - I appreciate the candor. Finding common ground is the first step to finding solutions.

MR T's Haircut said...

sorry cant take the credit.  URR hass the same sense of humor I do though, must have gone to the same guy school...

Andrewdb said...

URR - recall the direction from the SecDef was that the Comprehensive Working Group was to look at HOW (not IF) repeal would be implemented.  The extremely inadaquate compromise recently added to the National Defense Authorization Act doesn't do a damn thing until after (1) the Working Group reports, (2) the Pres, SecDef and CJCS certify to a bunch of stuff, and (3) Sen Byrd get's his 60 days for Congress to veto everything. 

UltimaRatioRegis said...

Oh, I recall.  I also know that this legislation was not something the Service Chiefs liked very much as it gives the distinct and accurate impression that their opinions matter not one iota, and that combat readiness and unit cohesion don't either. 

Social engineering under pressure from a militant interest group with loud friends.

C-dore 14 said...

Byron, Maybe so but my back feels a heck of a lot better since I've been going to one. ;)

Quartermaster said...

I have no trouble with women serving, I married a WAVE many years ago. The problem is how the military is using women these days. As VX and I have said on this site it is corrosive. The evidence is strongly in favor of putting women out  of comabt units for the sake of the country, and we're about to make things far worse with queers.