The U.S. Navy Strategic Diversity Working Group received national accolades from the Association of Diversity Councils by earning the organization's prestigious Diversity Council Honors Award, April 5.Congrats, I guess.
The Association of Diversity Councils is the only entity that holds a competition specifically highlighting the value diversity councils bring to an organization's efforts.
Navy Strategic Diversity Working Group (SDWG) earned the council's number one ranking from amongst notable competitors such as American Airlines, ranked number three; FEDEX, ranked number four; Best Buy, ranked number 12; Wells Fargo, ranked number 14; and Pfizer, ranked 21.
Vice Adm. Mark Ferguson, Chief of Naval Personnel shared his pride on the significance of the Diversity Council Honors award and the importance of the Navy's Diversity Outreach programs.
"This award is a representation of the hard work and dedication of the Navy's Strategic Diversity Working Group," said Ferguson. "Navy's ranking as number one is humbling and confirms that the Navy's program is recognized externally as one of the best in the nation."
Now that we seem to have received some external validation - what are all these structures and expenditures buying us but a few clauses to use in the CNO's end-of-tour award?
Sure, we've injected tens of millions of dollars into the Diversity Industry's consultants, conferences, and companies - but what are we buying for the warfighter in all this?
In the zero sum game that is accessions, admissions and promotion - when you give rewards based on race, creed, color, and national origin - you warp behavior. You create your own self-justifying entity. No officer below O6 cares about this unless this is their career line. No Senior Enlisted of any rate cares either - unless this is their career field. Today's young men and women don't think about race as the Boomer generation do.
Well, wait - I'm wrong. Some in the Navy of all ages care - some who have figured out that there is something to gain here.
Each month it seems, I find another Flag Officer leading from the front with at its best is something self-delusional, at worst is racial self-identification fraud. I'm not going to call him out by name (you can get a name in 2 minutes via google if you wish) as he is retired now and I am feeling charitable today - but he is an officer's son born in San Diego who, like most military kids, grew up all over the place. His mother just happened to have an Iberian maiden name and was from Texas.
I am sure he is a nice guy and all - many of you know him - but is having a mother from Texas and growing up a Navy brat really line you up for, "(being) a motivational keynote speaker in various Hispanic related conferences. Among them the recently held Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists, Inc. 18th Annual National Leadership Conference." Really? He is also a member of the sectarian Association of Naval Service Officers. Really? He is as Hispanic as my wife - and if we pulled DNA scientifically he would be much more European. Culturally, I am more Hispanic than he is.
Is this just harmless stuff - really? Like winning some silly thing at the Highland Games or being a St. Patrick's Day parade marshall? No, it isn't.
I guess I shouldn't give anyone grief for trying to give themselves a leg up - and we know that stamping yourself on the head with the label of a minority is a leg up in today's Navy. That isn't the fault of those who are actually born with the stamp on their head - but how do people feel about others who go through the effort to stamp themselves?
We have Flag Officers who are actively advertising what can easily be called - let's not use the "f" word - "racial self-identification delusional disorder (RSIDD)" - should we be shocked that more down the chain of command are doing the same? As I've stated before, in my immediate family depending on the day, form, and degree of cheek - we can have "white," "hispanic," or "native american" on our forms.
So, with that known - as we get our Diversity awards, and the folks at Millington build their graphs - we should ask ourselves - how accurate are these numbers? All those Irish, German, and French "Hispanic" Flag Officers who grew up in upper-middle class Maryland or as military brats. All those "black" officers whose Doctor father was "white" and whose mother was half "black" and half Philippino.
Self-delusional awards given for self-delusional numbers. Hey Front Porch - you were right; this is a perfect DivThu story. I was skeptical, but you knew I would find the hook. Thanks.
I guess I shouldn't give anyone grief for trying to give themselves a leg up - and we know that stamping yourself on the head with the label of a minority is a leg up in today's Navy. That isn't the fault of those who are actually born with the stamp on their head - but how do people feel about others who go through the effort to stamp themselves?
We have Flag Officers who are actively advertising what can easily be called - let's not use the "f" word - "racial self-identification delusional disorder (RSIDD)" - should we be shocked that more down the chain of command are doing the same? As I've stated before, in my immediate family depending on the day, form, and degree of cheek - we can have "white," "hispanic," or "native american" on our forms.
So, with that known - as we get our Diversity awards, and the folks at Millington build their graphs - we should ask ourselves - how accurate are these numbers? All those Irish, German, and French "Hispanic" Flag Officers who grew up in upper-middle class Maryland or as military brats. All those "black" officers whose Doctor father was "white" and whose mother was half "black" and half Philippino.
Self-delusional awards given for self-delusional numbers. Hey Front Porch - you were right; this is a perfect DivThu story. I was skeptical, but you knew I would find the hook. Thanks.
Now go cry for the beloved Navy.
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