兰德-对空军部多样性、公平性和包容性的看法（英）-2021.11-87页_3mb

Summary of PERSPECTIVES ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION in the Department of the Air Force

Core Content

This edited volume provides a comprehensive analysis of the Department of the Air Force (DAF) efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) within its workforce, particularly in leadership and pilot roles. It explores various aspects of DE&I through the lens of organizational, managerial, and procedural strategies, and evaluates how these efforts compare with those in the public and private sectors. The work is based on a series of studies and issue papers that examine the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for enhancing DE&I in the DAF.

Main Topics and Findings

1. Challenges in DE&I Progress

• Despite decades of investment, racial/ethnic minorities and women remain underrepresented in leadership and pilot roles.
• Racial disparities persist in military justice and career development, prompting the DAF to initiate reviews and assessments.
• The DAF must improve its understanding of the scope and effectiveness of its DE&I initiatives and identify effective pathways forward.

2. Comparative DE&I Efforts Across Sectors

• The DAF's DE&I initiatives are aligned with broader DoD efforts and similar practices in the public and private sectors.
• Benchmarking is a key strategy for identifying where improvements are needed and how to achieve them.
• The DAF's strategic messaging on DE&I is comparable to that of public and private entities, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Walmart.

3. Key DE&I Initiatives and Their Outcomes

• Pilot Diversity Improvement Action Plan: Aims to improve the diversity of the pilot pipeline through outreach to youth aviation programs. However, it faces challenges such as K-12 academic patterns and cultural barriers, especially in minority communities.
• ROTC and USAFA Differences: ROTC produces more black officers due to its larger size, while USAFA produces more pilot trainees due to its focus on flying opportunities. The DAF should consider creating a pool of at-large pilot slots to recruit more minority candidates.
• DE&I in Pilot Training and Attrition: Minority and female students have higher attrition rates in pilot training, which is partly explained by differences in Pilot Candidate Selection Method (PCSM) scores. However, without increasing the flow of minority and female students into pilot training, diversity in this field is unlikely to improve.
• General Officer Representation: Black representation at the general officer level continues to decline, largely due to a sharp drop in the introduction of new black pilots since 1993.

4. Diversity Training and Implicit Bias

• Diversity training is more effective when it involves multiple sessions, active interaction, and managerial support.
• Implicit bias training can reduce biases but does not necessarily lead to less discrimination. The DAF should consider using implicit bias assessments (e.g., Implicit Association Test) to evaluate group-level biases rather than individual ones.

5. Outreach and Recruitment Strategies

• Early community outreach and marketing are critical for attracting minority candidates.
• The DAF has initiated efforts to increase scholarship opportunities for ROTC cadets at HBCUs and HSIs and to revise dress and appearance policies to avoid disadvantaging certain groups.

6. Organizational Inclusion and Culture

• The DAF must not only focus on representation but also on inclusion, ensuring that individuals feel part of the organization's culture and functioning.
• Conversations about race and diversity are essential for conveying organizational values and amplifying diverse voices, even though they may activate biases.

Key Policy Implications

• The DAF should continue to benchmark its DE&I efforts against those in the public and private sectors to identify effective strategies.
• Diversity training should be structured as a multi-session, interactive process with managerial support.
• The DAF should revise its officer selection and promotion criteria to measure a broader range of KSAOs (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics) to better reflect the diverse needs and capabilities of its workforce.
• Early outreach to minority communities is crucial for increasing the pipeline of diverse candidates.
• The DAF should be vigilant about potential resistance to DE&I initiatives and develop strategies to mitigate it.

Structure and Methodology

• The volume is organized around the military personnel life cycle, from recruitment to retention and career progression.
• It includes 12 DE&I topics, with chapters addressing representation, inclusion, training, and policy.
• The research draws on literature reviews, data analyses, and expert evaluations to provide insights into the effectiveness of various DE&I strategies.

Conclusion and Recommendations

• There are no quick fixes for improving DE&I in the DAF. Sustained, multifaceted efforts are required.
• The DAF should focus on both the individual and institutional levels to foster a more inclusive and equitable organization.
• Leveraging lessons from past DE&I initiatives and adapting them for future impact is essential.
• The DAF must continue to monitor and evaluate its DE&I programs to ensure they are effective and responsive to the needs of its diverse workforce.

Key Organizations and Entities Mentioned

• Department of the Air Force (DAF)
• U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Walmart
• Military Leadership Diversity Commission (MLDC)
• RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF)
• Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)
• U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA)
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)

References

• AFI 36-7001: Air Force Instruction on diversity and inclusion.
• MLDC Final Report: A 2011 report by the Military Leadership Diversity Commission.
• Walmart 2018 Report: A strategic plan on culture, diversity, and inclusion.
• VA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan: A 2017-2020 plan outlining diversity goals.
• RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF): Analyzed 29 documents from public and private entities to evaluate DE&I approaches.