兰德-评估美国军队中种族、族裔骚扰和歧视的调查（英）-2021.10-101页_793kb

Summary of the Survey for Assessing Racial/Ethnic Harassment and Discrimination in the U.S. Military

Core Content

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is committed to eliminating racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination within the armed forces. To support this goal, the DoD conducts quadrennial surveys: the Workplace and Equal Opportunity Survey of Active Duty Members (WEOA) and the Workplace and Equal Opportunity Survey of Reserve Component Members (WEOR). These surveys are mandated by Title 10, Section 481 of the U.S. Code and are used to assess the prevalence of these issues, as well as the workplace climate.

The RAND Corporation, under contract from the DoD, redesigned the survey instrument for these assessments. The new instrument includes three modules:

1. Racial/Ethnic Harassment Screening: 12 items assess inappropriate workplace behaviors that were targeted at the respondent, their racial/ethnic group, or any other group.
2. Racial/Ethnic Discrimination Screening: 12 items assess whether a respondent experienced work-related harms such as poor performance reviews or undesirable assignments due to their race or ethnicity.
3. Follow-Up Questions: For those who experienced harassment or discrimination, follow-up questions explore the nature of the event, the offender, and the response system.

The survey is designed to identify behaviors that are either persistent (continue despite being known to be upsetting) or severe (offensive to a reasonable person), which are then categorized as racial/ethnic harassment. Discrimination is identified based on whether the respondent experienced harmful workplace behaviors and had a source of information admissible in court.

Main Views and Key Information

• The DoD has a legal obligation to assess and report on racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination in the military.
• The new survey instrument was developed through a comprehensive review of existing academic and private-sector survey tools, as well as consultation with experts in harassment and discrimination.
• The survey is structured to capture both the prevalence and context of racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination, including the characteristics of offenders and the effectiveness of response systems.
• The survey does not include specific examples of harassing behaviors for service members, but it does include such examples for civilian employees, which may affect the interpretation of results.
• The survey can be scored to provide estimates for both harassment and discrimination, as well as for other inappropriate workplace behaviors.
• The results should be disseminated through appropriate channels to inform policy development and improve understanding of these issues.

Recommendations

• Report findings with estimates of the percentage of service members who experienced:
  • Racial/ethnic harassment
  • Racial/ethnic discrimination
  • Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) violations related to race and ethnicity
  • Inappropriate workplace behaviors that do not meet the persistence or severity criteria
• Link survey results with self-reported or administrative data on race and ethnicity to better understand how different groups experience harassment and discrimination.
• Disseminate results within 12 to 18 months of completion through multiple channels, including web access, press releases, newsletters, and conference presentations.
• Revise the survey instrument as needed to reflect changes in policy and to improve accuracy based on feedback from the Office of People Analytics (OPA) and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
• Use the survey results as a benchmark to educate service members about harassment and discrimination through equal opportunity training programs.

Survey Implementation and Legal Context

• Racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination are defined as unwelcome behaviors based on race, ethnicity, or national origin, which create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
• These behaviors are considered prohibited if they are either persistent or sufficiently severe or pervasive to be perceived as hostile.
• The DoD has a range of policies and programs aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) program, the Defense Diversity Working Group, and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.
• The Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (2012–2017) outlines goals for promoting diversity in the DoD, including leadership commitment, strategic outreach, and talent development and retention.

Conclusion

The redesigned survey instrument aims to improve the accuracy and consistency of data on racial/ethnic harassment and discrimination in the U.S. military. By aligning with existing DoD policies and incorporating expert feedback, the survey provides a more reliable tool for assessing the prevalence and nature of these issues. The findings of this survey are intended to support policy development and organizational change, while also enhancing the understanding of service members' experiences. The report emphasizes the importance of ongoing evaluation and updates to ensure the instrument remains relevant and effective in the evolving policy landscape.