SecDef: Public Display or Depiction of Flags in the Department of Defense: Addressing Diversity
Guidance on Public Display or Depiction of Flags in the Department of Defense
Today Secretary of Defense Dr. Mark T. Esper provided guidance to Defense senior leaders and commanders on the public display or depiction of flags in the Department of Defense. The Secretary noted that flags are powerful symbols, particularly in the military community for whom flags embody common mission, common histories, and the special, timeless bonds of warriors. The Secretary also noted that the flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive symbols.
In addition to honoring the American flag, which is the principal flag that DoD is authorized and encouraged to display, the Secretary provided a list of other flags, or representational depictions, that service members and civilian employees are authorized to display that promote unity and esprit de corps.
Secretary Esper remains committed to fielding the most powerful military force the world has known by strengthening the bonds of our most valuable resource – our people.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONL Y
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 1000 DEFENSE PENTAGON WASHINGTON , DC 20301-1000
MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
SUBJECT:
SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
UNDER SECRETARIES OF DEFENSE
CHIEF OF THE NA TIONAL GUARD BUREAU COMMANDERS OF THE COMBATANT COMMANDS GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR OF COST ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM
EV ALUA TION
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR OF OPERA TIONAL TEST AND EV ALUA TION CHIEF INFORMA TION OFFICER OF THE DEP ARTMENT OF
DEFENSE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS
ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FORPUBLIC
AFFAIRS
DIRECTOR OF NET ASSESSMENT DIRECTORS OF DEFENSE AGENCIES DIRECTORS OF DOD FIELD ACTIVITIES
Public Display or Depiction of Flags in the Department of Defense
The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide a combat-ready military force to deter conflict, and, should deterrence fail, to prevail in war. Accomplishing this mission depends on our most important resource – our Service members and civilian employees. Supporting our people requires mutual respect, responsibility, and accountability.
Flags are powerful symbols, particularly in the military community for whom flags embody common mission, common histories, and the special, timeless bond of warriors. As Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, a veteran of the Second World War, once wrote about theUnitedStatesflag: “Itisasymboloffreedom,ofequalopportunity,ofreligioustolerance, and of good will for other peoples who share our aspirations.” We wear this flag on our sleeves; we honor it prominently on parade fields; we carry it into combat; and, we drape it over the coffins of those who have given their lives for our Nation.
We must always remain focused on what unifies us: our sworn oath to the Constitution and our shared duty to defend the Nation. I am committed to fielding the most powerful military force the world has known by strengthening the bonds of our most valuable resource – our people. That is why we honor the American flag, which is the principal flag we are authorized and encouraged to display. The flags we fly must accord with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treating all our people with dignity and respect, and rejecting divisive
symbols.
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONL Y
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONL Y
Consequently, in addition to the American flag, Service members and civilian employees are authorized to display or depict representational flags that promote unity and esprit de corps, including :
- Flags of U.S. States and Territories and the District of Columbia;
- Military Service flags;
- Flag or General Officer flags;
- Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed civilian flags;
- Senior Executive Service (SES) and Military Department-specific SES flags;
- The POW/MIA flag;
- Flags of other countries, for which the United States is an ally or partner, or for officialprotocol purposes;
- Flags of organizations in which the United States is a member (e.g., NATO); and
- Ceremonial, command, unit, or branch flags or guidons.This guidance applies to public displays or depictions of flags by Service members and civilian employees in all Department of Defense work places, common access areas, and public areas, including, but not limited to:
- Office buildings, facilities, naval vessels, aircraft, government vehicles, hangars, garages, ready rooms, conference rooms, individual offices, cubicles, storage rooms, tool and equipment rooms, workshops, break rooms, kitchens/galleys, recreational areas, commissaries, Navy and Marine Corps and Army and Air Force exchanges, and heads/latrines/restrooms – including property and buildings off installation leased by the Department;
- Sensitive compartmented information facilities and other secure facilities;
- Open-bay barracks, berthing areas, and common areas of barracks and bachelorquarters ;
- School houses and training facilities; and
- All spaces or items in public or plain view, such as the outside areas of anyDepartment of Defense buildings and government-operated or public-private venture housing (e.g., parking lots, yards, gazebos, or porches).The public display or depiction of unauthorized flags in museum exhibits, state-issued license plates, grave sites, memorial markers, monuments, educational displays, historical displays, or works of art, where the nature of the display or depiction cannot reasonably be viewed as endorsement of the
flag by the Department of Defense, is not prohibited.What has always united us remains clear – our common mission, our oath to support and defend the Constitution, and our American flag. With this change in policy, we will further improve the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force in defense of our great Nation.
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 1000 DEFENSE PENTAGON WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1000
MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF MANAGEMENT OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
SECRETARIES OF THE MILITARY DEPARTMENTS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
UNDER SECRETARJES OF DEFENSE
CHIEF OF THE NA TIONAL GUARD BUREAU
GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEP ARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR OF COST ASSESSMENT AND PROGRAM
EV ALUA TION
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEP ARTMENT OF DEFENSE DIRECTOR OF OPERA TIONAL TEST AND EV ALUA TION CI–HEF INFORMA TION OFFICER OF THE DEP ARTMENT OF
DEFENSE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR LEGISLATIVE
AFFAIRS
ASSISTANT TO THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PUBLIC
AFFAIRS
DIRECTOR OF NET ASSESSMENT DIRECTORS Of DEFENSE AGENCIES DIRECTORS OF DOD FIELD ACTIVITIES
SUBJECT: Immediate Actions to Address Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in the Military Services
On June 19, 2020 I issued a memorandum directing a three-pronged approach to take the initiative against discrimination, prejudice, and bias in all ranks ofour Armed Forces. The purpose of this approach is to promote the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the force. Each effort aims to identify actions the Department can take within policies, programs, and processes to improve diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for our Service members:
- A short-te1m “sprint” to identify i1mnediate actions;
- A mid-tem1 DoD Board on Diversity and Inclusion (the ”Board”) to dive deeply intoour policies and processes and identify additional actions; and
- A long-term Defense Advisory Commillee on Diversity and Inclusion in the Armed Services to provide an independent and enduring review and assessment that will strengthen our efforts in this area for generations to come.
JUL 1 ~ 2C~n
OSD006634-20/CMD008163-20
After reviewing recommendations from across the Department, ram resolved to act immediately on those issues that we can address now. To that end, I direct the following:
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Remove photographs from consideration b)1 promotion boards and selection processes and develop additional guidance, as applicable, that emphasizes retaining qualified and diverse talent. To ensure equal opportunity for all, I direct
.the lJnder Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USD(P&R)) to prescribe policy prohibiting the use of photographs for promotion boards and selection processes pertaining to assignment, training. education, and command, effective September I , 2020. Further, I direct the USD(P&R) to review policies and processes and develop additional guidance – including provisions for establishing diverse selection panels and the removal of all references to race, ethnicity, and gender in personnel packets reviewed by panel members – to ensure promotion boards and selection processes enable equal opportunity for all Service members, promote diversity in our ranks, and are free from bias based on race, ethnicity, gender. or national origin. The USD(P&R) will prepare guidance with time.lines for implementation for my signature NL T September 30, 2020.
Update the Department‘s mil.itary equal opportunity and diversity inclusion policies. The Department will update its military harassment policy to strengthen protections for Service members against inappropriate and intolerable harassing behaviors, especially racial bias and prejudice. The Department will update its military equal opportunity policy to.prohibit pregnancy-based discrimination. The Department will update its policy on Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity in the DoD to delineate roles and responsibi lities o f leaders and provide reference points for engaged and critical thinking on this topic. I direct the USD(P&R) to issue updates to these policies NL T September 1, 2020.
Obtain and analyze additional data. The prejudice and bias that exist within our force are not always transparent. The Department must collect data and analyze it to identify patterns and trends, and to inform and improve the Department’s policies and programs. I direct the USD(P&R) to increase the frequency of the Workplace and Equal Opportunity survey to measure the effectiveness ofour actions and identify areas requiring improvement. This survey will include metrics concerningharassment and discrimination, extremist groups and activities. and the effectiveness of military equal oppo11unity offices. I also direct the USD(P&R) to develop and implement an officer retention and promotion coho11 analysis study, in order to understand the potential factors affecting racial and ethnic minority officer retention and promotion. The USD(P&R) will provide me a proposal for these actions NLT October I, 2020.
Add bias awareness and bystander intervention to the violence prevention framework. Addressing racial prejudice and bias within the force requires a combination of ongoing skill development, leadership, and accountability. I direct the USD(P&R) to ensure the integrated violence prevention framework currently
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under development, includes measures for addressing bias through personal skill development, to include bias awareness and bystander intervention in response to improper remarks or other communications made by peers or superiors. Issue this policy NLT September 15, 2020.
Develop educational requirements for implementation across the military lifecycle to educate the force on unconscious bias. To effectively educate Service members and leaders concerning the impact of their own biases and prejudices on their decisions, I direct the USD(P&R) to develop requirements for Common Military Training including tem1inal learning objectives, enabling learning objectives, purpose of learnjng, and desired outcomes that are targeted to Service members, trulored to their place within the military lifecycle (e.g., new recruits, newly appointed leaders, senior officers), and deployable enterprise-wide through existing training and professional military education programs. These requirements must include clear and concise definitions of key and relevant te1ms. Provide me a plan of action and milestones, including timelines, for the development and implementation of these requirements NLT October 1, 2020.
Develop a program of instruction containing techniques and procedures which enable commanders to have relevant, candid, and effective discussions. Develop specific training requirements, relevant talking points, and scenario-based learning to assist commanders in guiding discussions on discrimination, prejudice, and bias within units and organizations. The USD(P&R) will provide a training plan, including timelines for requirements development, NLT October l. 2020.
Review hairstyle and grooming policies for racial bias. Tdirect the Services to review all appearance standards and policies and make appropriate policy modifications NLT September 15, 2020.
Review effectiveness of Military Service equal opportunity offices. To supplement data obtained through the Workplace and Equal Opportunity survey, I direct the Military Service Inspectors General to injtiate a review, NLT
September 1, 2020. to assess the effectiveness of Military Service equal opportunity offices and other applicable offices, in responding to equal opportunity issues and to make recommendations based on their findings.
Support Military Department initiatives. To synchronize efforts and appropriately allocate resources. I direct the Secretmies of the Militmy Department to provide me a status repo11 on the implementation of the immediate actions they identified within their components NLT August 15, 2020, and to provide me updates monthly thereafter through December 2020.
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The success ofour military mission depends on a disciplined and lethal force prepared to defend our country and our Constitution. There is no greater mission and no greater calling. Vv’hen our Nation’s young men and women volunteer to join the U.S. Armed Forces, they do so
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