U.S. Army Special Operations Command on Diversity and Inclusion

Jan 26, 2021:

The first Special Operations Forces (SOF) Truth, “Humans are more important than hardware” speaks to our most valuable asset, our people. This document guides sustained efforts to strengthen the operational capability of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) by leveraging diversity

and inclusion, as well as committing to increase the diversity of our force while creating more inclusive environments. This plan provides a strategic-level perspective on diversity and inclusion for the SOF enterprise that follows the Secretary of Defense’s stated actions to improve racial and ethnic diversity and inclusion and helps us evolve and strengthen our competitive edge. This plan creates pathways for success through the lines of effort with focused strategic objectives and goals acted on with a supporting organizational structure. The strategic intent of this plan is applicable throughout the command to include Headquarters USSOCOM, Service Components, Joint Special Operations Command, and Theater Special Operations Commands.

The SOF enterprise recognizes the importance of force diversity and the implementation of more inclusive environments—that diversity and inclusion are operational imperatives. With this said, building a diverse force and fashioning more inclusive cultures require an evolution of our methods and processes. Diversity andinclusion efforts must be sustained, flexible, innovative, targeted, and precise. This plan suggests processes and data needed to measure progress and provides a framework for oversight and assessment to ensure the command’s diversity and inclusion efforts are continuous and sustained.

This plan is divided into four main sections: 1. USSOCOM Diversity and Inclusion Outlook, 2. USSOCOM Diversity and Inclusion Lines of Effort, 3. USSOCOM Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Objectives and Goals, and 4. USSOCOM Best Practices and Promising Initiatives. The first section describes the command’s Diversity and Inclusion vision and mission, defines terms and focus, and provides an understanding of the operational necessity of diversity and inclusion within the SOF enterprise. The second section outlines the four lines of effort where continued progress is needed to strengthen, integrate, and develop the command’s diversity and inclusion through the organization, people, education and training, and sustained efforts. The third section provides a guide path for the command’s sustained efforts and suggests strategies for engaging the lines of effort in productive and meaningful ways that translate to increased diversity and improved inclusiveness throughout the command. The fourth section acknowledges and celebrates the work already done throughout the SOF enterprise to maximize capability through intentional and focused diversity and inclusion efforts.

Successful implementation of this plan requires that USSOCOM leaders, at all levels, leverage their diversity and inclusion practitioners, force managers, recruiting specialists, and innovation centers to develop actionable improvements that measure performance and tools to track progress. Leaders must integrate diversity and inclusion efforts into unit goals, mission objectives, talent management initiatives, and operational priorities for a successful implementation.

SOF is designed to be agile and innovative through ruthless self-assessment. To execute this plan and ensure force diversity, we must utilize our strengths to evolve our force to compete and win within Great Power Competition.

June 2020: The Secretary of the Army and Chief of Staff of the Army today announced a new initiative, Project Inclusion, to improve diversity, equity and inclusion across the force and build cohesive teams. The holistic effort will include a series of worldwide listening sessions with Soldiers and civilians, an examination of possible racial disparity in military justice cases, and the removal of photos from officer promotion boards beginning August 2020.

Aug 17 2020: U.S. Army Special Operations Command conducted its first Diversity and Inclusion Workshop, Tuesday, at its headquarters. The purpose of the session was to train leaders within the command on how to recognize personal bias, and how to create an inclusive and open command climate.

“Every single day in SOF, we get up with a moral and professional obligation to make ourselves better,” said Lt. Gen. Francis Beaudette, Commander, U.S. Army Special Operations Command. “Our values, who we are and what we are about are fundamental ways in which we continue to serve the nation.”

The training, hosted by the USASOC Equal Opportunity Office and attended by nearly 200 people, discussed how individuals develop learned biases throughout their lives as a part of their socialization. This process continues as individuals progress through their Army career, affecting the command climate in which they serve.

The facilitators, Master Sgt. Jason Chizek and Sgt. 1st Class Joseph Jackel from the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, discussed how a culture of dignity and respect builds high performing organizations. They highlighted the difference between coaching and mentoring versus demeaning and belittling and how that marked a major difference between high and low performing teams.

“The climate that you are leading…what kind of climate is that? What kind of culture is that,” Chizek asked. “Is it a culture that is supporting everybody? Is it a culture that is including all those experiences? Where people feel like they have a voice?”

This session was the first in a series of sessions that will be conducted by the USASOC staff as the command works to increase diversity in its ranks and attract top talent from across the Army.

“We succeed, because we have the best talent and we trust and empower that talent, and this is how we solve our problems on behalf of our nation,” Beaudette said. “We have a diversity of experiences in this command. We have a diversity of cultures. We have a diversity of backgrounds. We have a diversity of thinking and it’s what makes us great—frankly. It’s fundamental to who we are and it’s critically important that we acknowledge that and we continue to work on that.”

READ THE FULL SOC PLAN: