CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The Air Force's military equal opportunity program and the civilian equal employment opportunity program recently merged as part of an ongoing EO transformation.
"The Air Force is embarking upon a significant organizational transformation that has been long in the making." said Lt. Gen. Dick Newton, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services at the Pentagon. "Merging these programs into one organization equipped and fully staffed to handle any military or civilian discrimination or sexual harassment matter and all affirmative employment and special emphasis initiatives will provide the Air Force with enhanced EO capability that will add to our ability to take care of our people.
"Our men and women both military and civilian want an organization they can trust to fulfill their needs," General Newton continued. "They also want an organization that is knowledgeable, friendly, eager to assist and easily accessible. EO will not only meet these standards, but I predict will exceed them."
The EO transformation initiative will be split into several phases. An Air Force Link news story stated that Phase I involves the MEO and EEO integration. This effort is scheduled to conclude in July. The entire EO workforce is receiving formal training on MEO and EEO processes and procedures.
Phase II actually began in September 2007 when Air Force EO officials held an initial Air Force Smart Operation for the 21st Century inspection, which centered on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's annual requirement to report progress of agency affirmative employment programs. Recommendations were brought forward by participants to try and improve areas that needed attention. Several Headquarters Air Force working groups were formed to develop Air Force-wide strategies on affirmative employment and special emphasis programs. Phase II is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008.
The primary objective of the EO program is to improve mission effectiveness by promoting an environment free from personal, social or institutional barriers that prevent Air Force members from rising to the highest level of responsibility possible. The EO program is a function of leadership and command based on fairness, equality, and justice. The EO office provides assistance to retirees, military members and their families and civilian employees who feel they have been discriminated against based on race, national origin, color, religion or sex to include sexual harassment. The EO office also helps commanders understand the health of their squadron's human relations environment. This is done through the Unit Climate Assessment Surveys. It's a chance for each individual to anonymously voice their concerns to their commander or to even say, "Hey, I like what's going on with our squadron."
EO also acts as subject matter experts to assist commanders, first sergeants and supervisors when they are handling human relations situations within their squadrons. If a military member or civilian employee comes to the EO office with a dispute or concern, they are highly encourage to first use their chain of command for dispute resolution at the lowest level. The chain of command is responsible for creating an environment free from unlawful discrimination and sexual harassment.
The EO office also coordinates the Alternative Dispute Resolution program, a collaborative effort by management and American Federation of Government Employees Local 1869 bargaining unit employees to assist the civilian workforce in resolving work-related disputes.
The EO office provides a number of processes to reduce conflict and ultimately focus on the positive.
(Some information for this story provided by Air Force Print News)