Results from a recent survey conducted by Air Force Materiel Command which garnered 14,000 responses from Airmen and civilians sheds some light on the current climate of diversity and inclusion within the branch.
“The survey shows that while we are opening minds to many blind spots that would have previously gone unnoticed, we still have a lot of work to do, as we continue our efforts to become a more diverse and inclusive AFMC,” said Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., AFMC commander.
A few takeaways from the survey include:
- A majority of respondents (95%) reported that they did not think that their performance evaluations were impacted by race or ethnicity.
- Approximately 88% of respondents said when an incident of racial discrimination did occur, their supervisor “took appropriate action.”
- 20% of civilians said that they believed hiring within their organization were impacted by race and/or ethnicity. Some respondents said that hiring and promotion was biased against Black and female personnel, while other respondents said that a “reverse racism” trend exists that favors minorities in the hiring and promotion process.
- Three-quarters of respondents (75%) said they noticed an increased commitment to diversity and inclusion in the past year.
“It is imperative that we get this right. We need to have an environment where every Airman feels accepted, valued, and has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. These results will help guide our continued efforts,” said Bunch.
Photo by Johnny Saldivar
