Developing a Culture of Passion around Diversity & Inclusion

From the District Offi ce of Diversity & Inclusion Developing a Culture of Passion around Diversity & Inclusion

Submitted by Tom Bamford, District Directorate Chief-Logistics

Welcome to the Diversity and Inclusion department of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Seventh District. Join us as we embark on a journey to refine our Diversity and Inclusion objectives at all district levels. The operational plan calls on each member, regardless of position, to identify unintended disincentives to recruiting and retention at all levels and to work to eliminate them through a process of training and mentoring. The top priority is to make the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary “The Volunteer Organization of Choice” in the United States. We must now sharpen our focus and pinpoint district needs and requirements for a successful Diversity and Inclusion Plan. The Seventh District program will be measured by how well our leadership can identify and capitalize on our members’ talents, finding the best in everyone. We must work to ensure that trust is at the foundation of each of our initiatives. Our members must know where the lines are drawn and what is acceptable and unacceptable behavior toward other members. We must use training at all levels to build an inclusive environment, promoting diversity of thoughts, ideas, and competencies. We must also be certain that each member knows their role in Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity and how it ties to the missions of the Auxiliary. This will enable us to work on building high-performance teams and empower us to mission readiness and excellence. r,

As the largest of the Auxiliary districts, the more than four thousand (4,000) men and women of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Seventh District are dedicated to assisting the boating public and supporting Coast Guard units in their mission areas. Seventh District’s geographical area includes the states of South Carolina, Georgia, nearly all of Florida, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. We proudly volunteer our time and We resources to support six Coast Guard re Sectors, four Coast Guard Air Stations, S 20 Coast Guard small boat stations, and eight Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Teams. Let’s review our core ethical principles: HONESTY HO - Be truthful, straightforward, sincere, and candid. Do not mislead or since deceive.

INTEGRITY - Live by principles and show the courage of your convictions. Stand behind your beliefs and put principle over expediency. Walk the talk. COMMITMENT - Keep your promises, be reliable, take action, and accept responsibility. LOYALTY – Be faithful, and supportive, adhere to accepted policies, and pledge allegiance. FAIRNESS - Strive to be equitable, be open-minded to people and ideas, recognize and overcome prejudice, and do not discriminate on an improper basis.

COMPASSION - Be considerate, kind, caring, charitable, and unselfish. RESPECT - Be courteous, deferential, and tolerant of policies and procedures, individuals, and groups. Appreciate the freedom, dignity, and rights of others. CIVIC - Willingly perform assignments and a fair share of the work. Abide by rules and laws; participate. PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE - Identify deficiencies. Do your best at all times, take pride in your work, and always strive to improve. ACCOUNTABILITY - Consider consequences and accept responsibility for actions and inactions; do not shift blame or make excuses. Correct errors and misunderstandings.

The core elements of diversity that a person cannot change are birthplace, ethnicity, race, and gender. The elements of diversity a person can change include language, religion, beliefs, educational level, profession, some cultural aspects, etc. In understanding diversity and inclusion, it is important to realize that diversity’s call for treating people as equal does not mean treating them as if they were similar. People are equal in their right to dignity and respect, but they are not equal in their abilities, nor should we mistakenly think that they are similar. Effective diversity training will help Auxiliarists become more open to differences in general and more skilled in handling problematic diversity issues. THE U.S. COAST GUARD’S VISION FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

The Coast Guard will be distinguished as the “Service of Choice” within the federal government for recruiting, retaining, and sustaining a ready, diverse, and highly skilled workforce. THE U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY’s VISION FOR DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

The Coast Guard Auxiliary will be recognized as the “Volunteer Organization of Choice” for American citizens interested in promoting recreational boating safety, security of America’s waterways, and improved methods of educating the boating public. We will recruit, retain, train and deploy a ready, diverse, and highly skilled volunteer workforce to contribute to Coast Guard Auxiliary mission success. Ω

ACTIVE DUTY ★ RESERVE ★ CIVILIAN ★AUXILIARY

Background: Royalty free to use from m Unsplash. com. Illustration by Dorothy Riley