Description
Review this correspondence between the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense and the U.S. Secretary of the Air Force. This is an historic exchange that introduces the first attempt by the military to address sexual harassment across the military. Activity:Comment on your perception of the two letters in light of this context: Please consider the structure of the American government (legislative, judicial, and executive). What important role does that structure play in the direction given in the first letter and how is that guidance changed in the response? Further, what is the importance of the Air Force addition of the tasking regarding discrimination? What have you learned from reading the two letters with the addition of this reading the analysis? What role does strategy play in such managerial writing?
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For educational use only.
Remember “Tailhook”? These two letters were among the results of that issue. Please read both
with these questions in mind:
1. Are there any differences between what the Deputy Secretary of Defense asks the Air
Force to do and the Air Force response?
2. What significance do you place on the introduction of “discrimination” in the response?
3. What management strategy is the Air Force using?
Then, address the questions raised in the discussion prompt.
THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
WASHINGTON, DC 20301-1000
15 MARCH 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR: THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
(PERSONNEL AND READINESS)
Subject: Sexual Harassment Policy Plan
Combating sexual harassment is an important element of our overall Department of Defense
policy of fair and respectful treatment of our Military service members and civilians. The
Secretary and I are concerned that the Department has yet to develop and implement fully
the policies and procedures we need to rid the Department of sexual harassment.
Therefore, I would appreciate it if you would formulate a plan of action and a calendar for
developing and implementing these policies and regulations. Your plan should take cognizance
of those unique characteristics of each of the Military Services that bear on this matter, as well
as a procedure for reporting progress to the Congress. I look forward to reviewing your
proposal within 21 days.
And the response:
SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE
WASHINGTON
25 APRIL 1994
MEMORANDUM FOR THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Subject: Sexual Harassment Policy Plan
In your memo of March 15, 1994, you asked us to develop a sexual harassment policy action plan. The
plan we have developed incorporates several initiatives and is rooted in our firm commitment to
eradicating both discrimination and sexual harassment in the Department of Defense.
Secretary Perry stated in his Equal Opportunity memorandum of March 3 that “all employees of this
Department have a right to carry out their jobs without discrimination or harassment. Our broad goal, when
dealing with issues of discrimination and harassment, is to ensure that we create and maintain a work environment where all of our employees can excel. In the military services, we must make the Chain of Command
work for service members and against discrimination in the military.
Our plan has five main elements. We will:
•
Work with Congress toward our mutual goal of eliminating discrimination from the Department of
Defense. Specifically, we will soon send the HASC our after action reports on the sexual harassment
cases highlighted in the March 9 hearing. On April 20, Under Secretary Dorn sent a letter to
Chairman Dellums reviewing lessons learned in anticipation of the individual Services’ reports. We
will also continue to cooperate with the HASC Task Force on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity
in the Armed Forces.
•
Formulate a new sexual harassment policy statement. This policy statement is now under review and
will be ready for SecDef signature on May 15.
•
Establish the DEOC Task Force on Discrimination and Sexual Harassment to review the military
services’ discrimination complaints system and recommend improvements, including the adoption
of Department-wide standards.
•
Initiate a new sexual harassment survey to ascertain whether service members have confidence in the
current system.
.
•
Implement senior leadership training at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute.
This training will include workshops on ending discrimination and sexual harassment.
Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Task Force Mission Statement
Secretary of the Air Force Widnall and Under Secretary of Defense Dorn have established the Defense
Equal Opportunity Council (DEOC) Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Task Force as a part of a five
point plan proposed to the Deputy Secretary of Defense in response to his March 15 memorandum.
The mission of the DEOC Task Force is to examine and investigate the military Services and their Reserve
Components’ discrimination complaints processes through briefings provided, in part, by the Services. The
Task Force will then review information gathered from the briefings and recommend improvements,
including the adoption of Department-wide standards. A final summary report of its findings and
recommendations will be released to the Defense Equal Opportunity Council (DEOC) in August for review
and transmittal to the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
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