UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 267/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/DIVERSITY UPDATE//
REF/A/DOC/CMC WHITE LETTER 2-13/26 MAR 13//
AMPN/REF A IS CMC WHITE LETTER 2-13//
POC/M. J. SHEPPARD/CIV/UNIT: MPE/-/TEL: (703)784-9371/TEL: DSN 278-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON KEY ACTIONS BEING TAKEN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMMANDANT'S DIVERSITY TASK FORCE INITIATIVE.  FOUR MAIN POINTS ILLUSTRATE THE MARINE CORPS' DIVERSITY STRATEGY:  IDENTIFY, ATTRACT AND RETAIN A DIVERSE CORPS; CREATE A CLIMATE THAT ALLOWS MARINES TO PERFORM AT THEIR PEAK; ASSESS AND UNDERSTAND THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION AND THEIR INFLUENCERS; AND FIND AND ELIMINATE INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS THAT HINDER OPPORTUNITIES. 
2.  IN JANUARY, A DIVERSITY SUMMIT WAS HELD DURING THE EXECUTIVE OFF-SITE.  THIS SUMMIT RESULTED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOUR DIVERSITY TASK FORCES THAT ARE CENTRAL TO THE COMMANDANT'S DIVERSITY INITIATIVE.  THE TASK FORCES HAVE TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF DIVERSITY CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH ETHNIC MINORITIES, LEADERSHIP, WOMEN AND OUR SERVICE CULTURE.  THREE-STAR EXECUTIVE SPONSORS ARE PROVIDING GUIDANCE AND OVERSIGHT OF EACH 12-15 MEMBER TASK FORCE.  THE TASK FORCE CONCEPT IS DESIGNED TO HELP THE INSTITUTION DISCOVER AND DEFINE OBSTACLES IN ORDER TO DRIVE ACTIONS.  THROUGH RESEARCH AND DISCUSSION OF KEY QUESTIONS FOR EACH TOPIC/GROUP, THE MARINES ASSIGNED TO THE TASK FORCES WILL PLAY A KEY ROLE IN CHARTING THE WAY AHEAD FOR DIVERSITY IN THE MARINE CORPS.  IN ORDER TO ENSURE ALL OFFICERS AND SENIOR STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD REGARDING DIVERSITY IN THE OFFICER CORPS, ALL OFFICERS AND ALL MARINES IN THE GRADES OF MSGT-MGYSGT AND 1ST SGT-SGT MAJ HAVE BEEN INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ONLINE SURVEY.  THE SURVEY IS A SUPPORTING ARM OF THE TASK FORCE EFFORT IN THAT IT ADDRESSES THE FOLLOWING:  CULTURE AND LEADING CHANGE, LEADERSHIP, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND MENTORING; RACE/ETHNICITY; AND WOMEN IN THE CORPS.  THE RESULTANT ANALYSIS OF THE OUTPUT FROM THE FOUR FOCUS GROUPS  MAY BE USED TO DIRECT FUTURE DIVERSITY ACTIONS AND INITIATIVES.
3.  THE MARINE CORPS CONTINUES TO PRESENT THE MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR (MCLS) TO UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY INFLUENCERS AT VENUES ACROSS THE NATION.  IN CY12, THE MARINE CORPS CONDUCTED SIX (6) MCLS' AND REACHED 242 STUDENTS AND 334 INFLUENCERS.  DURING THE SPRING OF CY13, THE MCLS HELD FIVE (5) SEMINARS AND ONE RECEPTION WHICH PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MARINE OFFICERS TO INTERACT WITH A DIVERSE AUDIENCE OF OVER 275 STUDENTS AND 40 INFLUENCERS.  THE MCLS SCHEDULE BEGAN WITH A VERY SUCCESSFUL SEMINAR AT VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL UNIVERSITY, AND THE WAKE COUNTY YOUNG MEN'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY.  THE MCLS IN CONJUNCTION WITH MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO VISIT THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON'S DANIEL J. EVANS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN JUNE 2013.  IN ADDITION, LEADERSHIP SEMINARS ARE SCHEDULED IN LOUISVILLE, KY IN SEPTEMBER AND ATLANTA, GA IN OCTOBER.  THESE SEMINARS SHOWCASE MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP TO DIVERSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES BY PROVIDING INSTRUCTION AND ESTABLISHING DIALOGUE WITH BOTH STUDENT AND FACULTY GROUPS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND OFFERING PARTICIPANTS AN INTRODUCTORY UNDERSTANDING OF THE MARINE CORPS' UNIQUE BRAND OF LEADERSHIP.  THE MCLS ACCOMPLISHES THIS BY EMPLOYING SEASONED OFFICERS AND STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS TO DELIVER PERSONAL LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVES TO EACH TARGET AUDIENCE.
4.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY (SES) MR. M. F. APPLEGATE, DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//