Diversity and Inclusion Policy

      As Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, I am committed to people as a top priority. Diversity and inclusion of our military and civilian force is integral to overall readiness and mission accomplishment.
 
      I expect all levels of the Pacific Surface Fleet to embrace the goals and objectives of CNO’s Diversity and Inclusion policy.  This policy is centered on fostering a culture of inclusion, which champions toughness, trust, and connectedness to achieve warfighting excellence.
 
      Our Navy team is as diverse as our mission set.  We operate in every environment – undersea to space, the information domain and beyond.  We come from rural, urban, and suburban environments with different cultures, histories, perspectives, and ways of thinking.  We bring diversity to the fight – it is a warfighting advantage.  Diversity alone is not the answer.  Without inclusion, diverse perspectives can lead to friction and conflict through thoughts and opinions.  We must actively include all perspectives to harness the creative power of diversity, thereby accelerating our Navy’s warfighting advantage. Our collective capability for inclusion is distinctly linked to sustaining a Pacific Surface Fleet culture that embraces people achieving their potential.
 
      We have made significant strides towards creating a diverse culture of inclusion and should be proud of our accomplishments.  However, we must continue to strive and pursue a working environment that removes barriers, embraces all members, provides equality of opportunity for all, and actively encourages all voices to be heard.  We must eliminate all behaviors that go against our core values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.
 
      Our commitment to Navy Core Values and full use of our diverse talents enables us to be inclusive and effectively achieve our mission.  Together, we will continue leveraging differences in the workforce to achieve better results, thereby ensuring that the Pacific Surface Fleet remains a top, respected career choice for the citizens we protect and serve.
 
Point of contact is CDR Douglas Jones, Force Diversity Officer, at (619) 437-7684.

R. I. KITCHENER
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy