ALCOAST 293/21 - AUG 2021 COAST GUARD HOLISTIC STUDY AND ANALYSIS FOR RECRUITING AND RETENTION OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES

R 111615Z AUG 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 293/21
SSIC 1040
SUBJ:  COAST GUARD HOLISTIC STUDY AND ANALYSIS FOR RECRUITING AND
RETENTION OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 311452 OCT 19/ALCOAST 337/19
B. USCG Human Capital Strategy (2016)
C. USCG Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan (2015-2018)
D. USCG Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (2019-2023)
1. Background. IAW REFs (A)-(D), I am pleased to announce
that the Office of Diversity and Inclusion's (CG-127) contract
with the RAND Corporation Homeland Security Operational Analysis
Center (HSOAC) to conduct a Holistic Study and Analysis for the
Recruiting and Retention of Underrepresented Minorities in the
Coast Guard is ending. The study's final report will help the
Coast Guard better understand the many variables and barriers
that impact the recruiting and retention of underrepresented
minorities. The purpose of this ALCOAST is to announce the 
publication of the final report and to issue a call to action
for leadership support.
2. Action. Commanding Officers, Officers-in-Charge, and
Gold/Silver Badges must encourage and make every effort to bring
awareness to the public release of this report and support the
recommendations derived from this study.
3. RAND Research Methods. The research team used a mixed method
approach to the research, which included quantitative and
qualitative statistical analysis, a review of past studies and
trends across the civilian sector and the Department of Defense
(DoD), and gathered qualitative insight through focus groups with
our active-duty workforce. The focus groups provided an enhanced
understanding of the data and potential barriers to recruiting
and retention of women and underrepresented minorities. The
information gathered from the focus groups helped develop the
active-duty CG-wide survey that honed in on key themes derived
from data analysis, subject matter expert interviews, and focus
group discussions.
4. Participants. Coast Guard member participation in this study
was key to the study's success. The study's research completed 108
focus groups across six geographical locations with over 600
participants, and the service-wide survey was completed by 33% of
the active-duty workforce that included 13,396 respondents.
This participation rate was higher than most federal government
agencies with similar surveys.
5. Final Report. The findings and recommendations have been
released and the full report on the study can be found at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA362-2.html

Breaking down barriers to recruiting and retention by creating
a more inclusive workplace is an all-hands on deck effort. The
report indicates that women and minorities experience challenges
throughout the career life cycle of recruitment, advancement/
promotion, assignments, and career development. These challenges
result in a lower retention rate for women and minorities and
a significantly lower recruitment percentage of racial/ethnic
minorities. Concerns about unlawful discrimination, disparate
treatment, and conscious or unconscious bias continues to exist
within our Service. These behaviors are inconsistent with our
core values, and have no place in the Coast Guard. I strongly
encourage all members to read the report and discuss the
findings at your upcoming Leadership and Diversity Advisory
Council (LDAC) meetings and in other similar venues.
6. Findings and Recommendations: Findings from this study
developed useful recommendations regarding Coast Guard policies
and practices to recruit and retain women and underrepresented
minorities and will inform current and future human capital
investment decisions. Although the study's focus concentrated on
women and underrepresented minorities, many of the areas studied
and associated recommendations will benefit and improve the work
environment for all service members. The Coast Guard will
strategically develop solutions to improve Coast Guard workforce
challenges found in the research.
7. PRTF. In January 2019, the Personnel Readiness Task Force (PRTF)
began their work at Coast Guard Headquarters. Consistent with the
Commandant's Strategic Intent to "Maximize Readiness Today and
Tomorrow," this study and the PRTF are integral to ongoing efforts
to recruit, train, support, and retain a Mission Ready Total
Workforce that reflects the diversity and best talent of our Nation.
Chartered by the Vice Commandant, this nine-member team has been
extended and will remain in place until August 2022 to serve as
workforce advocates for the organization. As announced by the
Commandant in his State of the Coast Guard Address, the PRTF and
the Coast Guard's Senior Leadership team have been exploring,
developing, and implementing forward-leaning policy changes to
address the recommendations of the Women's Retention Study and now
the Underrepresented Minority Recruiting & Retention Study. Some of
these improvements include using surge staffing to backfill members
on parental leave, easing the existing tattoo policy, removing the
single parent disqualifiers, updating uniform and grooming standard
policies to be more inclusive, and revising outdated weight
standards that disproportionally affect women. The PRTF has provided
and will continue to provide the workforce regular communication on
their progress to take action based on these studies and their
efforts to improve organizational readiness.
8. Other Implementation Actions. In addition to making the
aforementioned improvements and addressing the findings and
recommendations from the Holistic Study & Analysis for Recruiting
& Retention of Underrepresented Minorities, the Coast Guard has
and will continue to execute the 2019-2023 Diversity & Inclusion
Action Plan. This Plan directs the training of 125 Diversity Change
Agents to support commands around the globe in helping promote
diversity and inclusion in the workplace. In addition, the Coast
Guard has instituted a prohibition of the public display of divisive
symbols to include the confederate battle flag, mandated preventing
and addressing workplace harassment training, made needed updates to
the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative program, updated
sexual assault prevention and response recovery policies and Civil
Rights Manual Anti-Harassment and Hate Incident procedures,
conducted an extremism stand down, designated a senior advisor on
D&I, commissioned an officer recruiting corps that will be operating
in strategic locations to enable access to underserved communities,
and stood up a fully operational CG Mentoring Program that will
enable CG members and our affiliated affinity groups to connect to
one another in a structured mentoring relationship.
9. Consistent with the Commandant's guiding principles of "Ready,
Relevant, and Responsive," this study was part of the ongoing effort
to recruit, develop and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse
fabric of the United States, and the beginning of a conversation
specific to the recruiting and retention of active-duty men and
women in our workforce. All active-duty Coast Guard members are
encouraged to get involved with their command's LDACS and CG
Affinity Groups to help support the actions needed to improve
our service.
10. POC: Any questions or concerns about the study should be
directed to COMDT (CG-127), at: 2019randurmstudy@uscg.mil.
Additional information and updates will be provided at:
(Copy and Paste URL Below into Browser)

https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cg1/CG1.HQ/CG-12B/SitePages
/Home.aspx

11. VADM Paul F. Thomas, Deputy Commandant for Mission Support
(CG-DCMS), sends.
12. Internet release is authorized.