MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP H. M. SMITH, Hawaii -- The Headquarters Marine Corps’ Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Team will be conducting command visits and command climate seminars August 6-10 here and at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
According to Master Gunnery Sgt. Larry Murphy, Equal Opportunity Advisor, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, these events will give leaders a Corps-wide perspective on equal opportunity issues, enabling visibility and lending credibility to issues that may be affecting the individual commands.
The seminar will be split into two sessions, one for officers from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and one for the staff noncommissioned officers from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pollack Theater August 7
and at the MCBH Chapel August 8-9.
“The target audience is the staff (noncommissioned officers) and officers,” Murphy said. “If the leaders understand how to assess and handle these situations it will trickle down to their subordinates.”
Murphy and Master Sgt. Joy Zeine, Equal Opportunity Advisor, MCBH, will conduct seminars on equal opportunity for junior Marine at a later date.
The seminars will consist of training and a review of previous Marine Corps Climate Surveys.
These surveys are one of the many tools used by the Corps to study perceptions of individuals on the command’s climate where it concerns sexual harassment and discrimination.
It is sent to approximately 25,000 randomly selected active duty Marines and 18,000 reserve Marines.
“It is a massive Corps-wide survey that is briefed to the commandant and Congress,” Murphy said.
These seminars are not mandatory, but leaders are highly encouraged to participate.
“It gives the staff NCOs and officers the perceptions and stereotypes of their peers and subordinates,” Murphy said. “It will help them to improve upon or keep an already positive command climate.”
Murphy and Zeine are the points of contact for the seminars and can be reached at 477-8647 or 257-7720.