Newsletters
White Soldier Takes Hard Look at Self, Impact of Diversity
Greg Jenkins, 07-10-2009
I had been in the Army for more than 20 years and had recently returned from Iraq when I got the news that I was going to attend something called “Equal Opportunity Training” at a place referred to as the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI).
I could not even pronounce the acronym DEOMI, much less understand why I was being sent to learn about an Army program I had thought was designed exclusively for women and minorities. My initial reaction was one of disbelief. I could almost see myself kicking and screaming as I was being led to the front door of this place called DEOMI, but that’s not what happened at all. For me, what transpired was nothing less than an awakening of monumental portions, a transformation of self.
I can’t exactly remember the first time I realized the Army did, in fact, have an Equal Opportunity (EO) Program. However, I do remember thinking that EO was something white males like me didn’t seem to be concerned with. I thought the EO Program was something for other people, some kind of program for those different from me, but not me. Again, nothing could have been further from reality.
My journey of transformation began at DEOMI, and initially I was not prepared, but it became something I grew to embrace more with each passing day. My perceptions of self were examined, and I felt uncomfortable and unsure as I began to see things from different perspectives. As this training unfolded, the first perception I had to examine was me as a leader, a perception that I held on to with great strength.
I had always thought of myself as a good leader. I had numerous awards and annual reviews that spoke of my excellent leadership abilities. I was given the opportunity to serve in many of the Army’s enlisted leadership positions: from team leader and squad leader to drill sergeant, platoon sergeant and first sergeant, along with many other roles that enhance the career of any enlisted soldier. To top it all off, I had the most important verification of all — the approval of my soldiers, peers and superiors. I felt good about all of that until I was asked during my training at DEOMI, “What did the soldiers, peers and superiors look like who told you were a good leader?” The answer, as difficult as it was for me to accept, was they all looked like me.
I had to re-evaluate my perception of myself and my leadership. I have led all kinds of people: women, African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and the list goes on. The U.S. Army is a very diverse force representing the most diverse nation on earth, yet I had never been told by anyone other than a white male how good I was as a leader — why?
That question and others like it prompted me to look inside and answer some tough questions about myself. Am I racist? Am I sexist? Do I really discriminate against people who are different from me? Had I used my power and position to treat all people not equally? Did I blindly go about my daily business as a leader without fully understanding the conditions of all of my soldiers? Painfully, the answer to all of those questions was “yes.” Did I have the ability to lead well? Yes, I did, and still do. But was I aware of my own stereotypes and biases? Was I aware of the people around me who were different from me? Did I really understand the trials and tribulations of those people who were different from me? Sadly, the answer to those questions was “no.”
A transformation of self began — a transformation that enlightened and educated me about myself and others. I am now on my way to becoming a new leader, a leader who has had to learn and come to grips with myself and make the best efforts to learn more about others. We live in a diverse nation within a shrinking, diverse world where leaders will be required to understand themselves and others in ways like never before. A transformation of self just may be the requirement new leaders need to be successful in our ever-changing world.
Sergeant Major Greg Jenkins is currently an equal opportunity advisor with the Army Diversity Office in Arlington, Va. He can be reached at editor@diversity-executive.com .
