Air Force says ‘inclusive and equitable culture’ part of strategy to ‘fly, fight and win’ against China

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Military leaders tasked with supporting Air Force and Space Force installations across the country released a strategic plan over the weekend that says creating a diverse, inclusive workforce is one of several goals that must be met in order to deliver an effective fighting force that can stand up to China and other threats.

The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC) is headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Texas, and it released a strategic plan for 2023 that is aimed at allowing Air Force and Space Force units more effectively project power around the globe.

"Our installations are the vital power projection platforms that enable our forces and weapons systems to fight from anywhere in the world," said AFIMSC Commander Maj. Gen. John Allen. "Throughout this update to our strategic plan, we outline what we’re doing to support Airmen, Guardians and the installations they fight from to ensure we’re able to fly, fight and win."

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Allen added that AFIMSC’s work is "more important than ever" given the growing military competition from China.

The new strategic plan calls for several new goals related to boosting lethality and readiness, helping service members and their families, and pursuing several goals aimed at achieving "organizational excellence." One of the ways AFIMSC proposes to achieve organizational excellence is to "build and sustain an inclusive and equitable culture."

According to the plan, increasing awareness about diversity and creating an inclusive work environment "improves productivity and creates an atmosphere where people feel comfortable sharing their perspectives without fear of bias and retaliation."

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is under pressure from Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., to explain the Air Force's push to hire DEI officials at six-digit salaries. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The strategy noted that in 2022, AFIMSC supervisors in Texas took a step in this direction by completing "unconscious bias training," which is now mandatory.

Additionally, the AFIMSC Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Council developed standards for conducting "sensing sessions" across the organization. According to an undated AFIMSC document, "sensing sessions" are used to let service members talk in groups about things like diversity.

"We are conducting sensing sessions throughout AFIMSC," that document said. "The need to have candid, respectful dialogue with colleagues on challenging topics has never been more crucial."

"These conversations can be difficult, but when done with respect and civility, they encourage empathy and trust, strengthening the organization," it added. "Sensing sessions promote empathy for others’ viewpoints by encouraging mutual engage on these challenging topics."

The new strategy paper said these sorts of efforts "create a space where we can listen and share our diverse perspectives, so we can gain a broader understanding of what makes us unique."

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Senator Eric Schmitt, a Republican from Missouri, is one of several GOP lawmakers worried about Pentagon policies that focus too much on social policy and not enough on lethality. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"When employees know they are part of an inclusive and equitable environment, everyone in the organization benefits," the strategy paper said. "The climate increases understanding, promotes both evaluation and elimination of barriers to success, and ultimately improves the Center’s ability to support our Air and Space Force customers."

In early March, the Air Force launched an effort to hire several senior-level diversity, equity and inclusion managers – those jobs paid at least $80,000 per year, and the top job at the Pentagon paid $183,500.

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Those job postings prompted Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., to ask Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about these and other job postings, including how many DEI-related jobs the Pentagon is looking to fill.