Following up on work that began last year, the Air Force has formally established its Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Its goal is to foster related programs that also promote equity among airmen, Space Force guardians and their families.
“The Department of the Air Force is committed to enabling all airmen and guardians to thrive in a diverse and highly inclusive environment,” said Tawanda Rooney, a career defense intelligence executive who worked from the beginning on the service’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force when it began in June. Rooney will serve as the office’s acting senior advisor.
“Our office will lead this charge and continue all the good work the task force initiated,” Rooney said. “Diversity and inclusion are warfighting imperatives and we need to capitalize on all available talent by enabling a culture of inclusion where every member is respected and valued for his or her identity, culture and background.”
The move to create a special office dedicated directly to diversity and inclusion also stemmed from a report issued last year by the Air Force inspector general’s office, which assessed racial disparities among airmen and guardians. The new office will be staffed by uniformed and civilian service professionals of different ranks and pay grades, representing the cross section of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
