Suitland, Md. — Rear Adm. Susan BryerJoyner, Director of the Warfare Integration Directorate in the office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare (N2N6I), participated in a fireside chat in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month at the National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC) on May 15, 2024.
Every year during the month of May, the United States and U.S. Navy recognizes and celebrates the culture and contributions of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders to our Nation. The Department of Defense theme for this year is “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation.”
Rear Adm. Mike Brookes, Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence, and Carrie Buckles, senior executive champion of the Asian American Pacific Islander Community (AAPIC) Employee Resource Group (ERG) in collaboration with the Naval Intelligence Activity Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (NIA DEIA) Office hosted the event.
Also in attendance were Steven Parode, Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence (DDNI) and Director of Naval Intelligence Activity (NIA), and Sandra Brown, Assistant DDNI and Deputy Director NIA. Brookes kicked off the event by thanking the AAPIC ERG for organizing the fireside chat and offered BryerJoyner, former commanding officer of Hopper Global Communications Center, a warm welcome back to ONI.
“I would like to thank the Asian American and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group for their efforts in organizing this event and it is my great pleasure to introduce our esteemed guest speaker today, Rear Adm. Susan BryerJoyner,” said Brookes. “She’s had a truly remarkable career as a naval officer, marked by numerous achievements and contributions as a naval information warfare officer.”
A native of Savannah, Ga., BryerJoyner experienced a typical American suburban childhood. While BryerJoyner identifies first and foremost as an American and U.S. Naval officer, she realized over time that there was strength to be found within the AANHPI community.
“I didn’t realize what I was missing, quite frankly, until a few weeks ago when [Rear Adm.] Vince Tionquiao put on rear admiral and described the community he grew up in, the Filipino American community, which is very tightly knit,” she said. “There’s a strength that comes with that sense of community because now you get to talk to people that are experiencing the same things that you’re experiencing. There’s great power in that.”
BryerJoyner went on to share her thoughts and philosophy on expanding cultural awareness and inclusivity within the service and the role it plays in strengthening our warfighting capabilities.
“At the end of the day, all of the heritage months that we have, it’s not just about celebrating the accomplishments of what we’ve done in the past. I think all of us should be looking at how we could improve things moving forward,” said BryerJoyner. “Every one of us brings a different perspective to the table that can help come up with a better answer.”
As a top U.S. Naval Information Warfare officer, BryerJoyner is no stranger to the trials and tribulations of leadership and looks forward to developing the next generation of leaders. She kept her advice to the workforce simple:
“Get to know the people who work for you. Don’t make assumptions based on what you see.”
At the conclusion of the chat, Parode thanked BryerJoyner for sharing her experiences and the AAPIC ERG for their involvement.
“I want to thank the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander ERG for not just being involved, engaged and participative, but for also welcoming Rear Adm. BryerJoyner,” said Parode.
The Office of Naval Intelligence delivers war-winning maritime expertise that promotes our Nation’s prosperity and security, deters aggression, and provides options to our leaders. For more information on the Office of Naval Intelligence, visit www.oni.navy.mil.
Date Taken: | 05.15.2024 |
Date Posted: | 05.22.2024 08:20 |
Story ID: | 471946 |
Location: | SUITLAND, MARYLAND, US |
Web Views: | 169 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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