Photo By Senior Airman Emily Bloodworth | Reserve Citizen Airmen from across the country attended the Air Force Reserve Command...... read more read more
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Everyone deserves equal opportunities, which is why the Air Force Reserve Command hosted their annual Equal Opportunity Refresher Training Aug. 4-9 at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.
The Department of the Air Force established the office of EO to put forth policies to ensure that DAF organizations conduct their affairs free from unlawful discrimination and harassment.
Some programs that are offered to Airmen through the EO office are the Military Equal Opportunity Program and Complaint Process, Unlawful Discrimination and Harassment Hotline, EO Program, Disability Program and Affirmative Employment and Special Emphasis Program.
“This annual training brings together Air Force Reserve EO specialists from all over the world to partake in mandatory trainings, workshops, lectures from supporting agencies, professional development and networking, to better enforce their policies and mission to help the process of eliminating discrimination and unfair treatment in the work environment,” said Renita Duncan, AFRC EO manager. “The theme for the training this year was Engage, Empower and Elevate to help make sure Airmen can perform to the best of their ability.”
For the past three years, this annual training has taken place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this was the first year the AFRC has hosted the training in person.
“This has had a huge impact because our goal is to make sure that we are getting the tools needed to help everyone else, it’s not about us,” said Chief Master Sgt. DeBlair Tate, AFRC EO functional manager. “It’s about our program and the mission of the Air Force for everyone to feel like they have a safe place to come, if something does happen. So, the impact of this conference exceeds far beyond any individual in this room.”
Duncan and Tate were both in charge of setting up the training that took about six months of coordination with the 403rd Wing to assemble the conference.
The conference took a lot of work to assemble, said Tate. Forty people were able to attend the event virtually while about twenty-five people attended in person.
Everyone received training in a variety of EO fields as well as professional development.
“We cover both informal and formal processes for equal employment opportunity, and also military equal opportunity,” said Master Sgt. Lorenzo Franklin, the 403rd Wing EO superintendent. “We have talked about all other EO processes, how we do those and how we handle individuals as it pertains to those processes. Another huge component of our trainings has been professional development and helping to strengthen our expertise and encouragement.”
“The goal of the training was to make sure people understand that EO is engaged in making sure every Airman can perform to the best of their ability,” said Duncan. “This is a necessity for ensuring we can complete the mission.”
The EO manager expressed her thanks to Franklin and the 403rd Wing.
“This training would not have been made possible without their help,” she said. “Chief Tate and I are greatly appreciative for the coordination and efforts put forth to make this happen.”
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.09.2024 11:34 |
| Story ID: | 478213 |
| Location: | KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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