Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute
Encyclopedia
The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) is a U.S. Department of Defense
joint services school located at Patrick Air Force Base
, Florida
, offering both resident and off-site courses in areas including equal opportunity
, intercultural communication
, and religious, racial, gender, and ethnic diversity
and pluralism to civilian and military personnel working with the American armed forces.
. Set against a national policy of inequality and segregation, and problems both in the civilian world and the military linked to racial tension and hostility, military leaders understood that working together across racial lines was not only the right thing to do but also a necessary element in terms of military readiness.
Consequently, an inter-service task force was convened to study "causes and possible cures of...disorders within the military." Chaired by Air Force
Major General
Lucius Theus
, the task force resulted in Department of Defense Directive 1322.11, establishing the Race Relations Education Board, and led to the 1971 establishment of the DRRI at Patrick AFB, Florida, under the leadership of the first director, Col. Edward F. Krise, USA. In July 1979 the name was changed to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, to reflect the growing array of issues included in DEOMI courses, including sexual harassment, sexism, extremism, religious accommodation, and anti-Semitism
. More than 20,000 reserve and active duty military members and civilian employees of the American armed forces have graduated from DEOMI since its creation.
The history of race relations in the U.S. military has sometimes been described in phases, beginning with Phase I, Executive Order #9981 issued by President Harry S. Truman
, integrating the Armed Forces of the United States. Phase II, programs of education, were initiated to deal with the situation of "racial unrest." The establishment of the DRRI began this new phase in the history of race relations—and later, diversity training in its many forms.
Its Guiding Principles in pursuit of this mission spell out the acronym, "READINESS":
, Canada
, Russia
, Rwanda
, Solomon Island, South Africa
, South Korea
, Slovenia
, Tobago
, Trinidad
, Ukraine
, and the United Kingdom
.
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
joint services school located at Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base
Patrick Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located between Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, in Brevard County, Florida, United States. It was named in honor of Major General Mason Patrick. An Air Force Space Command base, it is home to the 45th Space Wing...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, offering both resident and off-site courses in areas including equal opportunity
Equal opportunity
Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
, intercultural communication
Intercultural communication
Intercultural communication is a form of global communication. It is used to describe the wide range of communication problems that naturally appear within an organization made up of individuals from different religious, social, ethnic, and educational backgrounds. Intercultural communication is...
, and religious, racial, gender, and ethnic diversity
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
and pluralism to civilian and military personnel working with the American armed forces.
History
DEOMI was established in 1971 as the Defense Race Relations Institute (DRRI) based on lessons learned from the Civil Rights movementCivil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
. Set against a national policy of inequality and segregation, and problems both in the civilian world and the military linked to racial tension and hostility, military leaders understood that working together across racial lines was not only the right thing to do but also a necessary element in terms of military readiness.
Consequently, an inter-service task force was convened to study "causes and possible cures of...disorders within the military." Chaired by Air Force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Lucius Theus
Lucius Theus
Lucius Theus was a Major General in the United States Air Force.Theus was born in Madison County, Tennessee...
, the task force resulted in Department of Defense Directive 1322.11, establishing the Race Relations Education Board, and led to the 1971 establishment of the DRRI at Patrick AFB, Florida, under the leadership of the first director, Col. Edward F. Krise, USA. In July 1979 the name was changed to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, to reflect the growing array of issues included in DEOMI courses, including sexual harassment, sexism, extremism, religious accommodation, and anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. More than 20,000 reserve and active duty military members and civilian employees of the American armed forces have graduated from DEOMI since its creation.
The history of race relations in the U.S. military has sometimes been described in phases, beginning with Phase I, Executive Order #9981 issued by President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
, integrating the Armed Forces of the United States. Phase II, programs of education, were initiated to deal with the situation of "racial unrest." The establishment of the DRRI began this new phase in the history of race relations—and later, diversity training in its many forms.
Mission
The DEOMI mission statement states that the institution "will assist its customers in optimizing their mission readiness and capabilities by promoting human dignity through equity education, diversity, cultural competency, research and consultation world-wide."Its Guiding Principles in pursuit of this mission spell out the acronym, "READINESS":
- Respect – for the infinite dignity and worth of all individuals
- Excellence – in education, training and research
- Awareness – of the issues, successes and strategies in human relations
- Diversity – an understanding that our strengths derive from our differences as well as our shared values, goals and ethics
- Innovation – of processes, technology and designs to enhance our mission
- Nation – which we have sworn to defend and endeavor to improve
- Exchange – of ideas in the spirit of academic freedom and professional responsibility
- Selfless Service – a priority to the higher ideals of equality and fairness
- Support – a commitment to quality processes for our customers and our organization
International Military Student Program
In addition to courses for U.S. military and civilian personnel, the International Military Student Program was established to "serve as a resource for equal opportunity, human relations, and diversity training and consultation to requesting international clients engaged in humanization and democratization efforts as such assistance supports the United States' National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement." Client nations have included BurundiBurundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, Solomon Island, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, Tobago
Tobago
Tobago is the smaller of the two main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. The island lies outside the hurricane belt...
, Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.