Portsmouth, Va. -- Lt. Gen. Mark A. Brilakis, Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, attended the National Naval Officers Association Annual Symposium in Portsmouth, Va. Aug. 9, 2018.
The theme of the event was Embracing Diversity to Strengthen the Sea Service, focusing on leadership, diversity, and how to maintain and strengthen the pillars of commandership in hopes of recruiting and retaining the most skilled war fighters.
“Diversity is something we are no stranger to and over the years there has been a drastic change in diversity and how we address it throughout the military,” said Brilakis.
According to the NNOA, in 2017, diversity accessions accounted for 34.15% of officers. On the enlisted side, 39.9% of all accessions were multi-cultural. Every applicant, regardless of gender, is required to pass the same mental, moral, and physical prerequisites prior to enlisting. In 2017 there were 71 enlisted women and 13 female officers who earned previously closed combat military occupational specialties. Brilakis said that this success is a direct result of the hard work of our recruiting force and benefits from our robust community engagement activity.
Brilakis also emphasized that the military recognizes that not only do we need to recruit the finest and most skilled people but we must also retain the talent of the enlisted and officers who have honed their skills and are currently serving.
“We have to reach out to our younger generation and also keep our current troops well informed by utilizing all the tools at our disposal, one of the vital ones being social media,” said Brig. Gen. William H. Seely III, Director, Office of U.S. Marine Corps Communication. “I believe social media is a part of a leader’s tool kit. Social media is a great way leaders can engage and have a discussion about diversity with their troops as well as keep them informed. It also plays a role in promoting good things and dispelling rumors about diversity among other things to people outside of the workforce.”
As the symposium concluded, Brilakis stressed the importance of adapting and overcoming our challenges in order for all branches to ultimately achieve mission success.
“Leadership skills, ethics, and the inevitable use of social media will play a key factor in recruiting and retaining service members in the future of our military,” said Brilakis. “So it is important that we take note and utilize every available resource to diversify and keep our services moving forward.”