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UNCLAS //N00000//
172054Z DEC 70
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN THE NAVY
A. MY 270004Z AUG 70 {NAVOP Z-14}
B. MY 141346Z SEP 70 {NAVOP Z-24}
1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS NAVOP IS TO EXPRESS MY WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT
OF THE POLICIES ON EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STRONGLY REAFFIRMED BY THE
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY IN ALNAV 51, TO EXPRESS MY GENERAL GUIDANCE
FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE POLICIES, AND TO DIRECT IMPLEMENTATION
OF A FEW OF THE ACTIONS WE CAN TAKE IMMEDIATELY.
2. LAST MONTH, SECRETARY CHAFEE AND I, ALONG WITH OTHER SENIOR
OFFICIALS OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT, MET ON ONE OCCASION WITH REPRESENTATIVE
BLACK NAVY OFFICERS AND THEIR WIVES AND LATER WITH A REPRESENTATIVE
GROUP OF BLACK ENLISTED MEN AND THEIR WIVES. PRIOR TO THESE MEETINGS,
I WAS CONVINCED THAT, COMPARED WITH THE CIVILIAN COMMUNITY, WE
HAD RELATIVELY FEW RACIAL PROBLEMS IN THE NAVY. HOWEVER, AFTER
EXPLORING THE MATTER IN SOME DEPTH WITH THESE TWO GROUPS, I HAVE
DISCOVERED THAT I WAS WRONG--WE DO HAVE PROBLEMS, AND IT IS MY
INTENTION AND THAT OF SECRETARY CHAFEE TO TAKE PROMPT STEPS TOWARD
THEIR SOLUTION.
3. WHAT STRUCK ME MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS THE DEPTH OF FEELING
OF OUR BLACK PERSONNEL THAT THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DISCRIMINATION
IN THE NAVY. PRIOR TO THESE MEETINGS, I SINCERELY BELIEVED THAT
I WAS PHILOSOPHICALLY PREPARED TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS OF OUR
BLACK NAVYMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND UNTIL WE DISCUSSED THEM
AT LENGTH, I DID NOT REALIZE THE EXTENT AND DEEP SIGNIFICANCE
OF MANY OF THESE MATTERS.
4. THERE ARE TWO KEYS TO THE PROBLEM. FIRST, WE MUST OPEN UP NEW
AVENUES OF COMMUNICATION WITH NOT ONLY OUR BLACK PERSONNEL, BUT
ALSO WITH ALL MINORITY GROUPS IN THE NAVY SO THAT WE MAY LEARN
WHAT AND WHERE THE AREAS OF FRICTION ARE. SECOND, ALL OF US IN
THE NAVY MUST DEVELOP A FAR GREATER SENSITIVITY TO THE PROBLEMS
OF ALL OUR MINORITY GROUPS SO THAT WE MAY MORE EFFECTIVELY GO
ABOUT SOLVING THEM. OUR MEETINGS HERE IN WASHINGTON WERE A BEGINNING,
BUT NO MORE THAN THAT. MUCH REMAINS TO BE DONE.
5. FOR EXAMPLE, I AM PARTICULARLY DISTRESSED BY THE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES
OF DISCRIMINATION BLACK NAVY FAMILIES STILL EXPERIENCE IN ATTEMPTING
TO LOCATE HOUSING FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THIS SITUATION AND OTHERS
LIKE IT ARE INDICATIVE IN SOME CASES OF LESS THAN FULL TEAMWORK
BEING BROUGHT TO BEAR BY THE WHOLE NAVY TEAM ON BEHALF OF SOME
OF OUR MEMBERS AND FAILURE TO USE EXISTING AUTHORITY AND DIRECTIVES
TO ENFORCE THEIR RIGHTS {SECNAV INST 5350.12}. IN SOME PLACES
HOUSING PERSONNEL ARE TACITLY CONTRIBUTING TO DISCRIMINATION IN
HOUSING.
6. SECRETARY CHAFEE AND I HAVE ASKED OUR STAFFS TO BEGIN WORK
WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT TO MAKE AN IN-DEPTH
INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM AND PRESENT TO US WITHIN 6O DAYS
PROPOSALS WHICH WILL HELP ALLEVIATE THE MOST ACUTE HOUSING PROBLEMS.
MEANWHILE, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT CAN BE ACTED UPON IMMEDIATELY.
THEREFORE, BY 15 JANUARY 1971 I EXPECT ACTION TO BE TAKEN AS FOLLOWS:
A. EVERY BASE, STATION AND AIRCRAFT SQUADRON COMMANDER AND SHIP
COMMANDING OFFICER SHALL APPOINT AN AWARE MINORITY GROUP OFFICER
OR SENIOR PETTY OFFICER AS HIS SPECIAL ASSISTANT FOR MINORITY
AFFAIRS. THIS OFFICER OR PETTY OFFICER SHOULD HAVE DIRECT ACCESS
TO THE COMMANDER/COMMANDING OFFICER AND WILL. BE CONSULTED ON
ALL MATTERS INVOLVING MINORITY PERSONNEL. EXCEPTING THOSE COMMANDS
ALREADY HAVING MINORITY- AFFAIRS OFFICER BILLETS, THE INITIAL
ASSIGNMENT WILL BE ON A CONCURRENT DUTY BASIS. {I CAREFULLY WEIGHED
THIS ITEM WITH MY DESIRE, AS EXPRESSED IN REF A, TO REDUCE COLLATERAL
DUTY ASSIGNMENTS. HOWEVER, AFTER DISCUSSING THIS WITH SEVERAL
BLACK OFFICERS I BECAME CONVINCED THAT THEY WOULD IN FACT, CHERISH
THIS AS A COLLATERAL DUTY.}
B. ALL SHORE BASED COMMANDERS SHALL ENSURE THAT A MINORITY GROUP
WIFE IS INCLUDED IN THE NAVY WIVES OMBUDSMAN CONCEPT SET FORTH
IN REF B.
C. THE PROGRAMS ALREADY BEGUN BY COMNAVSUPSYSCOM TO ENSURE THAT
THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF MINORITY GROUPS ARE RECOGNIZED AND PROVIDED
FOR SHALL BE EXPEDITED, NAMELY:
{1} SUITABLE COSMETICS AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR BLACK PERSONNEL
AND THEIR DEPENDENTS WILL BE STOCKED IN NAVY EXCHANGES.
{2} SHIP'S STORES WILL STOCK BLACK GROOMING AIDS.
{3} EVERY BASE AND STATION, WILL EMPLOY, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
AT LEAST ONE QUALIFIED BLACK BARBER/BEAUTICIAN IN MAJOR BARBER
AND BEAUTY SHOPS, AND WILL WORK TOWARD THE GOAL OF HAVING SUFFICIENT
BARBERS/BEAUTICIANS QUALIFIED IN HAIR CARE FOR BLACK PERSONNEL
TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR ALL BLACK PATRONS.
{4} ALL MAJOR COMMISSARIES SHALL STOCK FOODS AND PRODUCE Frequently
REQUESTED BY MINORITY GROUPS. AS A MINIMUM, SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS
SHOULD BE SOLICITED FROM MINORITY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
AND ACTED UPON BY LOCAL COMMISSARY MANAGERS.
D. SPECIAL SERVICES OFFICERS WHICH DEAL IN DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR
VARIOUS ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMS. WILL ALSO OBTAIN DISCOUNT TICKETS
TO EVENTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST TO MINORITY GROUPS WHENEVER SUCH
TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE.
E. A REPRESENTATIVE SELECTION OF BOOKS, MAGAZINES AND RECORDS
BY AND ABOUT BLACK AMERICANS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE IN NAVY LIBRARIES,
WARDROOMS, CLUBS AND OTHER READING AREAS.
ANY OF THE ABOVE WHICH CAN'T BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN THE TIME SPECIFIED
ABOVE WILL BE REPORTED VIA CHAIN OF COMMAND TOGETHER WITH A SUMMARY
OF CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENTING TIMELY IMPLEMENTATION. -
7. IN ORDER THAT I MAY REACH A MORE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF
THE PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY OUR MINORITY PERSONNEL, IN ADDITION
TO SECNAV/OPNAV/BUPERS TEAM VISITS I AM DIRECTING MY SPECIAL ASSISTANT
FOR MINORITY AFFAIRS, LCDR NORMAN, TO VISIT MAJOR NAVAL ACTIVITIES
WITHIN CONUS TO MEET WITH INDIVIDUAL COMMANDING OFFICERS AND WITH
MINORITY MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR DEPENDENTS. BY LEARNING
IN DEPTH WHAT OUR PROBLEMS ARE, I BELIEVE WE WILL BE IN A BETTER
POSITION TO WORK TOWARD GUARANTEEING EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND TREATMENT
FOR ALL OF OUR NAVY PEOPLE.
8. THIS IS THE FIRST OF MY REPORTS TO YOU ON MINORITY AFFAIRS.
SECRETARY CHAFEE AND I WILL BE LOOKING INTO ALL AREAS OF MINORITY
AFFAIRS AND WILL BE ISSUING FURTHER REPORTS AS OUR PROBLEMS BECOME
MORE CLEAR AND THEIR SOLUTIONS BECOME MORE APPARENT. IT IS EVIDENT
THAT WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE LOT OF OUR
MINORITY NAVYMEN. I AM CONVINCED THAT THERE IS NO PLACE IN OUR
NAVY FOR INSENSITIVITY. WE ARE DETERMINED THAT WE SHALL DO BETTER.
MEANWHILE, WE ARE COUNTING ON YOUR SUPPORT TO HELP SEEK OUT AND
ELIMINATE THOSE DEMEANING AREAS OF DISCRIMINATION THAT PLAGUE
OUR MINORITY SHIPMATES. OURS MUST BE A NAVY FAMILY THAT RECOGNIZES
NO ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS OF RACE, COLOR OR RELIGION. THERE IS NO
BLACK NAVY, NO WHITE NAVY--JUST ONE NAVY-- THE UNITED STATES NAVY.
E. R. ZUMWALT, JR., ADMIRAL, U. S. NAVY,
CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
Note: The original unclassified message is entirely double-spaced
with all letters capitalized.