New EEO - Diversity Office stands up Published June 27, 2007 By Derek Kaufman 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Myra Kennedy Fincher is no stranger to diversity and educational outreach programs. The supervisory equal employment manager has overseen the Air Force's first dedicated base Diversity Program Office since its creation here just over four years ago. Now she leads the newly established Wright-Patterson Air Force Base EEO - Diversity Office, bringing the two distinct but related activities together into one organization dedicated to better workforce relations. The Equal Employment Opportunity - Diversity Office officially stood up June 10, in its temporary Area B home of Building 11, Suite 119. Reporting to the Aeronautical Systems Center Executive Director, plans are underway to relocate the new office to Bldg. 14, Suite 23 in the near term. The marriage of EEO and Diversity into one office is a natural one, according to Ms. Fincher, who said her goal is to make the transition seamless and mostly transparent to the base workforce. Placing the two disciplines under one umbrella is also planned at Air Force level. "Diversity and EEO are two wings of the same airplane and each has its own engines," she said. "You can't soar with just one or the other." Finding some synergy in the fuselage that connects these two wings is one of Myra Fincher's goals. Another is raising awareness and understanding that diversity is implemented through conscious inclusion by managers, supervisors and subordinates alike. "The role of EEO is to provide full and fair opportunities for everyone," she said. Its focus is more narrow and compliance oriented at preventing discrimination, driven principally by strict Air Force and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations and law. Diversity, on the other hand, has a much broader scope, centered on awareness of differences--whether they are gender, race, disabilities, communication or age based. There is more flexibility in locally implementing diversity programs, including the range of award-winning Wright-Patt special emphasis programs, like Black and Hispanic Employment, Federal Women's, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaskan Native and People with Disabilities programs. Base leadership hopes the new office will foster a dual focus where there is "education and outreach on one hand and technical assistance and enforcement of the law on the other," Ms. Fincher added. The creation of the original diversity office was an outgrowth of the 2002 Air Force Chief of Staff and 2003 Wright-Patterson Air Force Base "Climate Assessment Surveys," according to Ms. Fincher. She added she hopes the new combined office, will be a model not just for Wright-Patterson, but the Air Force. "Subsequent climate assessments and EEO complaint trends show we're on the right track," Ms. Fincher said, adding this is "a journey, not a destination" and the desired end state isn't just to reduce the number of complaints. Hoping to capture all of the positive energy from the two complementary programs, find commonality and share networks and alliances without watering down what either EEO or Diversity represents is Ms. Fincher's personal commitment, she said. "This new office is another demonstration that senior management is fully committed to EEO and Diversity," Ms. Fincher said. "The real goal is harmonious relations that enhance overall Air Force mission effectiveness." "We want to create a workplace where EEO and Diversity are not just viewed as helpful programs but they become engrained in how we do business," she said. Diversity goes far beyond gender and race. Today's workforce is much more complex, with four generations in the workplace for the first time in history. Subtle things like communication style can have a profound impact on interpersonal and workplace relationships, according to Ms. Fincher. Recognizing these things is key, and heightening their awareness is her office's charter. Ms. Fincher says awareness and open communication are vital to addressing challenges of a changing workforce, which is a subset of changing demographics across America. She and a staff of 10 specialists intend to take their story directly to the workforce, with educational outreach events, commander's call briefings and other activities - so people don't view EEO - Diversity as the office that just deals with issues and concerns that come in the form of complaints. "Change is inevitable, growth is optional," Ms. Fincher said, quoting one of her favorite authors. "The goal of this office is to promote growth." For more information visit the EEO - Diversity Office, or call (937) 904-5955.