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CNO Presents Memorandum of Understanding to NNOA

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS061128-04
Release Date: 11/28/2006 4:07:00 PM

By Chief of Naval Operations Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- In a ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial in late November, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen presented a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA).

The memorandum, signed by Mullen and then NNOA National President Rear Adm. Manson K. Brown on Sept. 30, 2006, re-affirmed a cooperative relationship between the NNOA and the Navy to achieve mutual goals for diversity in the workforce.

“What NNOA is at a high-level, and trying to get done, is representing and advocating for the most positive qualities of a diverse officer corps for all of the sea services,” Mullen said to members of the Washington, D.C. chapter. “I was proud and delighted to sign this memorandum.”

Specifically, the MOU calls for developing, implementing and improving strategies for the achievement and management of a diverse workforce of Navy officers and enlisted personnel; establishing and maintaining a positive image of the Navy in NNOA’s communities of influence; and providing personal and professional development, training opportunities and positive experiences.

“I have felt for a long time, as someone very committed to the diversity of our Navy, that it’s a compelling imperative for the future,” said Mullen. “It is very much tied to how I view our responsibilities."

The MOU commits NNOA to becoming more involved in Navy recruiting and retention efforts and in providing opportunities for Navy personnel to participate -- in a private capacity -- in outreach and community-based programs.

“This is not just about young people being mentored from the minority standpoint, this is about all of us pitching in,” Mullen said. “NNOA is a special group. Their outreach is important.”

“This presentation represents a significant chapter in the history of NNOA,” said current NNOA National President Capt. Bernard Jackson. “The members of NNOA look forward to responding to the challenge before us and doing our part to bring about a more diverse workforce in the Sea Services.”

The Navy, in turn, will identify regional and local recruiting offices to coordinate with NNOA chapters across the country; include NNOA members in Navy-sponsored training and career development programs when applicable; and designate the Chief of Naval Personnel’s Diversity Directorate as the service’s liaison with NNOA on major matters.

The CNO said he was eager to get started.

“I am anxious to do it at a very high pace and that we make as much happen as quickly as we possibly can,” he said. “It’s not me, it’s us. From the leadership, we are all very, very committed to that.”

Established in 1970, NNOA is composed of active duty, reserve and retired officers and civilians who actively support the sea services in the development of a diverse workforce through recruitment, retention and career development. The organization is sanctioned by the Secretaries of the Navy and Transportation and is a member of the Navy and Marine Corps Council. NNOA has members of all ranks and ethnic groups.