Army EEO representative works to change perspective

By Jason B. Cutshaw (USASMDC/ARSTRAT)April 8, 2011

Army EEO representative visits with SMDC
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Larry Stubblefield, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for diversity and leadership, spent time with members of the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command Equal Employment Opportunity team on March 29.

The reason for Stubblefield's visit to Huntsville was to meet with equal employment opportunity officials from the area to discuss EEO and diversity issues and speak with them about Army policies and the future.

"I wanted to come to Team Redstone because of all the various commands that you have here," Stubblefield said. "Team Redstone has a reputation for leadership, strong equal opportunity support and diversity, so I figured with our first true board of directors meeting for EEO, what better setting than Team Redstone where you have such a great reputation."

In August, Stubblefield was selected as the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for diversity and leadership. In this position, he provides leadership and acts for the assistant secretary of the Army, manpower and reserve affairs on plans, programs, policy formulation, decisions and practices pertaining to diversity and leadership.

In his position, Stubblefield serves as the functional chief representative for the Army's Equal Employment Opportunity Career Program and is responsible for addressing issues of accessibility and public use of Army facilities.

"As the demographics of the nation evolve and as we look to recruit talent for the future, commanders and leaders are going to need something else out of EEO as opposed to the traditional approach to equal employment opportunities," Stubblefield said. "Diversity is appreciating the various attributes and experiences and backgrounds of all of our people and then figuring out how to incorporate those attributes, experiences and backgrounds into the mission. This training requirement for EEO personnel will help commanders develop what we call a model workforce and make the Army the model employer of choice."

He also discussed goals he wanted to accomplish during his visit.

"The ultimate goal is to become the model employer of choice because we are going to be competing with the private sector for talent, and if we don't get out of the mindset that all EEO does is handle complaints, we're going to be dead on arrival," Stubblefield said.

Stubblefield spoke about what he has discovered since being appointed to his current position.

"Everywhere I go I have had nothing but total support from the top down knowing that this is something we have got to transition to and we have got to get equal employment opportunity practitioners to help us get out of this mindset of being complaints-based," Stubblefield said. "If you educate the leadership and provide the proper training for managers as to how to make this a diverse culture, you will get a diverse and an inclusive culture and you will lessen the occurrences of complaints."

As he prepared to leave, Stubblefield wanted the Redstone Arsenal community to understand he is working hard every day regarding leadership and diversity and how he strives to improve equality for all.

"A good example of the leadership support I am receiving is my visit over at (U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command). I had a scheduled half-hour visit with (Lt. Gen. Richard P. Formica, USASMDC/ARSTRAT commanding general) that turned into an hour-and-a-half," Stubblefield said. "He is totally interested in what we're doing and he had several questions on how he could apply it.

"The hospitality here has been just first class," he added. "This is a wonderful community and I am glad to be here."

After Stubblefield left, members of the USASMDC/ARSTRAT EEO team spoke of the visit and what it meant to the command.

"I think his visit to Redstone Arsenal was to continue encouragement to keep up the good work and to keep pushing and help bring more government services to the Huntsville area as the area does its part for the defense of the nation," said Melvin Kelley, USASMDC/ARSTRAT EEO officer. "We were encouraged as he told us Redstone Arsenal is setting the pace for the Army when it comes to EEO.

"I know he wants EEO not to be just an organization that handles complaints, but also a proactive organization that can revitalize and rejuvenate the workforce to come together," he added.