by khurst2@gmail.com | Oct 20, 2022 | Chaplain
1 Corinthians 12:25-26
(New King James Version)
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
I am guilty of what I am about to discuss.
At this past symposium, every time we took pictures, we could not just take a single service picture. We continued to divide ourselves into groups to take more photos: Divine Nine, HBCU, Athletes, Senior Officers, Baptist, Buddhist, Nation of Islam, etc. As of the writing of this article, plastered across the top of my Facebook page is a picture of my Spelman sisters and me. In the midst of the multiple photo sessions, I suddenly realized we have multiple affinity groups within an affinity group.
Where does it stop?
I started to get convicted about this as the days went on and, to be honest, it got ridiculous to me after a while. I noticed how some people did not fit into any of the myriad of groups we continued to break ourselves into and we started excluding each other. It made me wonder in what ways do we practice marginalization even within an organization that makes us feel marginalized?
I understand the history of the various organizations we represent and why they were created. They are institutions of empowerment for marginalized people. I understand why we need to celebrate and be proud of the Afro-Asian-Latina/o-Indigenous diaspora and all its components.
I know we are not a monolithic group. We are as diverse as any other group of people, which is what makes the world so rich, but we must be careful not to perpetuate the same unconscious bias and cronyism that has been used to justify discrimination.
We are all members of the Sea Services regardless of race, gender, faith, sexual orientation, or whatever way one chooses to be defined.
NNOA’s stated mission is:
To enhance Sea Service operational readiness by supporting recruiting, professional development, and retention in an effort to achieve a diverse officer corps that reflects the demographics of our Nation
The first line under our Guiding Principles states:
We are:
- A professional organization comprised of active duty, reserve, retired officers, and civilians that seek diversity and inclusive membership
If we truly want to embody diversity and inclusion then I truly believe we must be a unified, equitable body.
I am not saying it is wrong to celebrate the things that make us who we are. We can celebrate the internal diversity that we have. It is needed. We can be proud of the many cultures and institutions that helped shape us into who we are today. But it cannot be to the exclusion of others. All must feel like valued members of the body. All parts of the body are necessary, and one is not greater than the other.
When we are together as NNOA, we need to focus on being one body.
Just something to think about.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Oct 10, 2022 | News
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated annually on the second Monday of October. First recognized in 1989 by the state of South Dakota to honor the rich cultures, lives and histories of Native Americans, President Biden signed a proclamation on 8 October 2021, officially recognizing it as a federal holiday. This holiday celebrates the contributions, traditions and resilience of native peoples of continental United States, Alaska and Hawaii.
Previously referred to as Columbus Day, for Native Americans, Columbus Day was a hurtful reminder, as it glorified the violent past, constituting 500 years of colonial torture, subjugation, oppression and genocide by European explorers like Columbus and those who settled in the Americas, the Caribbean and Hawaii. Indigenous Peoples’ Day draws attention to the pain, trauma, and broken promises that were erased by the celebration of Columbus Day. Before the arrival of European settlers, the indigenous people of the Americas maintained flourishing, self-sufficient, advanced societies and communities, sustaining life for thousands of years. Many of these vibrant and diverse societies were advanced in agriculture, architecture, astronomy, arithmetic and had written languages, leading to the creation of some of the most accurate calendars, almanacs and the abacus and many bustling urban cities. Indigenous people have served and continue to serve, in the United States Armed Forces, with distinction and honor. Some of the most celebrated, like Ira Hayes and the Navajo Code Talkers during World War II continue to be revered.
by khurst2@gmail.com | Sep 20, 2022 | Chaplain, News
By Lieutenant Commander R. Kamille Williams, U.S. Navy | September 19, 2022
“I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all.”
That is the last line of the Sailor’s Creed.
The word creed is from the Latin word credo which means “I believe.” The Sailor’s Creed is supposed to articulate what we believe as sailors. We are sailors first. We are not our racial, gender, or ethnic classification. We are sailors. Too many within the ranks hold onto their individual identities and tribes outside of the Navy. Even within the Navy, too many base their identity around their rating, community, and rank. There is not one cohesive sailor identity.
READ FULL ARTICLE
by khurst2@gmail.com | Sep 11, 2022 | Chaplain, News
Luke 14: 11
11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
If you’ve ever been on a ship, then you may know there is a space called the wardroom, or the officer’s mess. In the wardroom, typically there is one long table in the middle. On larger ships there may be smaller tables around the outskirts of the room. Also, typically there is reserved seating for the Captain and Executive Officer. To my knowledge, beyond the captain and executive officer, there is no assigned seating at the table. But there may be some unspoken assigned seats.
My first ship was the USS HARPERS FERRY, an amphibious ship. It can hold around 900 Sailors and Marines; therefore, the Wardroom was a pretty good size. It had a long center table and four side tables and even a lounge area in the front that could hold about 20 people. I was a Lieutenant while serving on the USS HARPERS FERRY, so when I ate in the wardroom, typically I sat at one of the outer tables because I felt like I could relax and be more myself. But occasionally I sat at the long table. But there were some officers who ONLY sat at the long table. They would NEVER sit at the outer tables.
Some officers would enter the wardroom and then about-face out when the long table was full, even though the outer tables were available. The food is going to taste the same! On the other hand, I have seen officers enter the wardroom and begrudgingly sit at the long table, because the outer tables were full. This thing goes both ways.
In Luke 7, Jesus was invited to dinner at the house of a religious leader. Some other prominent guests were there, as well. When they all began to sit down Jesus noticed how they all tried to sit in the places of honor. He then tells them a parable encouraging them not to take the place of honor lest they be humiliated by being asked to move so that someone else can sit there. Instead, they should sit in the lowest place so that they can be called up and honored in front of everyone. He ends the parable stating, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Jesus is trying to teach them humility. We cannot allow our egos to get so big that we think we always must be at the top of everything. It is not wrong to get awards and acknowledgments. But your motive should not be about recognition and prominence. Do things with unselfish motives and let the recognition be the byproduct.
Chaplain Kamille Williams
by khurst2@gmail.com | Aug 17, 2022 | News
Dear Friends and Fellow Learning Leaders,
Boy, are you in for a TREAT! Our next guest mentor is the first woman to ever be awarded the “Master Chief Petty Officer Navy Delbert D Black Leadership Award,” also known as the “CMC of the year Award,” the one and only CMDCM Samira McBride!
A native of Chad, Africa, Samira is the Command Master Chief (CMC) for Afloat Training Group, Norfolk and was the CMC for USS Gonzalez (DDG-66).
CMC McBride’s personal story is astonishing and motivational, but what’s more is her mere presence—the way she lives and leads is an inspiration. Come listen and learn!
WHEN: Friday 9 Sept, 16:00 – 17:00 EST
TOPIC: “Inspiration and excellence” Why should we strive to serve at the highest levels—at the command or executive level—of our organizations? What inspires leaders today to excellence at the top?
READ AHEAD / PREP: Read this article published about Samira here.
LINK to REGISTER here After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
WHAT: Lean On Navy is a webinar style professional development circle focused on connection. I’ll moderate the introduction of our guest speaker. We’ll then break into small 10 minute “break out” rooms, and we’ll end discussing as a group. It’s an hour to invest in our own professional development and in each other as we connect and learn from one another.
***Please forward widely, to fellow women leaders you want to welcome to a Professional Development (PRODEV) learning circle. Primary focus is women leaders in the Navy or Marine Corps or somehow “connected” to the US Navy or USMC. Men interested in contributing to the conversation, curious to learn from a “women in the workplace” perspective are welcome (and ENCOURAGED!) to join!**
***This is informal—show up from home or from work, in your PT gear, or in your uniform. Have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine! My only request is that this be the ONLY thing you are doing for this hour. If this time ends up being no good for you, no problem, I record them! Just watch the link, or catch the next one! The best GIFT you can give us is your attention. And, it’s the best gift you’ll receive, when someone in your circle LISTENS to you. That’s the real secret sauce of these circles.
Explore the website to check out the library of all past sessions here: https://leanonnavy.com.
Lean On, Friends!
