The Navy canceled memorandums of understanding with three affinity organizations last week, according to Friday letters to each organization from the office of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti and obtained by USNI News.
The letters, dated Feb. 7, to the Sea Services Leadership Association, National Naval Officers Association and Association of Naval Services Officers were from Franchetti but directed by Vice Adm. Richard Cheeseman, chief of naval personnel. The letters terminate the memorandum of understanding between the Navy and each of the affinity groups.
Sea Services Leadership Association is a nonprofit, established in 1978, to help mentor and develop women in the Coast Guard, Navy and Marine Corps. National Naval Officers Association focuses on promoting diversity in the officer ranks of the service so that it better reflects the demographics of the U.S. Association of Naval Services Officers and promotes the inclusion of Latino and Hispanic sailors in the Navy.
The three letters all have the same text, except for the organization name, and say that naval personnel can no longer attend the groups’ events in an official capacity, which means they cannot wear uniforms to events, use official resources to support events or pay their travel with Navy funding.
“The Navy values its past engagement with [SSLA/NNOA/ANSO] and our collaboration on shared goals,” reads the letter. “Should future guidance permit continued engagement, I will welcome the opportunity to discuss Navy’s potential support for events that fall within the framework of current policy.”
The termination of the MOUs between the Navy and the organizations is the result of recent policy changes that end contracts, programs and formal partnerships that are related to accessibility, diversity, equity and inclusion, Capt. Candice Tresch, spokesperson for the Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel, told USNI News.
“Therefore, Memorandums of Understanding between National Naval Officers Association (NNOA), Sea Services Leadership Association (SSLA), Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO) and the Navy have been canceled in furtherance of these policy changes,” Tresch said in a statement. “Sailors remain eligible to participate in events hosted by these organizations in an unofficial capacity outside of normal working hours.”
The groups host events and symposiums each year, including the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium and ANSO’s development symposium. Franchetti spoke at the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium in June.
In her remarks, Franchetti mentioned attending the symposium multiple times over her career.
“I’ve been really fortunate to have had this front-row seat to history,” Franchetti said during her June speech. “And while I know that there is always going to be more work to do to unlock the full potential of our teams, I am confident as I look out at all of you, and I look at all the leaders that I get to see every day, that we have the right people in the right places to continue the momentum that has brought us this far. It’s going to be your passion, your leadership, and your energy that will make the military of 2064, 40 years from now, even better and stronger than it is today.”
The termination of the MOU between SSLA and the Navy is a “difficult blow,” SSLA president Breanna Strand said in a statement to USNI News.
“Over the last forty years, SSLA has directly increased the retention, recruitment, and readiness of our uniformed services through events like JWLS which delivers leadership lessons, provides critical opportunities for mentorship, and inspires service men and women to continue their careers,” Strand said in the statement.
The MOU gave official support for the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium, as well as financial help, according to Strand’s statement.
“While the Navy’s MOU cancellation will change our approach, it won’t change our mission,” reads the statement.
“The All-Volunteer Force requires the best and brightest women to serve and without them, we couldn’t man our fleet.”
