{"id":38142,"date":"2021-08-03T18:04:43","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T18:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/08\/03\/cnp-removing-photos-from-promotion-boards-has-hurt-diversity\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:55:12","slug":"cnp-removing-photos-from-promotion-boards-has-hurt-diversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/navy-league\/2021\/08\/03\/cnp-removing-photos-from-promotion-boards-has-hurt-diversity\/","title":{"rendered":"CNP: Removing photos from promotion boards has hurt diversity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Removing photos from promotion and selection boards<\/a> has had adverse effects on diversity, according to Vice Adm. John Nowell Jr., the chief of naval personnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we should consider reinstating photos in selection boards,\u201d Nowell said Tuesday at The Navy League\u2019s 2021 Sea-Air-Space Exposition. \u201cWe look at, for instance, the one-star board over the last five years, and we can show you where, as you look at diversity, it went down with photos removed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The comments come a little more than a year after the Department of Defense moved to eliminate photos from promotion and selection boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a meritocracy. We\u2019re only going to pick the best of the best, but we\u2019re very clear with our language \u2026 that we want them to consider diversity across all areas. Right?\u201d Nowell said. \u201cAnd therefore \u2026 I think having a clear picture on this just makes it easier. So, actually, our data show that it would support adding photos back in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowell isn\u2019t the only one who believes the lack of photos have harmed diversity efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brig. Gen. A.T. Williamson, director of the Manpower Plans & Policy Division for the Marine Corps, expressed similar sentiments based on what he\u2019s seen in his service, although he acknowledged the Marine Corps is still collecting data on the most recent board season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Marine Corps is completing a survey investigating bias in the service and where bias is found, it will be corrected, Williamson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf we find out that there [are] disparities within the way we do business within the service, we need to be intellectually curious enough to ask why and figure out why and then figure out what we need to do,\u201d Williamson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2020, then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper issued a memo<\/a> instructing the Defense Department to \u201cremove photographs from consideration by promotion boards and selection processes and develop additional guidance, as applicable, that emphasizes retaining qualified and diverse talent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time, Esper also signaled that sex, names and other identifying information could be next on the chopping block since they may \u201cmay trigger unconscious bias.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t