The Air Force will begin using hiring panels to make its senior civilian workforce more diverse, according to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James.
The military and civilian workforce has gotten less diverse over time, and the Air Force must do more to hire men and women of all backgrounds into the Air Force – especially at higher levels, she said in a speech March 4.
“Our senior civilians, just like our military leaders, can benefit from diverse backgrounds, experiences, demographics and perspectives in order to provide innovative leadership, vision, and execution for our Air Force,” James said.
The panels will hire employees at the GS-14, GS-15 and other equivalent senior positions, she said. Panel membership will be made up of at least people with no prior military service.
She said hiring panels have worked well building diversity in the private sector.
“By building these panels, we hope to highlight the best candidates in each applicant pool while simultaneously increasing diversity in our higher civilian ranks,” James said.
The new plan also includes various methods of boosting diversity in military service members, according to James.
