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The underrepresentation of Black women general officers in a U.S. military reserve component

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The underrepresentation of Black women general officers in a U.S. military reserve component

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Content The Underrepresentation of Black Women General Officers in a U.S. Military Reserve
Component
by
Alicia Lacy-Jimenez
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
December 2023
Copyright 2023 Alicia Lacy-Jimenez

ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I first want to thank God. Without Him, none of this would have been possible. My faith
has carried me through the highs and lows of this journey.
I would also like to express my gratitude to my two beautiful daughters, Jiae and Yejin.
You two have been my guiding light, and everything I do, I do with you in mind. I pray the work
I have done and the work I will do will support better experiences and opportunities for you as
you navigate this world as brown women. To my incredible husband, Gerson aka Jimmy. Your
support and encouragement, in your own loving way, helped to push me to pursue and continue
my academic goals. Your love, understanding, and sacrifice sustained me through the toughest
times. Brock. My sweet Brock-i-lini. You will forever be missed and always in my heart. I miss
those late nights you stayed up with me for those late-night reading or writing sessions.
To my parents, Yon and Anthony. Mom, you never let up and always asked, “When are
you going to get your doctor degree?” Well, Mom, we did it. Your help has been so critical, and
Dad, you always gave your support in any way that you could, and I am forever grateful for that.
Col. Williams. There is not enough I can say about what you have meant to me. You have
been an incredible leader, mentor, and inspiration. Thank you for pushing me and holding me
accountable. And to my colleagues who never let up and made sure to ask about my progress.
Last but certainly not least, I want to thank the staff at USC. My committee, Dr. Robles,
Dr. Filback, and Dr. Donato, thank you for your guidance and support on this journey. Thank
you for your inspiration and patience. I started this program with Dr. Donato in 603, and I am
happy to finish with you as part of my committee. And to Cohort 18. You have motivated,
encouraged, and supported me throughout this program. I am happy to be a part of such a strong,
high-caliber group of individuals.

iii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements......................................................................................................................... ii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi
List of Figures.............................................................................................................................. viii
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... ix
Chapter One: Introduction ...............................................................................................................1
Organizational Context and Mission ...................................................................................1
Organizational Performance Status......................................................................................1
Related Literature.................................................................................................................2
Importance of Addressing the Problem ...............................................................................3
Organizational Performance SMART Goal.........................................................................3
Description of Stakeholder Groups......................................................................................4
Stakeholder Group of Focus and Performance Goal for the Study .....................................5
Purpose of the Project and Questions ..................................................................................5
Overview of the Conceptual and Methodological Framework............................................6
Definitions............................................................................................................................6
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ...........................................................................................8
Influences on the Problem of Practice .................................................................................8
Family Planning and Parenthood .......................................................................................14
Conceptual Framework......................................................................................................18
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences...............................19
Summary ............................................................................................................................36
Chapter Three: Methods ................................................................................................................38
Conceptual and Methodological Framework.....................................................................38
Overview of Design ...........................................................................................................40

iv
Participating Stakeholders .................................................................................................42
Document Analysis............................................................................................................44
Data Collection and Instrumentation .................................................................................44
Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................47
Credibility and Trustworthiness.........................................................................................47
Validity and Reliability......................................................................................................48
Ethics..................................................................................................................................49
Role of Investigator............................................................................................................49
Limitations and Delimitations............................................................................................50
Chapter Four: Results and Findings...............................................................................................52
Participating Stakeholders .................................................................................................53
Determination of Assets and Needs...................................................................................53
Results and Findings for Knowledge Causes.....................................................................54
Results and Findings for Motivation Causes .....................................................................77
Results and Findings for Organization Causes..................................................................85
Summary of Validated Influences .....................................................................................95
Chapter Five: Recommendations for Practice ...............................................................................99
Recommendations for Practice to Address Knowledge Influences.................................100
Recommendations for Practice to Address Motivation Influences..................................104
Recommendations for Practice to Address Organizational Influences............................107
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan..............................................................110
Summary ..........................................................................................................................122
Limitations and Delimitations..........................................................................................123
Future Research ...............................................................................................................124
Conclusion .......................................................................................................................124

v
References....................................................................................................................................126
Appendix A: Pre-Interview Recruiting Communications............................................................137
Appendix B: Information Sheet for Exempt Research ................................................................139
Appendix C: KMO Survey Crosswalk ........................................................................................141
Appendix D: KMO Survey Protocol............................................................................................143
Appendix E: KMO Interview Crosswalk.....................................................................................147
Appendix F: KMO Interview Protocol ........................................................................................149
Appendix G: KMO Document Analysis Protocol .......................................................................151
Appendix H: Immediate Evaluation Instrument (L2-L1)............................................................154
Appendix I: Delayed-Blended Evaluation Instrument (L4, L3, L2, L1) .....................................155

vi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Summary of Assumed Knowledge Influences on Stakeholder’s Ability to Achieve
the Performance Goal ....................................................................................................................27
Table 2: Summary of Assumed Motivation Influences on Stakeholder’s Ability to Achieve
the Performance Goal ....................................................................................................................32
Table 3: Summary of Assumed Organization Influences on Stakeholder’s Ability to
Achieve the Performance Goal ......................................................................................................36
Table 4: Data Sources....................................................................................................................41
Table 5: Themes of Interview Responses on Supportive Work Environments for Black
Women Officers.............................................................................................................................58
Table 6: Themes of Interview Responses on Implicit Biases That Exist for Black Women
Officers ..........................................................................................................................................62
Table 7: Themes of Interview Responses to Describe Ways Black Women Have
Contributed Positively to the Organization....................................................................................65
Table 8: Themes of Interview Responses on the Impact of Motherhood on an Officer’s
Career Trajectory ...........................................................................................................................68
Table 9: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether Biases Exist Among USMRC
Leadership......................................................................................................................................71
Table 10: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether Black Women Add Value to the
Organization...................................................................................................................................73
Table 11: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether USMRC Leaders Are Aware of
Their Own Biases...........................................................................................................................76
Table 12: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether There Is Value in a Diverse Team .........79
Table 13: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether They Are Confident They Can
Mentor Black Women Officers......................................................................................................82
Table 14: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether the USMRC Needs Well-Defined
Diversity Goals ..............................................................................................................................84
Table 15: Themes of Interview Responses on Whether There Is Value in a Diverse Team .........88
Table 16: Themes of Interview Responses on Current Policies in Relation to Their
Enabling the Promotion and Retention of Black Women Officers Equitably ...............................91
Table 17: Themes of Interview Responses on How Offering Flexibility to Female Officers
Can Impact Readiness....................................................................................................................94

vii
Table 18: Knowledge Assets or Needs As Determined by the Data .............................................96
Table 19: Motivation Assets or Needs As Determined by the Data ..............................................97
Table 20: Organization Assets or Needs As Determined by the Data ...........................................97
Table 21: Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations.......................................103
Table 22: Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations .......................................106
Table 23: Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations ....................................110
Table 24: Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes ......................113
Table 25: Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation .............................114
Table 26: Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors..........................................................115
Table 27: Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program ......................................119
Table 28: Components to Measure Reactions to the Program.....................................................120
Table G1: Documents Referenced to the Assumed Influences ...................................................151

viii
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Clark and Estes Gap Analysis Process...........................................................................39
Figure 2: Responses to Survey Item: “What Components Are Required to Support Women
Service Members in the USMRC?”...............................................................................................56
Figure 3: Responses to Survey Item: “What Implicit Biases Do Black Women Officers Face?”.61
Figure 4: Responses to Survey Item: “Black Women Officers Have Made Significant
Contributions to the Organization”................................................................................................64
Figure 5: Responses to Survey Item: “Motherhood Adversely Impacts Career Progression” ......67
Figure 6: Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC leaders Demonstrate Biases Toward Their
Members”.......................................................................................................................................70
Figure 7: Responses to Survey Item: “I Understand the Value My Black Women Members
Bring to the Organization”.............................................................................................................72
Figure 8: Responses to Survey Item: “I Am Aware of My Own Biases”......................................75
Figure 9: Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC Finds Black Women Officers Useful to Its
Missions” .......................................................................................................................................78
Figure 10: Responses to Survey Item: “To What Degree Are You Confident You Can
Effectively Mentor a Black Woman Officer.” ...............................................................................80
Figure 11: Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC Prioritizes Diversity.” ......................................83
Figure 12: Responses to Survey Item: “Racial and Gender Diversity Are Well-Represented in
the Officer Corps at the USMRC.” ................................................................................................86
Figure 13: Responses to Survey Item: “Adopted USMRC Diversity and Inclusion Policies
Support You in Your Role as Leader of Service Members From Diverse Backgrounds.” ...........89
Figure 14: Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC Provides You Flexibility to Support the Needs
of Service Members From Diverse Backgrounds.” .......................................................................93
Figure 15: Increase of Black Women Field Grade Officers ........................................................122

ix
ABSTRACT
Black women have always served but have rarely attained general officer level rank. To address
the gap in Black women’s representation among senior military leaders, this study used Clark
and Estes’s knowledge, motivation, and organization (KMO) gap analysis to understand the gaps
in a U.S. military reserve component (USMRC). The purpose was to determine the KMO gaps
the USMRC leadership may have that contribute to the performance gap related to Black women
advancing in the organization. The study gathered perspectives of leaders in the organization’s
headquarters through a mixed-methods approach. This study included interviews, surveys, and
document data. The findings revealed that while a majority of the leaders are aware of the value
Black women officers contribute to the organization and the challenges they contend with, there
is a gap in the leaders’ ability to recognize gender biases and the organization's lack of diversity
goals or even a desire to change the organizational culture. Respondents expressed the need for
diversity goals but also stressed that diversity goals may be detrimental to the very goals
themselves. Recommendations include enhancing diversity training and creating more
opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration among diverse groups of leaders, which will also
foster an inclusive work environment. Using the new world Kirkpatrick model, the study
presents an implementation and evaluation plan to aid in the organizational goal of increasing the
representation of Black women field grade officers to create a larger pool of eligible officers for
senior leader consideration.

1
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has emphasized the importance of diversity,
equity, and inclusion (DEI) among its uniformed and civilian forces. The department has
demonstrated this emphasis by implementing DEI policies and establishing working groups and
committees to help tackle minority groups’ underrepresentation (Miller, 2020), especially in the
senior leadership ranks where underrepresentation is more prevalent. However, despite these
efforts, the lack of diversity among senior leaders persists. Since the establishment of a separate
U.S. military service in September 1947, only seven Black women have attained the rank of
general officer, ranks O-7 through O-10, in all components of the military service.
1 According to
U.S. military service’s military personnel data, in 2016, five out of 160 general officers in the
U.S. military reserve component (USMRC) studied herein identified as Black, and none were
women. To date, only one woman has been selected for one of two top leadership positions in
the USMRC, as director and vice director.
Organizational Context and Mission
The USMRC at the center of this study is a component of a U.S. military service. The
USMRC is one of seven of the U.S. military service. The director and deputy director are at its
helm, leading its dozens of units, with a total end-strength of approximately 100,000 members
and a less than $10 million annual budget.2
Organizational Performance Status
The organizational performance problem at the root of this study is Black women’s
underrepresentation in the general officer ranks in the USMRC headquarters. According to the
1 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
2 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

2
most recent personnel report, Black members (men and women) make up 4.4% of the officer
corps in the USMRC and 8.7% of the total USMRC. According to personnel data from the
service, the numbers taper significantly as the ranks progress, with 3% or 30 of the 987 officers
in the colonel (O-6) through general (O-7 through O-10), ranks being Black. The lack of
adequate representation in the higher ranks demonstrates the problem and the demand for
measures to increase diversity.
Related Literature
A review of the literature reveals various reasons why the number of Black women in
senior leadership positions remains low. One reason is tied to female officers’ retention. One
RAND study identified four factors female officers considered when deciding whether to remain
in the service or separate. The reasons include family and personal issues; work environment,
such as organizational culture, mentoring, sexual assault and harassment, and work hours;
broader service-specific and military issues, such as deployments, station changes, and benefits;
and career flexibility and opportunities (Keller et al., 2018). The study’s results support a
separate U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO, 2019) study that highlighted six similar
reasons for women’s premature separation from the military. Those reasons were family
planning, sexual assault, work schedules, deployments, organizational culture, and dependent
care (GAO, 2019).
Despite the reasons for retention difficulties, Black women are underrepresented not only
in military spaces, which have a historically White, male-dominated combat warrior culture
(Dunivin, 1994, p. 533) but also within the U.S. federal government and its agencies and the
private sector. According to a 2017 report, 10% of the Senior Executive Service identified as
Black, male and female (U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2018), and only two of the

3
Fortune 500 CEOs are Black women (Fortune, 2021). Additionally, Black women are
underrepresented in technical careers, and there is an oversaturation of them in support roles, in
contrast to their White male counterparts (Cheatham & Seem, 1990), which reduces the
likelihood of Black women being promoted to senior leadership positions and increases their
likelihood of separating due to a lack of career progression and opportunity (Dichter & True,
2015).
A memorandum from the then-acting secretary of defense, dated in 2020, states that
retaining minorities beyond initial commitment and into leadership ranks requires that members
have and perceive the opportunity for advancement based on capability and skill (Miller, 2020).
However, according to Smith (2010), Black officers fail to be promoted to senior leadership
positions due to the good old boy network and the lack of understanding of nuances in the
organization, which White males have historically dominated. Gipson et al. (2017) supported
this, stating that a lack of mentorship opportunities leaves women unaware of ways to navigate
their careers.
Importance of Addressing the Problem
The problem is important to address for several reasons. Diversity promotes morale, and
representation in leadership ranks increases organizational pride. Leaders who look like those
they lead promote trust in leadership and encourage members to strive for leadership roles (Lim,
n.d.) Additionally, diversity can be viewed as an advantage and lead to greater mission
effectiveness and adaptability as leaders can pull from diverse skills, experiences, and
backgrounds (Lim, n.d.).

4
Organizational Performance SMART Goal
The USMRC’s goal is to increase the number of Black female field grade officers
(FGOs) in the ranks of major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel by 100% by 2024. Currently, the
USMRC does not have a performance goal related to a specific demographic, so this goal was
established for this study, which will create a benchmark to increase the current representation of
Black women FGOs. Increasing the number of Black women FGOs through promotion and
retention allows for a larger pool of candidates eligible for general officer positions in the
organization. Setting a 2-year timeframe for this goal allows Black women company grade
officers (CGOs), or second lieutenants, first lieutenants, and captains, to be promoted into the
FGO ranks. The goal will first be implemented at the lower directorate level to assess and
evaluate benchmarks and progress, with the intention of expanding to the organization overall.
The goal is important because it demonstrates to personnel that the organization values and
strives to ensure greater diversity within its ranks. The USMRC is a hierarchical organization
that promotes leaders from within. The risk of not conducting this study is that Black female
officers may feel alienated, which would increase their separation rates, decrease morale, and
discourage them from aspiring to senior leadership positions.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
Several groups are relevant to addressing Black female senior leaders’
underrepresentation in the USMRC. Those groups, or stakeholders, are senior DOD, the service,
and USMRC leadership; local unit leadership; and Black women officers in the USMRC. For
this study, the stakeholder groups with the most influence are USMRC leadership, local unit
leadership, and Black women officers.

5
The USMRC leaders are charged with leading, mentoring, and fostering members’
development, including authoring annual evaluations and feedback, and signing off on
promotion packages. Black female officers are at the center of this study. The number of Black
female officers in the lower CGO ranks is much higher, at 3%, than FGOs, at 1%.3 To fully
understand the problem, it is important to examine the USMRC’s selection and approval criteria
and local leaders’ and Black female officers’ motivation regarding career progression.
Stakeholder Group of Focus and Performance Goal for the Study
While it is important to examine the role of all stakeholders, this study focused only on
the USMRC leaders. These leaders are usually selected from a pool of officers assigned to the
USMRC headquarters versus the operational units. Therefore, the stakeholders of focus for this
study were the USMRC leaders. The stakeholders’ goal is that by 2024, the USMRC will
increase the number of Black female FGOs from the current one percent to two percent. Because
this is a new goal, the gap in performance is 100%.
Purpose of the Project and Questions
The purpose of this innovation study was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of
knowledge and skill, motivation, and organizational resources necessary for leaders in the
USMRC to achieve their stakeholder goal of increasing the number of Black female FGOs from
the current one percent to two percent by 2024. The analysis began by generating a list of
possible needs for the USMRC leaders to accomplish their goal. These needs were then
systematically examined to ascertain which are actual or validated. While a complete needs
analysis would focus on all stakeholders, for practical purposes, the stakeholders of focus in this
analysis were the USMRC leaders. Two research questions guided this study:
3 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

6
1. What are the USMRC leaders’ knowledge and skills, motivation, and organization
needs related to increasing the number of Black female FGOs?
2. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions in support of the USMRC leaders increasing the number of Black female
FGOs?
Overview of the Conceptual and Methodological Framework
I adapted Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis, a systematic analytical method that helps
to clarify organizational goals and identify knowledge, motivation, and organizational influences
to an innovation model, which I implemented as the conceptual framework. Assumed
knowledge, motivation, and organizational needs were generated based on personal knowledge
and related literature. The methodological framework is a mixed-methods study consisting of
surveys, individual interviews, and document analysis. After data analysis, I derived researchbased recommended solutions, which I evaluated comprehensively.
Definitions
Black or African American: A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of
Africa (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018).
Company grade officer: Officers in the pay grades of O-1 to O-3, or second lieutenant,
first lieutenant, and captain (DOD, n.d.).
Diversity: All the different characteristics and attributes of the DOD’s total force, which
are consistent with our core values, integral to overall readiness and mission accomplishment,
and reflective of the nation we serve (Lim, n.d.).
Field grade officer: Officers in the pay grades of O-4 to O-6, or major, lieutenant colonel,
and colonel (DOD, n.d.).

7
General officer: Officers in the pay grades of O-7 and higher, or brigadier general, major
general, lieutenant general, and general (DOD, n.d.).
Senior leader: An E-8 and above or an O-5 and above (DOD, n.d.).
White: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East,
or North Africa (U.S. Census Bureau, 2018).
Organization of the Project
I used five chapters to organize this study. This chapter provided the key concepts and
terminology commonly found in a discussion of diversity and inclusion performance. It
introduced the organization’s mission, goals, and stakeholders, as well as the initial concepts of
gap analysis. Chapter Two provides a review of the current literature surrounding the scope of
the study as well as details the assumed influences. Chapter Three describes the methodology
regarding the choice of participants, data collection, and analysis. In Chapter Four, the data and
results are assessed and analyzed. Chapter Five provides solutions, based on data and literature,
for closing the perceived gaps and formulating an integrated implementation and evaluation plan
for the solutions.

8
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
The labor force has become more diverse over the years to include more women and
ethnic minorities. Government agencies, the military, and private organizations have adopted
policies and other strategies to increase diversity in their organizations to be more inclusive.
However, despite these efforts, Black women continue to be excluded and underrepresented at
the senior level (Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020; Holder et al., 2015; Johnson & Fournillier,
2021; Kaba, 2012; Zirulnik & Orbe, 2019). This underrepresentation spans across industries,
including education, government, aviation, the military, and other fields. Studies have shown that
greater diversity in top management benefits business growth, performance, and talent retention
(Schuette, 2021; Segal et al., 2016; Seo et al., 2017; Stamarski & Hing, 2015; Starks, 2009).
Chapter Two will review the literature on the assumed influences contributing to Black
women general officers’ underrepresentation in the USMRC at the headquarters level. The
framework used to frame the problem is Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis, which focuses on
the knowledge, motivation, and organizational (KMO) factors that have an impact on selection
into higher-level positions. This chapter will explore evidence from the literature that suggests
two central reasons for Black women’s underrepresentation in senior positions: attrition and
promotion. Other themes that emerged that impact attrition and promotion include performance
biases, family planning and domestic responsibilities, racism and stereotypes, lack of mentorship
and representation, and gender norms and role incongruity.
Influences on the Problem of Practice
Chapter One focused on the impact of the problem. Chapter Two will address the factors,
variables, and causes that influence the problem as stated in the literature as it pertains to women
and Black women in the labor force. Though the study centered on Black women officers and

9
their underrepresentation at the senior level, it focused on the KMO influences of senior leaders
charged with hiring, promoting, and establishing the organizational culture. Literature on this
topic has included women’s inability to reach senior positions due to attrition and promotion
issues, which stem from a lack of role congruence with gender norms, family planning, biases in
performance evaluations, racism and stereotypes, and lack of mentors. Because there is a gap in
research focused on Black women and leadership in the military, the literature review spans the
representation of Black women in senior leadership positions across industries, including
government, military, education, aviation, and other private sector fields. The study will apply
Clark and Estes’s (2008) KMO gap analysis framework.
Historical Context
Black women have participated in every war in U.S. history in various capacities
(Halliman, 2017), unofficially through 1948 and officially after President Harry Truman signed
the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act into law. The act formalized women’s right to
serve in the military but established a two percent ceiling and excluded them from combat career
fields (Armor, 1996). Before World War II, women were restricted to medical-related career
fields, and eventually, they could work in administrative and clerical careers due to shortages
(Armor, 1996). The U.S. Military Service ended gender ceilings in 1990, and the U.S. DOD
lifted the ban on women in combat in 2013, opening all combat positions to women. Despite
women’s inclusion in all career fields, their underrepresentation remains, especially in senior
leadership positions, and the numbers are even lower for minority women. Armor (1996)
asserted that recruiting and recruitment strategies lower the representation of Black women.
However, the USMRC does not have specific recruiting goals for minorities or Black women,4
4 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

10
which is similar to other services. Additionally, recruitment has not been an issue pertaining to
diversity in the U.S. Military Service from 2016 to 2021.5
In 1947, the USMRC was established as a reserve component of a military service
through the National Security Act of 1947, but it was not until 1956 that the first woman,
Captain Norma Parsons, joined the USMRC as a nurse.6
In 1978, the USMRC saw its first
female pilot and had its first female commander in 1997.7 The women were all firsts for the
USMRC, but like the representation of its female senior leaders, they are all White women, with
Black women and other minority women playing catch-up. At the USMRC headquarters, there
has been an increase in women in senior leadership positions, but none are minority women.8 To
date, the USMRC has only had three Black women make it to the general officer ranks.
Challenges and Barriers
The military has historically been a White male-dominated organization. Despite growing
diversity and efforts to increase DEI in its ranks, the service continues to be a White-maledominated organization. Throughout the history of the U.S. military, women have struggled with
parity and equal access to opportunities (L. Robinson & O’Hanlon, 2020). However, minority
women represent an even smaller population with almost no representation in the senior
leadership ranks. Though Black women have served in every war in U.S. history (National
Association of Black Military Women, n.d.), they are still less represented in leadership
5 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
6 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
7 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
8 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

11
positions, and less than 1% of officers are Black women.9 When women were formally allowed
to join the regular military through the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, a two percent
ceiling limited how many women could join, and the act included promotion limitations
(Kamarck, 2016). In addition to the ceiling, women were excluded from combat career fields that
would place them in the career trajectory toward promotion into senior leadership (Kamarck,
2016). It was not until 1993 that women were allowed to fly combat aircraft (Armor, 1996). In
2015, the DOD lifted restrictions on women in combat, creating more opportunities for gender
parity in the military (Kamarck, 2016). These efforts helped support greater representation of
women in leadership positions by allowing them access to key career fields. However, personnel
data shows that the elimination of those barriers positively impacted White women more than
they did minority women (Cohen, 2021), as minority women remain underrepresented in key
career fields and among senior leadership. For the USMRC, only four Black women have ever
attained the rank of general officer.10 The common factor among the three generals is that they
all worked in medical career fields, which further supports the oversaturation of Black women in
career fields other than operations. There are also limitations for the few Black women pilots on
receiving command assignments that lead to senior-level positions.11
A service disparity review presented the difference between White and Black women’s
promotions.
12 The report revealed that despite the growing number of women joining the U.S.
Military Service and women being promoted nearly equal to men, there is a disparity when it
9 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
10 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
11 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
12 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

12
comes to minority women.13 White women are overrepresented in promotions and leadership
positions, which can mis-portray the U.S. Military Service as gender-equal. However, the
underrepresentation of Black and other minority women indicates that promotions and
opportunities across races and ethnicities are not equitable. In addition, Black women must
contend with being Black and female as they navigate their military careers.14 These disparities
also include military leadership’s disciplinary actions toward Black women and the harassment
they receive.15 The report cited that more than half of Black women felt they would receive the
benefit of the doubt when facing discipline, and about 40% responded that they have to work
harder than White peers to prove they are good at their jobs.16
One cause for Black women’s underrepresentation in senior leadership positions can be
their career fields. Minority women are less represented in fields that lead to senior leadership
positions, like operations.17 Black women are less than two percent of the FGOs in the operations
career fields and less than 1% of pilots.18 According to Schuette (2021), minorities self-select out
of critical career fields and choose support, clerical, or logistics career fields (Armor, 1996). The
decision to choose the support career fields is due to the transferability of the skills gained in
those fields to the civilian sector. However, the study also revealed that Black members did not
choose operations or combat arms careers due to the racist culture associated with them
13 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
14 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
15 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
16 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
17 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
18 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

13
(Schuette, 2021). For the U.S. Military Service’s leadership, command positions are usually held
by those in operations career fields.19 Moreover, Black female officers are not represented at all
in wing command positions, which are notably known to be milestones for general officers.20
According to data from October 2021, there were only three Black female pilots in the USMRC
out of 4,209 pilots in total.21
Intersectionality
Black women find themselves in a cross-section between race and gender in which they
can never be part of the in-group based on their race and gender. This phenomenon, known as
intersectionality, has been acknowledged by the U.S. Military Service in that White women are
overrepresented, which skews the numbers regarding female diversity (Cohen, 2021). Crenshaw
(2016) coined the term “intersectionality” to explain the oppression Black women experience.
Intersectionality is the connection between two constructs. The theory of intersectionality further
explores how various forms of oppression, such as race, class, and gender, intersect or overlap to
create a disadvantage for individuals and groups (YW Boston, 2017). Because problems are
often viewed through a singular lens or axis, other dynamics that shape the problems are
disregarded. Intersectionality allows for exploring other axes and streams that may impact the
problem (Crenshaw, 2016). The intersection of race and gender for Black women often leaves
them invisible, which contributes to their underrepresentation and their voices not being heard
(Nelson & Piatak, 2021). Because of this intersectionality, Black women face deceleration in
their careers and contend with compounded adversity when it comes to their career trajectories
19 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
20 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.
21 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

14
(Chance, 2021). It is also noted that, whereas White women encounter a glass ceiling when it
comes to career advancement, Black women encounter a concrete ceiling (Nelson & Piatak,
2021). In the history of the USMRC, nearly all its directors have been White males. There has
only been one Black director in its history and one female deputy director in 2021.22
Family Planning and Parenthood
Society places the responsibility of child-rearing on women (Crown et al., 2020;
Lombard et al., 2021; Seo et al., 2017), which creates an issue for women who want to succeed
in raising their children and advancing in their careers (Dichter & True, 2015; King et al., 2020;
Tabassum & Nayak, 2021). According to Crown et al. (2020), 55% of women hold more than
half of the family responsibilities compared to 18% of men, demonstrating the overwhelming
impact children can have on the career trajectory of women compared to men. The task of
managing careers and family is just one factor in how family impacts women’s retention and
career progression. Other factors are discriminatory practices against women and mothers and
lack of face time with influential leaders due to flexible work schedules (Stamarski & Hing,
2015), as well as rigid career timelines (Keller et al., 2018) and the prioritization of work
responsibilities over family (Lombard et al., 2021). All these factors affect women’s decision to
exit the military prematurely and explain their absence from the workforce (Keller et al., 2018;
King et al., 2020; O’Brien et al., 2015; Seo et al., 2017). Research participants expressed
difficulties in timing pregnancies to fit inflexible career timelines (Keller et al., 2018).
Additionally, women who are mothers are recommended for promotion less often than women
who are not mothers, and pregnant women and mothers are viewed as low in competence
22 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

15
(Stamarski & Hing, 2015). King et al. (2020) posited that having family-friendly commanders
who support women and their families is associated with satisfaction and career intentions.
Performance Evaluation Biases
The ability to progress in one’s career affects the decision to remain in the military
(Keller et al., 2018), creating a retention issue. Because the military is a hierarchical
organization, retaining its leaders past the mid-career level ensures the diverse representation of
senior-level leaders. Biases in performance evaluations contribute to retention challenges (A.
Anderson et al., 2015; Asch & Malchiodi, 2012; Dichter & True, 2015; Looney et al., 2004;
Stamarski & Hing, 2015). In male-dominated domains, like the military, women are often held to
a higher standard than men and receive lower performance evaluation ratings (A. Anderson et
al., 2015; Asch & Malchiodi, 2012; Looney et al., 2004; Stamarski & Hing, 2015). Additionally,
women receive fewer challenging roles and fewer opportunities, which results in their being less
likely to be promoted and selected for leadership roles (A. Anderson et al., 2015; Stamarski &
Hing, 2015). According to A. Anderson et al. (2015), raters use different language to describe
males and females, and these differences can be detrimental to women when applying for
leadership positions or promotions. To address biases in performance evaluations, A. Anderson
et al. (2015) suggested that raters improve accuracy in ratings and create techniques to decrease
bias. Additionally, mentors can help advise women as they navigate their careers to ensure their
evaluations reflect their work and support their upward career progression.
Mentorship and Female Representation
Black women senior leaders’ underrepresentation has compounding effects on the
organization’s ability to address the problem. The presence of other women in a group can
increase the likelihood of a woman progressing by 2.5% (Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018).

16
Women do not strive for leadership roles because they are unaware that those positions are
available (Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018), have less access to people in power (Stamarski &
Hing, 2015), or rarely see a female leader who is married with children, so the perception is that
it is not possible for women to have a family and make senior leader (Keller et al., 2018).
Women can perceive an organization’s climate as positive when there are women in key
positions, which can indicate that the organization supports diversity (Stamarski & Hing, 2015).
However, it is difficult for women to find other female mentors because of the dearth of women
in high-ranking positions (Stamarski & Hing, 2015). The current pipeline lacks women, which
can have long-term effects on addressing representation (Davis & Maldonado, 2015). Women
are already underrepresented, which contributes to the dearth of mentors available to Black
women to receive unwritten and informal rules that can support career progression (Holder et al.,
2015).
Racism and Bias
Black women face biases and racism in the workplace that create barriers to advancement
(Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Holder et al., 2015; Lombard et al., 2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021).
In the political arena, leadership is rooted in biases that prioritize masculinity and Whiteness,
which disadvantage women of color (Lombard et al., 2021). These same biases exist in military,
government, and private sector spaces (Holder et al., 2015). Black women are subject to biased
scrutiny (Lombard et al., 2021), are less likely to be supervisors (Nelson & Piatak, 2021), are
perceived to be intellectually inferior and hostile (Holder et al., 2015), and are passed over and
paid lower salaries (Davis & Maldonado, 2015). Black women contend with a concrete ceiling
versus the glass ceiling White women face due to the intersectionality of being Black and a
woman (Nelson & Piatak, 2021). The U.S. military has tried to correct underrepresentation

17
through policy and promoting the safe inclusion of women and minorities (Richard & Molloy,
2020). However, these efforts have reflected little change, especially in the USMRC, where
Black women are not represented among its senior members.23 Nelson and Piatak (2021) claim
that women from racially underrepresented groups feel less included and see their race as a
barrier to advancement. Additionally, race factors are said to impact whom leaders interview,
hire, and promote, which contributes to racial disparities (Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2021).
Black women contend with racial stereotypes that impact their career progression, but they also
have to deal with the challenge of being a woman.
Gender Norms and Biases
The U.S. military is rooted in masculinity and rewards and reinforces the ideals of
masculinity (Pendlebury, 2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020), which creates a barrier for women and
women from underrepresented groups to advance. Leadership traits are often associated with
masculine characteristics and “getting the job done” (Looney et al., 2004, p. 105). According to
role congruity theory (Eagly, 2016), leadership qualities are generally associated with male
characteristics, so prejudice toward female leaders happens when their traits do not align with
typical female characteristics, so they are penalized because of this incompatibility. Male
characteristics are accepted as successful, but those same characteristics are less favorable
toward female leaders (Tabassum & Nayak, 2021). Additionally, the “bro culture” (HuntingtonKlein & Rose, 2018, para. 3) and “old boys club” (Seo et al., 2017, p. 40) explain men’s
behavior to maintain male-focused power and status, which leaves little to no room for women to
advance.
23 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

18
Additionally, Holder et al. (2015) asserted that companies believe Black women lack
skills, leadership ability, and drive, are not savvy, and are intellectually inferior. Lombard et al.
(2021) claimed that Black women are subject to additional biased scrutiny and can be labeled
angry or too emotional. They have to balance being a dual minority in White male majority
spaces, which can lead them to learn to exist in a culture where they must endure sexism and
racism (Zirulnik & Orbe, 2019).
Conceptual Framework
Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis framework is a systematic tool to identify the root
causes of performance gaps. The framework identifies the organization and stakeholder goals
and current performance and examines the gap between current achievement and the end goal
(Clark & Estes, 2008). The framework theorizes that the root causes of performance gaps are
related to the stakeholder’s knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational factors. When
addressed, solutions can be determined, implemented, and evaluated. According to Clark and
Estes (2008), evaluation is the key to determining the effectiveness of solutions implemented to
address the performance gaps.
For this study, the gap analysis framework aims to understand deficiencies in the
USMRC leaders’ knowledge, skills, and motivation, as well as any organizational barriers that
impact the way officers, specifically Black women officers, are promoted and selected for
assignments. The analysis includes examining the leaders’ knowledge of institutional and
societal barriers for Black women officers, their motivation to be inclusive and equitable in who
has access to opportunities, and any organizational barriers related to policies and cultural norms
that Black women’s assessment as leaders. The understanding and knowledge of these root
causes based on their knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational barriers will enable

19
the leaders to formulate appropriate solutions to address the performance gap related to the
underrepresentation of Black women general officers assigned to the USMRC headquarters.
Stakeholder Knowledge, Motivation, and Organizational Influences
Knowledge and Skills
Knowledge and skills center on comprehension, understanding, and knowing (Krathwohl,
2002). The structure of the knowledge dimension contains four categories: factual knowledge,
conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and metacognitive knowledge (Krathwohl, 2002).
Factual knowledge pertains to facts or basic knowledge like terminology, definitions, and details.
Conceptual knowledge relates to interrelationships between concepts or elements of a larger
structure. Conceptual knowledge is how facts can be organized or categorized. Procedural
knowledge centers on the how. Procedural knowledge pertains to techniques, methods,
procedures, or the process of how something is done. Finally, metacognitive knowledge is
knowledge about one’s cognition, self-reflection, and self-regulation. For this study, the USMRC
leaders need to understand the layers of knowledge and the level of knowledge and skills needed
to address how Black women officers are selected and promoted.
Factual Knowledge Influences
Factual knowledge is based on the basic principles of knowing, like terminology and
specific details and elements (Krathwohl, 2002). For the USMRC leaders, knowing the barriers
and biases Black women officers face can help them understand how to remedy those barriers to
ensure they have equitable access to promotions, assignments, and other opportunities (A.
Anderson et al., 2015; Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Dichter &
True, 2015; Holder et al., 2015; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Keller et al., 2018; King et al.,
2020; Lombard et al., 2021; Looney et al., 2004; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015;

20
Pendlebury, 2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Seo et al., 2017; Stamarski & Hing, 2015; ). These
knowledge influences include creating work environments that equitably support Black women
officers and understanding the challenges they face.
USMRC Leaders Need to Know the Factors That Support Women’s Success in the
Work Environment. The work environment is central to women’s decision to remain in their
careers (Crown et al., 2020; Keller et al., 2018; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015;
Richard & Molloy, 2020). According to Stamarski and Hing (2015), organizations with a less
supportive diversity climate reveal that women are more likely to leave the organization, which
plays a role in underrepresentation. To address the working environment that drives Black
women officers to separate, which impacts the pool of officers from which leaders select and
promote, the USMRC leaders need to create an environment that is supportive and conducive to
their success and willingness to be retained. Research has shown that many women selfeliminate by separating from the military at the mid-career level due to career rigidity that is
attributed to family planning, a masculine culture, exclusion from opportunities, and other
institutional practices pertaining to the work environment and culture (Crown et al., 2020;
Holder et al., 2015; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; King et al., 2020; Richard & Molloy,
2020).
Leaders view facetime as necessary for career growth, but because women with familial
obligations often have flexible work arrangements, they miss critical engagement opportunities
(Stamarski & Hing, 2015). In addition, women who want to have a family do not view the
military as a long-term career option because it is incompatible with family planning (King et al.,
2020). However, according to King et al. (2020), commanders who support members and
families were associated with job satisfaction and career intentions.

21
Additionally, leaders can promote a safe, inclusive climate for Black women officers to
thrive and succeed in the organization (Richard & Molloy, 2020). Creating a safe and inclusive
environment requires leaders to combat the masculine “bro culture” that defines the military
(Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018, para. 3) and ensure women are represented at all ranks to
provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to other women officers (Crown et al., 2020;
Dichter & True, 2015; Holder et al., 2015). Additionally, inclusivity plays an important role
because underrepresented women feel less included (Nelson & Piatak, 2021) and are excluded
from formal and informal networks that allow for knowledge of and access to opportunities
(Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Holder et al., 2015).
USMRC Leaders Need to Understand What Implicit Biases Exist for Black Women
Officers. Understanding the implicit biases Black women officers face can help the USMRC
leaders recognize and remedy situations where those biases are present. Due to Black women’s
intersectional identities, they face gender and racial biases. Because the military has a history of
being a White, male-dominant institution, the roles and identities of Black women do not align
(Holder et al., 2015; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Lombard et al., 2021; Richard & Molloy,
2020; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021). According to Nelson and Piatak (2021), White women are
more socially and culturally accepted in White, male-dominated organizations, like the military,
which leaves Black women at a disadvantage. Black women have been judged as less competent
or characterized as angry or too emotional (Lombard et al., 2021), which can impact human
resources-related decisions (Stamarski & Hing, 2015). By recognizing implicit gender and racial
biases, USMRC leaders can be more aware of how those biases impact promotion and selection
decisions.

22
Conceptual Knowledge Influences
Conceptual knowledge is knowledge of classifications and categories, principles and
generalizations, theories, models, and structures (Krathwohl, 2002). Conceptual knowledge is
understanding the principles and relationships among those categories, classifications, models,
principles, theories, and structures (Baroody & Dowker, 2003). Conceptual knowledge in
learning allows individuals to draw from what they have learned or know and use it. For the
USMRC leaders, knowing the value Black women provide to the organization (Chance, 2021;
Crown et al., 2020; Lombard et al., 2021), the relationship between motherhood and its impacts
on career progression (Keller et al., 2018; King et al., 2020; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021), and
recognizing gender biases in leadership (A. Anderson et al., 2015; Budworth & Mann, 2010;
Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2021; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Looney et al., 2004;
Nelson & Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015; Richard & Molloy, 2020) can help them make
personnel decisions based on what is best for the organization. The USMRC leaders need to
understand the impact of motherhood, pregnancy, and domestic responsibilities on how women
navigate the work environment. The USMRC leaders also need to recognize the value of
diversity and the value Black women officers bring to the organization.
USMRC Leaders Need to Distinguish the Unique Achievements of Black Women
Officers As Opposed to Other Officers. Diversity is a force multiplier and improves
effectiveness and organizational outcomes, and studies show that diverse organizations
outperform others, which makes the organization more adaptable (Schuette, 2021; Segal et al.,
2016; Seo et al., 2017). Black women represent a valuable source of talent (Holder et al., 2015).
Black women are the most prominent female minority group to earn professional graduate
degrees, and women outperform men in college (Budworth & Mann, 2010; Davis & Maldonado,

23
2015). However, Black women are also known to downplay accomplishments, so their work and
contributions are not recognized or valued (Budworth & Mann, 2010). In addition, the dearth of
Black women officers in key leadership positions minimizes the perspectives, experience, and
expertise they bring to a problem. Valuing Black women officers’ contributions and talents
allows the USMRC leaders to promote and select more Black women for leadership roles to
address their underrepresentation.
USMRC Leaders Need to Know the Impacts of Motherhood and Career
Progression. Pregnancy, motherhood, and other domestic or familial responsibilities impact
women’s career progression and their decision to remain in the organization. According to a
report from the U.S. GAO (2019), family planning was one of six themes as to why women
separate from the military at the mid-career level. Rigid career timelines, career field currency
requirements, and a lack of engagement or facetime with leadership create barriers for women to
compete with their peers for career advancement due to time off for pregnancy-related issues,
flexible work schedules, and other accommodations (Keller et al., 2018; King et al., 2020;
Stamarski & Hing, 2015; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021). Society’s placement of the bulk of family
responsibility on the woman creates a strain because a career is seen as incompatible with family
goals (King et al., 2020). Additionally, because of the duality of motherhood and career, women
experience longer times to advance (Stamarski & Hing, 2015). Family-friendly commanders who
understand the impact of motherhood on career advancement and attrition among Black women
officers can help address their underrepresentation in higher-ranking positions (King et al.,
2020).
USMRC Leaders Need to Recognize Gender Biases in Leadership. Masculine
attributes have been associated with leadership (Lombard et al., 2021; Looney et al., 2004;

24
Richard & Molloy, 2020). For male-dominated organizations like the military, traits such as
assertiveness, manipulation, and other agentic qualities are accepted when demonstrated by a
man; however, when a woman exhibits these traits, it is less acceptable, and they are often
penalized for not possessing the warm and nurturing traits associated with women (A. Anderson
et al., 2015; Looney et al., 2004). Gender biases perpetrated by leaders and the organizational
culture affect how Black women officers are perceived, evaluated, and promoted (Dichter &
True, 2015; Holder et al., 2015; Lombard et al., 2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; Richard &
Molloy, 2020; Stamarski & Hing, 2015; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021). The military is a historically
White male-dominated organization and has maintained an “old boys club” (Seo et al., 2017, p.
40) or “bro” culture (Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018, para. 3). Because of the masculine culture
that is deeply embedded in the organization, women are held to a higher standard, receive less
access to assignments and opportunities, and are evaluated more stringently and negatively than
their male counterparts, which hinders promotion and selection for leadership roles (A. Anderson
et al., 2015; Dichter & True, 2015; Looney et al., 2004; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Stamarski &
Hing, 2015). Gender biases also lead to Black women being perceived as inferior and less
competent than men and White women (Holder et al., 2015; Lombard et al., 2021; Looney et al.,
2004). Recognizing these biases can help decision-makers and leaders be aware so that policies,
organizational decisions, and performance reviews are equitable (Stamarski & Hing, 2015).
USMRC Leaders Needs to Know Policies and Guidelines Related to Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion. According to King et al. (2020), leaders should engage all commanders
to ensure diversity and retention priorities are understood and supported locally because those
commanders can approve or reject members’ retention initiatives. Because of a potential
disconnect between policies established at the macro level and the implementation on a lower

25
level, a policy does not mean they are implemented or followed as intended (King et al., 2020).
As a result, it is important for the USMRC leaders to know and understand the policies related to
DEI and that the individuals implementing the policies and making the decisions on a lower level
understand them. According to Stamarski and Hing (2015), human resources practices perpetuate
harmful gender inequalities, with some policies being discriminatory. All military branches have
equal opportunity directives to ensure promotions and assignments are fair and based on merit,
and these practices are monitored (Segal et al., 2016).
Procedural Knowledge Influences
Procedural knowledge is knowledge related to the methods, techniques, procedures, or
knowledge of how to perform a skill (Krathwohl, 2002). Procedural knowledge refers to the
steps or processes needed to perform a task, including steps needed to achieve performance
goals. Procedural knowledge is employed through understanding what factors leaders should
consider when making personnel decisions, such as rules, guidelines, and skills.
Metacognitive Knowledge Influences
Metacognitive knowledge is the knowledge and awareness of one’s own cognition, the
ability to self-reflect and self-regulate (Krathwohl, 2002). Metacognitive knowledge includes
self-knowledge and using that to adapt the way individuals think and operate (Krathwohl, 2002).
An individual’s metacognitive knowledge can lead them to act in a number of ways depending
on the individual’s belief or knowledge of their ability or self-efficacy. For the USMRC leaders,
metacognitive knowledge can be demonstrated through their self-reflection on their roles as
leaders. Metacognition addresses their ability to reflect on their actions from shaping the
organization’s culture, the effectiveness of their leadership, and their decision-making on who is
promoted or selected for assignments or other opportunities.

26
USRMC Leaders Need to Reflect on the Impact Black Women Officers Bring to the
Organization. Black women are the highest-educated group in America’s workforce (Johnson &
Fournillier, 2021) and are a growing source of talent (Holder et al., 2015). Women outperform
men in college, and barriers to Black women’s advancement are detrimental to organizational
effectiveness and undermine organizational performance (Davis & Maldonado, 2015). However,
due to the intersectionality of race and gender and negative stereotypes associated with Black
women, even when they exhibit similar behaviors as White men (Budworth & Mann, 2010), they
have been devalued and passed over for promotion and selection (Davis & Maldonado, 2015).
Kaba (2008) posited that Black women are the new model minority.
USMRC Leaders Need to Monitor Its Own Biases and Behaviors. The military is a
historically White male-dominated organization. The military has generally not been welcoming
to women (Dichter & True, 2015), which leaves room for unconscious biases to reflect the
selection and promotion processes. Research has shown evidence against pregnant women
(Stamarski & Hing, 2015), mothers, and minorities based on assumptions and stereotypes, to
include racial considerations (Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2021; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021).
To address the underrepresentation of Black women general officers, the USMRC leaders should
also consider and monitor their own biases related to their promotion and selection decisions. For
example, raters have used different language to describe men and women in performance
evaluations (Richard & Molloy, 2020), which can create biases in evaluations (Looney et al.,
2004).
Knowledge and skills are focused on how to accomplish tasks. Krathwohl (2002)
categorized knowledge into four types: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive.
Factual knowledge is knowledge in terms of facts, terminology, or elements (Krathwohl, 2002).

27
In terms of factual knowledge required for the USMRC leaders to achieve the goal of increasing
the number of Black women promoted to the field grade level, they need to know the type of
work environment necessary for women to succeed, considering their needs and challenges.
They also need to be aware of implicit biases that Black women officers face and the value they
bring to the organization. Conceptual knowledge is the relationships, categories, and models
(Krathwohl, 2002). For the problem, the USMRC leaders need to understand the relationship
between motherhood and career progression for Black women and how gender biases and norms
impact women’s ability to advance. Finally, procedural knowledge is the specific methods,
techniques, or procedures (Krathwohl, 200).
Table 1 shows the stakeholder’s knowledge influences and the related literature.
Table 1
Summary of Assumed Knowledge Influences on Stakeholder’s Ability to Achieve the
Performance Goal
Assumed knowledge
influences
Research literature
USMRC Leaders need to
know the factors that
support women’s success
in the work environment
(factual).
Anderson et al., 2015; Asch & Malchiodi, 2012; Budworth &
Mann, 2010; Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis &
Maldonado, 2015; Dichter & True, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal &
Houmanfar, 2021; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Keller
et al., 2018; King et al., 2020; Looney et al., 2004; O’Brien
et al., 2015; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Schuette, 2021; Seo
et al., 2017; Sergeant & Stajkovic, 2020; Stamarski & Hing,
2015.
USMRC Leaders need to
understand what implicit
biases exist for Black
women officers (factual).
Asch & Malchiodi, 2012; Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020;
Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar,
2021; Holder et al., 2015; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018;
Kaba, 2008; Lombard et al., 2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021;
O’Brien et al., 2015; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Schuette,
2021; Starks, 2009.

28
Assumed knowledge
influences
Research literature
USMRC Leaders need to
recognize the achievements
Black women officers
bring to the organization
(conceptual).
Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis & Maldonado, 2015;
Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2021; Holder et al., 2015;
Lombard & Cheryan., 2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021;
Pendlebury, 2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Schuette,
2021; Starks, 2009.
USMRC Leaders need to
know the impacts of
motherhood and career
progression (conceptual).
Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Dichter & True, 2015;
Huntington-Klien & Rose, 2018; King et al., 2020;
Lombard et al., 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015; Seo et al., 2017;
Tabassum & Nayak, 2021.
USMRC Leaders need to
recognize gender biases in
leadership (conceptual).
Anderson et al., 2015; Budworth & Mann, 2010; Chance,
2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis & Maldonado, 2015;
Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2021; Huntington-Klein &
Rose, 2018; Keller et al., 2018; King et al., 2020; Lombard
et al., 2021; Looney et al., 2004; Nelson & Piatak, 2021;
O’Brien et al., 2015; Pendlebury, 2020; Richard & Molloy,
2020; Schuette, 2021; Sergeant & Stajkovic, 2020; Seo et
al., 2017; Starks, 2009; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021.
USMRC Leaders need to
reflect on the impact Black
women officers bring to
the organization
(metacognitive).
Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis & Maldonado, 2015;
Holder et al., 2015; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018;
Lombard et al., 2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et
al., 2015; Schuette, 2021; Starks, 2009.
USMRC Leaders need to
monitor its own biases
(metacognitive).
Anderson et al., 2015; Budworth & Mann, 2010; Chance,
2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis & Maldonado, 2015;
Dichter & True, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar, 2021;
Holder et al., 2015; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; King
et al., 2020; Lombard et al., 2021; Looney et al., 2004;
Nelson & Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015; Pendlebury,
2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Schuette, 2021; Sergeant &
Stajkovic, 2020; Seo et al., 2017; Starks, 2009; Tabassum
& Nayak, 2021.
Motivation
Motivation is one of the three factors of the gap analysis framework to address
performance gaps (Clark & Estes, 2008). Motivation and knowledge are both internal-focused

29
factors. Motivation is what moves one to act and sustains one in action (Clark & Estes, 2008;
Mayer, 2011). Within the concept of motivation, there are three key indices: active choice,
persistence, and mental effort (Clark & Estes, 2008). Active choice refers to the individual
making a choice to act. Persistence is continuing to work toward performance goals despite
obstacles, distractions, or other obligations. Finally, mental effort is how much effort is applied
toward achieving performance goals. Even with knowledge and the organizational support and
resources available, motivation issues can hinder performance goal achievement.
Utility Value
Value determines how important, worthy, or useful completing a task could be (Cooper et
al., 2017). Value can be categorized into four categories: attainment value, intrinsic value, utility
value, and cost. Attainment value focuses on the personal importance of accomplishing a task
and includes the individual’s identity (Cooper et al., 2017). Intrinsic value is how much an
individual enjoys a task, so the individual is motivated to do well because the task brings
pleasure (Cooper et al., 2017). Utility value centers on the usefulness of a task or how it relates
to current or future goals (Cooper et al., 2017). Finally, cost refers to the cost of doing the task:
the cost of time, effort, or opportunity (Cooper et al., 2017).
USRMC Leaders Need to See the Usefulness in Building a Diverse Team of Leaders.
Differences in experience, thought, and perspective can help teams create novel ideas and
approaches to problems (Holder et al., 2015). Due to the various missions it supports, the
military can benefit from having a diverse group of senior leaders (Schuette, 2021). The military
is a mission-first, goal-oriented organization (Gorman, 2019). Service members are instilled with
the idea of mission first and a commitment to executing and accomplishing their missions.
Diversity enhances and contributes to effectiveness (Lim, n.d.). To support mission success,

30
leaders should prioritize building a diverse team of leaders who contribute a diversity of thought,
perspectives, and experiences. To increase diversity in its senior leaders, the individuals who
make the promotion and selection decisions need to value diversity in its teams and units, as
barriers to diversity can be detrimental to the organization’s effectiveness (Davis & Maldonado,
2015) and is a matter of survival (Starks, 2009).
Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief in their ability to accomplish a task (Bandura,
1977). Self-efficacy influences motivation and the effort used toward a task based on the
individual’s confidence to perform that task (Bandura, 1977). Self-efficacy is the confidence an
individual has to exert control over their own motivation and behaviors (Bandura, 1977). Selfefficacy can be a strong indicator of performance (Bandura, 1977). Self-efficacy is task-specific,
and individuals are less likely to give a task their full effort if they do not believe they can
accomplish it (Bandura, 1977). Bandura (1977) noted four factors as a source for self-efficacy:
experiences, vicarious experiences, social persuasion, and emotional and physiological states. If
an individual has accomplished a task or similar one, they are more likely to be confident in
accomplishing it again (Bandura, 1977).
Additionally, if an individual sees someone else perform the same or similar task
successfully, their self-efficacy will increase (Bandura, 1977). Social persuasion is when others
receive encouragement and verbal feedback, which persuades the individual that they will
succeed in accomplishing the task, so they will apply more effort and be more motivated
(Bandura, 1977). Emotional and physiological responses are the signals the individual receives
when approaching a task (Bandura, 1977). For the USMRC leaders to change the diversity of its
force and leaders, they need to be confident in their ability to accomplish this. The USMRC

31
leaders also need to be confident in their ability to accomplish any tasks associated with
accomplishing the goal, such as developing and mentoring officers, and their ability to shape the
organization’s culture and personnel.
USMRC Leaders need Confidence That They Can Develop and Mentor Black
Women Officers. Self-efficacy is the confidence or personal belief in one’s ability that one can
succeed in achieving a goal or executing a task (Mayer, 2011). Self-efficacy is an important
driver for motivation because when individuals are confident in their competence to succeed in a
task, they are more motivated (Mayer, 2011). The USMRC leaders must feel confident they can
develop and mentor Black women officers. Often, Black women are not considered part of the
in-group, which excludes them from information that can support career advancement, such as
knowledge of and access to opportunities (Holder et al., 2015). Davis and Maldonado (2015)
asserted that women do not aspire for roles because they are unaware that the roles are open to
them or are discouraged from pursuing critical roles. To address the gap, leaders need to feel
confident they can mentor Black women, who often lack the social capital to succeed (Seo et al.,
2017).
Goals
USMRC Leaders need Clear Goals to Increase Representation of Black Women.
Goals are a critical driver of motivation (Clark & Estes, 2008). Members can actively work
toward a performance goal, even if they did not play a part in establishing it (Clark & Estes,
2008). For the USMRC leaders, it is important to establish clear goals to close the performance
gap to address the underrepresentation of Black women general officers. Establishing clear goals
helps lower-level leaders understand diversity and retention goals as they have the greatest
influence over members (King et al., 2020). According to Stamarski and Hing (2015), some

32
human resources practices create gender inequalities, so it is important for the USMRC leaders
to establish clear goals in support of diversity and inclusion and ensure policies do not contradict
those goals and efforts.
Table 2 shows the stakeholder’s influences pertaining to motivation and the related
literature.
Table 2
Summary of Assumed Motivation Influences on Stakeholder’s Ability to Achieve the Performance
Goal
Assumed motivation influences Research literature
USMRC Leaders need to see the
usefulness in building a diverse team
of leaders (utility value).
Anderson et al., 2015; Budworth & Mann, 2010;
Chance, 2021; Crown et al., 2020; Davis &
Maldonado, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal & Houmanfar,
2021; Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Kaba,
2008; Keller et al., 2018; King et al., 2020;
Lombard et al., 2021; Looney et al., 2004; Nelson
& Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015; Pendlebury,
2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Schuette, 2021;
Sergeant & Stajkovic, 2020; Seo et al., 2017;
Starks, 2009; Tabassum & Nayak, 2021; Zirulnik
& Orbe, 2019.
USMRC Leaders need confidence that
they can develop and mentor Black
women officers (self-efficacy).
Crown et al., 2020; Davis & Maldonado, 2015;
Dichter & True, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal &
Houmanfar, 2021; Holder et al., 2015; Kaba,
2008; Lombard & Cheryan., 2021; Looney et al.,
2004; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; Richard & Molloy,
2020; Schuette, 2021; Seo et al., 2017; Starks,
2009; Zirulnik & Orbe, 2019.
USMRC Leaders need clear goals to
increase diversity (goals).
Budworth & Mann, 2010; Crown et al., 2020;
Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal &
Houmanfar, 2021; Holder et al., 2015; Keller et
al., 2018; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; Pendlebury,
2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Segal et al., 2016;
Seo et al., 2017; Starks, 2009; Starmarski & Hing,
2015.

33

34
Organization
Knowledge and motivation are internal factors, whereas organizational influences are
external factors that impact stakeholder performance (Clark & Estes, 2008). Performance gaps
can be attributed to organizational influences like resources, equipment, processes, and
procedures (Clark & Estes, 2008). However, organizational influences go beyond ineffective and
inefficient processes and materials and include organizational culture (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Culture is an intangible that can have far-reaching impacts on performance measures. Culture
includes attitudes, core values, beliefs, emotions, processes, and core values. Culture can either
support an individual’s ability to achieve performance goals or hinder it, so it is incumbent on
leaders to create a culture supportive of their members and their efforts (Clark & Estes, 2008).
Resources
Resources can be the funds, equipment, or personnel necessary to reach performance
goals (Clark & Estes, 2008). For the USMRC, resources pertain to personnel costs and training
and education opportunities. Because the USMRC is a reserve component of the military,
missions are focused on manpower costs and funding for personnel to be put onto military
orders. To support women in balancing career success and progression and domestic or familial
obligations, leaders must ensure that the proper resources are available to maintain readiness.
The right resources will enable the team to accomplish the mission while allowing women
members the flexibility to attend to personal matters without the pressure to do both.
USMRC Leaders need Resources to Enable Flexibility for Women Service
Members. Because family planning and child caretaking responsibilities are typically assigned
to women, the workplace allows little flexibility for women to succeed in their careers and attend
to their families (Dichter & True, 2015). Research (Lombard et al., 2021; Stamarski & Hing,

35
2015) shows that women benefit from flexible work schedules, which can have adverse
consequences on their career trajectories (Crown et al., 2020). Though the data reveals these
factors and supports family-friendly policies and leaders (Keller et al., 2018; King et al., 2020), it
does not address how organizations can support members with the flexibility needed to attend to
familial obligations and accomplish their goals and mission.
Cultural Settings
Cultural settings are visible organizational influences (Clark & Estes, 2008). Cultural
settings can include policies and procedures, demographics, training and resources, scheduling,
and other opportunities (Clark & Estes, 2008). Cultural settings can also include organizational
goals, biases, barriers, feedback, mentorship or role models, and other manifestations of cultural
models. For this study, the USMRC leaders need to adopt policies that are a visible influence on
the organization’s culture and demonstrate the importance of diversity and inclusion, including
equitable access to opportunities for Black women officers.
USMRC Leaders need to Adopt Policies That Align With DEI Goals. Organizational
policies that direct and promote diversity drive leaders toward actioning diversity initiatives. The
underrepresentation of women leaders can be attributed to organizational leaders and how it
impacts gender-supportive policies (Stamarski & Hing, 2015), as well as how policies have
contributed to the military climate (Richard & Molloy, 2020). In the case of U.S. political and
corporate leadership, policies and exclusionary culture have moved to advance the interests of
White men (Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Lombard et al., 2021). According to King et al. (2020),
policymakers should consider intentionally selecting leaders and commanders who prioritize
caring for members and their families, as units with supportive family policies experience higher
job satisfaction and retention. In addition, representation helps ensure that all members’ needs

36
and interests are taken into account when multiple viewpoints are considered in policies (Starks,
2009).
Cultural Models
Cultural models are organizational values and beliefs formed over time (Clark & Estes,
2008). Cultural models can include attitudes, lack of trust, leadership styles, and even
accountability (Hirabayashi, 2021). The military is a male-dominant organization, and the values
espoused as a result include acceptance of masculine gender norms and rejection of female
leadership and female leadership characteristics. The current cultural setting supports diversity
and inclusion through policy changes; however, the current cultural models suggest otherwise.
USMRC Leaders need to Create a Culture That Aligns With Senior Leader
Diversity. Organizational culture is the values and practices that guide the actions of the
organization’s members (Watkins, 2013). The U.S. Military Service has a culture rooted in
White masculinity (Pendlebury, 2020), which leaves little room for Black women to be included
or successful (Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Lombard et al., 2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021). In a
study examining the Army’s senior leadership, minority cadets self-selected out of combat arms
and special operations assignments, which are career fields that increase competitiveness for
general officer consideration due to the racist culture associated with those assignments
(Schuette, 2021). Additionally, women face challenges in male-dominated organizations where
success requires taking on masculine attitudes, values, and attributes (Davis & Maldonado,
2015). Black women reported racism over sexism as the most significant barrier to opportunities
(Nelson & Piatak, 2021).
Table 3 shows the stakeholder’s organizational influences and the related literature.

37
Table 3
Summary of Assumed Organization Influences on Stakeholder’s Ability to Achieve the
Performance Goal
Assumed organization influences Research literature
USMRC Leaders need resources to enable
flexibility for women service members
(resources).
Crown et al., 2020; Keller et al., 2018;
O’Brien et al., 2015; Stamarski & Hing,
2015.
USMRC Leaders need to adopt policies that
align with DEI goals (policies, processes,
and procedures).
Asch & Malchiodi, 2012; Crown et al., 2020;
Davis & Maldonado, 2015; Esquierdo-Leal
& Houmanfar, 2021; Holder et al., 2015;
Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Kaba,
2012; King et al., 2020; Lombard et al.,
2021; Nelson & Piatak, 2021; Pendlebury,
2020; Richard & Molloy, 2020; Segal et
al., 2016; Schuette, 2021; Stamarski &
Hing, 2015; Starks, 2009; Zirulnik & Orbe,
2016.
USMRC Leaders need to create a culture of
willingness to change the composition of
senior leaders (cultural models).
Anderson et al., 2015; Asch & Malchiodi,
2012; Crown et al., 2020; Davis &
Maldonado, 2015; Dichter & True, 2015;
Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Keller et
al., 2018; King et al., 2020; Lombard et al.,
2021; Looney et al., 2004; Nelson &
Piatak, 2021; O’Brien et al., 2015;
Pendlebury, 2020; Richard & Molloy,
2020; Schuette, 2021; Seo et al., 2017;
Sergent & Stajkovic, 2020; Stamarski &
Hing, 2015.
Summary
Black women bring a unique perspective to their organizations and are the highesteducated demographic (Johnson & Fournillier, 2021). However, Black women continue to be
undervalued, which is evident by the dearth of Black women in senior leadership positions
across industries. In the military, accession of women and minorities continues to rise, but their

38
presence is low in the upper echelons of leadership (Asch & Malchiodi, 2012). The
underrepresentation of Black women general officers in the USMRC can be attributed to several
factors, including family planning and parenthood, racism and stereotypes, lack of mentors, bias
in performance evaluations, and gender norms. Evidence across sectors reveals a common thread
of Black women being undervalued in an organization and the need to preserve White male
dominance. To understand how the USMRC leaders can address the underrepresentation of
Black women general officers, leaders need to examine how officers are promoted and selected
for assignments.

39
CHAPTER THREE: METHODS
The purpose of this innovation study was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of
knowledge and skill, motivation, and organizational resources necessary for leaders in the
USMRC to achieve their stakeholder goal of increasing the number of Black female FGOs from
the current one percent to two percent by 2024. The analysis began with a list of possible needs
for these leaders to accomplish their goal, and I examined these systematically to ascertain which
are actual or validated. While a complete needs analysis would focus on all stakeholders, for
practical purposes, the stakeholders of focus in this analysis are the USMRC leaders.
Two questions guided this gap analysis:
1. What are the USMRC leaders’ knowledge and skills, motivation, and organization
needs related to increasing the number of Black female FGOs?
2. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions in support of the USMRC leaders increasing the number of Black female
FGOs?
Conceptual and Methodological Framework
Clark and Estes’s (2008) gap analysis framework is a systematic problem-solving tool to
achieve organizational goals. Organizations use the framework to help gain a more profound
understanding of the root causes of their ability to achieve their performance goals through the
analysis of KMO factors for one or more stakeholders. As illustrated in Figure 1, the framework
consists of seven steps: establish performance goals, identify current achievement, determine
gaps between current achievement and performance goals, identify the KMO factors causing the
performance gap, develop solutions, implement the solution, and evaluate and assess the
progress (Clark & Estes, 2008). For this study, the two variables are the current number of Black

40
women senior leaders and the KMO factors that affect the USMRC leaders’ ability to promote
and retain Black women officers.
Figure 1
Clark and Estes Gap Analysis Process

41
Overview of Design
The purpose of this innovative, mixed-methods study was to answer the question of the
KMO factors in how the USMRC leaders promote and select leaders that contribute to an
underrepresentation of Black women senior leaders in the USMRC headquarters. In addition, the
study intended to address the gaps in research regarding Black women and their
underrepresentation in senior leadership positions across sectors. Past research has focused on
environmental or external factors, such as education, opportunities, mentorship, children, biases,
and other factors, and Black women themselves, but none on the leaders who can effect the
change.
This study employed a convergent mixed-methods approach through surveys, interviews,
and document analysis. Mixed-methods studies combine qualitative and quantitative research
methods (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Qualitative and quantitative research each provide
different types of information, open-ended for qualitative and closed-ended for quantitative, and
using both can provide a more robust understanding of the problem (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Mixed methods, though more time-consuming, increase research validity and greater confidence
in research findings (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The study used a non-probability, purposive
sampling of 19 USMRC leaders assigned or who were previously assigned to the USMRC
headquarters. In addition, the study includes interviews with senior USMRC leaders in the ranks
of lieutenant colonel and above and surveyed USMRC officers in the ranks of lieutenant colonel
and above.
A convergent mixed-methods design is a single-phase approach to data collection in
which the researcher collects qualitative and quantitative data concurrently, merges the results,
and then interprets the results (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Data analysis in a convergent mixed-

42
methods design has three phases: analyze the qualitative database, analyze the quantitative
database, and then analyze the data by integrating the two databases (Creswell & Creswell,
2018). The convergent design can increase the validity of the study by using the separate data to
corroborate or support the conclusions from the findings (Creswell, 2007). Table 4 presents the
sources of data analyzed to answer the research questions.
Table 4
Data Sources
Research questions Interview Survey Document
analysis
What are the USMRC leaders’ knowledge and
skills, motivation, and organization needs related
to increasing the number of Black female FGOs?
X X X
What are the recommended knowledge and skills,
motivation, and organizational solutions in
support of the USMRC leaders increasing the
number of Black female FGOs?
X

43
Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholders of focus for this study are USMRC leaders. Because these leaders have
the power, ability, and authority to influence change in the organization, it is important to
identify the KMO factors affecting their ability to create the change needed to address Black
women senior leaders’ underrepresentation in the USMRC headquarters. The study employed a
purposive sample of 19 current and/or former leaders in the USMRC from the ranks of lieutenant
colonel (O5) through major general (O8) for the survey and seven interviews. In the USMRC,
selection boards consist of individuals within the section to which the interviewee is applying,
and promotion boards consist of individuals in the ranks for which the participants are
interviewing. Because of the makeup of the boards, it was important to sample the USMRC
leaders in the ranks who have participated in boards to gain their perspectives. The sampling
used a two-pronged approach that began with a convenience sample. Convenience sampling
involves selecting participants based on their location, time, or availability (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). Next, the study employed a snowball or network sampling technique from convenience
sampling. A snowball sampling approach is a strategy in which key participants recommend
other potential participants suitable for participation or when the researcher asks if there are any
others who should be asked to participate (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
Survey Sampling Criteria and Rationale
The first criterion was that participants hold the rank of USMRC lieutenant colonel (O5)
through brigadier general (O7). The second was that they are assigned to USMRC and have
experience supervising Black women officers, and the third was that they have participated in a
promotion or selection board while assigned to the USMRC headquarters.

44
Survey Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
The survey respondents were USMRC officers assigned to the USMRC headquarters.
The participant recruitment strategy consisted of providing the survey link to potential
participants through LinkedIn and Facebook posts in USMRC-focused groups, as well as other
members sharing the links with potential participants. There were approximately 75 officers in
the ranks of lieutenant colonel through major general who met the sampling criteria. The survey
was a cross-sectional survey, which means the data were collected at one point in time versus
over a length of time (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Because this study used a convergent mixedmethods, the surveys and interviews were completed concurrently at the beginning of the data
collection.
Interview and/or Focus Group Sampling Criteria and Rationale
Criterion 1. The first criterion was that USMRC officers hold the rank of lieutenant
colonel (O5) through major general (O8). The second was that they are assigned to the USMRC
and have experience supervising Black women officers. The third was that they have
participated in a promotion or selection board while assigned to the USMRC headquarters.
Interview and/or Focus Group Sampling (Recruitment) Strategy and Rationale
The interviewees were seven uniformed USMRC officers. The interviewees were
recruited through LinkedIn, Facebook, and word of mouth through network sampling.
Additionally, participants were also recruited through the survey. At the conclusion of the
survey, a question asked if the respondent would be interested in participating in a 45-minute
interview. If the participant selected that they were interested, they saw a link to my calendar to
schedule an interview appointment. I used a convenience and network, or snowball, sampling
strategy to gain participants. Convenience sampling involved current members recommending

45
other USMRC leaders to participate in the study. The interviews ranged from 30 minutes to 1
hour.
Document Analysis
Document analysis is a type of qualitative analysis in which public or private documents
are analyzed to help answer research questions (Bowen, 2009). Public documents can include
official minutes, newspaper articles, policies, annual reports, strategic plans, official biographies,
and other official documents (Bowen, 2009). Private or personal documents include journals,
diaries, letters, emails, social media posts, and other unofficial documents or communication
(Bowen, 2009). Document analysis can create meaning and gain understanding, as well as round
out or triangulate the data from other forms of data collection, such as interviews and surveys, to
substantiate the findings, which can increase validity and credibility (O’Leary, 2014).
Data Collection and Instrumentation
This study used a convergent mixed methods approach to answer the research questions
to identify the KMO factors that impact Black women senior leaders’ underrepresentation at the
USMRC headquarters. A mixed methods study combines quantitative and qualitative data
(Creswell & Creswell, 2018). A mixed methods approach can strengthen the researcher’s
understanding of the data (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Quantitative research tests theories by
examining the relationship among variables, whereas a qualitative research study attempts to
explore or understand the problem (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Using a mixed methods
approach helps decrease reliability and validity risks. Because of its strength, I used a mixed
methods approach in this study to help understand the performance gap of the USMRC leaders in
addressing Black women senior leaders’ underrepresentation at the USMRC headquarters.
Surveys

46
Quantitative research seeks to test theories by examining the relationship between
variables (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Surveys are quantitative research that assesses opinions
and feelings (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Surveys provide a quantitative or numerical measure
of the opinions or trends of a group (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The survey will be
administered online for this study, which can help garner more responses due to the convenience,
cost, and time required (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The potential participants will be sent a
link via email to complete the survey. The survey will consist of 15 items with questions using a
standard Likert scale. The questions were geared to assess the KMO factors that have an impact
on the research problem (see Appendix D for the survey protocol).
Interviews
Qualitative data is conveyed through words that consist of experiences, feelings,
opinions, and knowledge (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Interviews are a qualitative form of data
collection that can be conducted in person or via telephone (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Interviews can be highly structured or standardized, semi-structured, unstructured, or informal
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). For this study, I conducted seven one-time semi-structured
interviews. In highly structured or standardized interviews, questions and their order are
predetermined and do not allow for much flexibility (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Unstructured or
informal interviews consist of open-ended questions and are conducted like a conversation with
the goal of learning from the interview to develop more questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). A
semi-structured interview approach consists of a mix of highly structured and unstructured
interviews. The semi-structured approach allows flexibility with the questions and order of the
questions and allows the interviewer to adjust throughout the interview (Merriam & Tisdell,
2016). The semi-structured approach provides the best way to collect specific information from

47
the target population to answer the research questions regarding the USMRC leaders’ KMO
factors behind the underrepresentation of Black women general officers at the USMRC
headquarters (see appendix F for interview protocol).
Patton (2015) suggested six question types for interviewees to use to stimulate responses:
experience and behavior, opinion and values, feeling, knowledge, sensory, and background or
demographic questions. Experience and behavior questions intend to gain insight into a person’s
actions, behaviors, and activities (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Opinion and values questions
gather information on the interviewees’ opinions, beliefs, or what they think about something
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Feelings questions center on the affective component (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). Knowledge questions gain insight into an interviewee’s factual knowledge
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Sensory questions extract data specific to the senses (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016).
Furthermore, background or demographic questions include information about the
interviewee, such as age, income, education, and other demographic information (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). It was important to tailor questions to understand the USMRC leaders’
knowledge, experience, opinions, and feelings and how those affect the research problem. The
previously stated question types are appropriate because there are specific research questions for
this study that focus on the KMO factors that contribute to the underrepresentation of Black
women general officers at the USMRC headquarters.
Documents and Artifacts
Using documents and artifacts in research can strengthen the research in terms of
triangulating or corroborating data and findings (Bowen, 2009). Documents and artifacts can be
categorized as qualitative analysis (Bowen, 2009; Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). In addition,

48
documents can be public or private (Bowen, 2009). This study used public historical documents,
such as USMRC demographic information, past and current policies, guidance surrounding DEI,
and promotion and selection boards. These documents are open-source documents or publicly
accessible documents that can be obtained through public records. The documents provided
background to the problem and other related elements.
Data Analysis
In a convergent mixed methods design, data analysis happens in three phases: analyze the
qualitative data by coding the data, analyze the quantitative data by its statistical results, and
integrate the two databases (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). One option to compare the results of
quantitative numerical data with the text-based qualitative data is to report the quantitative
results and compare themes that emerge from the qualitative data (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
This type of analysis is called a side-by-side comparison (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Coding is a process employed in qualitative research that consists of categorizing or
organizing the data into themes (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). For this study, I used a priori
coding. A priori coding is based on inductive codes aligned to influences that are developed prior
to examining the data. I used the coded data from the interviews and document analysis to
examine how it fits within the conceptual framework.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
In qualitative research, credibility and trustworthiness are measured by demonstrating if
findings are dependable, confirmable, transferable, and credible (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To
ensure the credibility of the research, the researcher’s credibility and rigor are essential to
establish confidence in the study (Patton, 2015). “Trustworthiness of the data is tied directly to
the trustworthiness of those who collect and analyze the data” (Patton, 2015, p. 706). The

49
researcher’s integrity and handling of the study affect the study’s trustworthiness. To help ensure
the study’s credibility and trustworthiness, I used triangulation, an audit trail, and awareness of
personal bias will be employed. Triangulation uses multiple methods and sources of data to
substantiate findings through cross-checking data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). An audit trail
describes how the data were collected (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). To create an audit trail, I
maintained notes, a journal, and memos to record reflections, decisions, problems, issues, and
ideas (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I identify as a Black woman officer operationally assigned to
the USMRC headquarters but hold a lower rank than the targeted population, which removes any
assumption of subject bias or leveraging any power or authority over the subjects.
Validity and Reliability
Validity and reliability are used to evaluate the quality of research. Reliability tests the
replicability or repeatability of an instrument. Reliability determines if repeating the study yields
similar results (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Pre-tests help ensure the reliability of the survey
instrument. Pre-tests or pilots can collect enough data to determine if there are “problematic
patterns” surfacing (S. B. Robinson & Leonard, 2019, p. 164). An instrument’s validity pertains
to whether it measures what it is intended to measure (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). One strategy
to test the instrument’s construct validity is to analyze if the concepts align with the a priori
hypothesis (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). In a survey instrument, researchers have to contend
with non-response or when participants choose not to complete a survey because they are unable
to or do not want to (S. B. Robinson & Leonard, 2019). Strategies to avoid non-response bias
include developing a short and simple instrument, setting expectations, and being strategic about
the distribution and timing of the instrument (S. B. Robinson & Leonard, 2019).

50
Ethics
When engaging in research that involves human subjects, it is important to be aware of
any ethical issues and mitigate them. It is the researcher’s responsibility to protect the
participants and their privacy and to act with integrity (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). Two
methods to protect participants are informed consent and gaining institutional review board
(IRB) approval. Informed consent involves the participants giving their permission to participate
in the research (S. B. Robinson & Leonard, 2019). The researcher communicates details about
the study to the participants through written informed consent, which details the participant’s
right to privacy, the voluntary nature of the study, participant’s rights, how the data will be
protected, and background information about the study (S. B. Robinson & Leonard, 2019). Due
to federal regulations protecting human subjects, IRBs are charged with approving studies with
human subjects to ensure the protection of research participants (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
IRBs consist of professionals at a researcher’s university who review the researcher’s study to
ensure there are no human rights violations (Creswell & Creswell, 2018).
Ethical concerns surrounding this study may also arise because I identify as a Black
woman officer in the USMRC assigned to the USMRC headquarters. While this study’s results
can affect my career development, as a potential senior leader at the USMRC headquarters, my
role as researcher and investigator has no bearing on my position in the organization. To ensure
that participants were not confused by my position and the study’s topic, I emphasized that the
purpose was to conduct an objective study to address the research problem.
Role of Investigator
I identify as a mixed-race Black and Korean woman. I am an officer in the U.S. Military
Service on active status with the USMRC. My identity, as it is represented in the research of

51
Black women leaders in the USMRC, can create the appearance of a conflict, potentially
allowing my experiences and assumptions to overshadow the findings. The research is based on
my experience as a Black woman navigating the organization and my own career progression. I
acknowledge the presence of biased assumptions and how they could have shaped how I
interpreted the data. I recognize how assumptions and biases can influence the research. In
addition to recognizing my biases, I performed a participant review of the data to mitigate and
monitor biases. Participant review allows the research participants to confirm whether the data
interpretation represents their beliefs and responses.
Limitations and Delimitations
Research limitations are issues or weaknesses that are outside of the researcher’s control.
This study included some limitations. Limitations for this study include the assumption that
respondents were truthful in their responses, the number of participants, the participants
completing all questions of the survey instrument and answering all interview questions fully,
time constraints, and the availability of relevant documents and whether they require an official
request or if they were not archived properly. The study's design intended to capture the
responses from 10 survey respondents and 10 interviewees. Because of the ethical
considerations, I did not use my position or official channels to recruit study participants, which
proved difficult. The population sample for the survey consisted of 19 respondents, and I
interviewed seven participants. Responses depended on participants’ honest, unbiased responses.
Despite efforts to garner greater, more complete responses, only 41 participants completed the
survey in its entirety. Of the individuals who attempted the survey, 37 did not qualify based on
their answers to the prequalification questions. Additionally, prior to conducting the study, to
mitigate issues with the limitations, I completed pre-tests to ensure the survey questions were not

52
redundant or complicated and that the instrument was concise (S. B. Robinson & Leonard,
2019).
Delimitations are issues that are within the researcher’s control. Delimitations can include
study design, sample population, research instruments, and other decisions surrounding the
development and execution of the study (Naar, 2021). Delimitations for this study include the
target population and whether the USMRC leaders in the lieutenant colonel and above ranks
could provide the right feedback to address the research problem. Another delimitation includes
the number of participants selected and the type of questions and research instruments employed.
Additionally, the USMRC’s database does not allow for a detailed analysis of racial
representation by rank.

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CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND FINDINGS
The purpose of this innovation study was to conduct a needs analysis in the areas of
knowledge and skill, motivation, and organizational resources necessary for leaders in the
USMRC to achieve their stakeholder goal of increasing the number of Black female FGOs from
the current one percent to two percent by 2024. The research questions that guided this study are:
1. What are the USMRC leaders’ knowledge and skills, motivation, and organization
needs related to increasing the number of Black female FGOs?
2. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions in support of the USMRC leaders increasing the number of Black female
FGOs?
This chapter reports and discusses the data and specifically examines assumed influences
gathered from the literature review. To understand the KMO factors, three types of data were
collected for this mixed methods study: qualitative data through interviews, document analysis,
and quantitative data through a survey. No observations were conducted for this study. The
mixed-methods approach helps to validate the assumed influences detailed in Chapter Two
through the process of triangulating the data sources. The study used convergent mixed methods
through which both qualitative and quantitative data were collected concurrently in a single
phase, and then the results were merged and interpreted (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The
convergent mixed-methods design aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the research
problem. The study’s results will be organized by assumed KMO causes based on Clark and
Estes’s (2008) KMO gap analysis framework.

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Participating Stakeholders
The stakeholders for the study were USMRC officers who were in the rank of lieutenant
colonel and higher, assigned to its headquarters body. The participants had to supervise staff and
had to have participated in a hiring or promotion board. There are approximately 1,200 members
assigned to the USMRC headquarters, and from those 1,200, approximately 75 members
satisfied the criteria. Of those 75 members, 41 officers (54.67% response rate) participated in the
13-question survey based on the survey protocol in Appendix D, and seven of the officers
(9.33% response rate) elected to participate in one-on-one interviews based on the interview
protocol in Appendix F. To protect the participants’ anonymity, no demographic information or
other information that could allude to the participant’s identity was collected. I selected the
targeted sample population due to their ability to directly impact change in the organization and
achieve the target goal of increasing Black female FGOs.
Determination of Assets and Needs
The data for this study were collected through an anonymous online survey via Qualtrics,
semi-structured interviews via Zoom, and document analysis. I triangulated the data through the
analysis of quantitative survey results, interviews, and document analysis. The participants
worked in various career fields and varied in terms of gender and race, which offered multiple
perspectives. The goal for survey and interview participants was each set at 10 participants.
Survey responses exceeded the target goal by about four times the initial goal. Interviewees fell
short by three participants from the target goal of 10; however, after interviewing seven
participants, a redundancy in responses and data saturation was noted. Given the small sample
size, the weights for the interview data were weighted more heavily. Interviews were weighted at
50%, surveys had a weight of 40%, and documents had a weight of 10%. Interviews were

55
weighted more heavily than surveys due to the ability to ask follow-up and probing questions,
increasing the richness of the data. To determine if the assumed influence was an asset or need,
the triangulation of survey, interview, and document analysis needed to have at least 80%
concurrence with the assumed influence.
Results and Findings for Knowledge Causes
The study identified seven assumed factual, conceptual, and metacognitive knowledge
influences. The instruments were used to determine USMRC knowledge-based needs as it relates
to increasing the representation of Black women FGOs. The knowledge results are presented in
this section based on the survey and interview responses and an analysis of pertinent
organizational documents. Following the reporting of the data, a determination will be made if
the assumed influence is an asset or a need.
Factual Knowledge Influence 1
The first influence identified in this study pertained to whether USMRC leaders
possessed the factual knowledge needed to understand the factors in the work environment that
support Black women officers’ success.
Survey Results
The survey item listed various factors To determine whether USMRC leaders had the
factual knowledge regarding the type of working environment that is conducive to Black women
officers’ success. Participants could select as many factors as they considered necessary. Of the
possible responses, accurate and unbiased performance evaluations received the lowest response
rate, with 36.36% of participants considering that accurate and unbiased performance evaluations
contribute to a supportive work environment for women service members. All other survey
responses received less than 70% agreement. Other responses included flexible scheduling

56
(45.45%), childcare support (54.55%), family care support (45.45%), fair and equitable access to
in-residence professional military education (PME; 63.64%), fair and equitable access to training
opportunities (54.55%), fair and equitable access to assignment opportunities (54.55%), fair and
equitable access to information (54.55%), and fair and equitable treatment by leadership
(63.64%). The response item that received the most responses was mentorship (75%), which
indicates that USMRC leaders understand the significance of mentorship and its impact on a
minority woman officer’s career. Figure 2 shows participant responses to this survey question.

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Figure 2
Responses to Survey Item: “What Components Are Required to Support Women Service
Members in the USMRC?”

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Interview Findings
Participants were asked to describe what they considered to be a supportive work
environment for Black women officers. Participants 1, 2, and 7 mentioned understanding as part
of what they would consider a supportive work environment for Black women officers in the
organization. “Women of color don’t have the same experiences as White women, so it’s
important for them to be heard and understood. … They should be able to voice their concerns
without fear of being perceived as angry,” Participant 2 said. Additionally, Participants 2, 4, and
7 said a supportive environment included Black women officers feeling valued and that their
voices and opinions mattered. Participants 1 and 6 also mentioned Black women officers should
have access to the same level of opportunities to grow and develop with no preferential treatment
to any particular group. Table 5 lists key themes from participant responses.

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Table 5
Themes of Interview Responses on Supportive Work Environments for Black Women Officers
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “I think understanding. I think having a flexible environment where
the unique circumstances applicable to them is certainly helpful.”
Participant 2 “Ensuring that everybody’s comfortable in the work environment. …
Ensuring they have a place to really feel like they’re heard and
understood.”
Participant 3 “It should be supportive for everybody, … not be dependent on your
gender or your skin color.”
Participant 4 “Trust that her voice and opinions will matter and not just be
disregarded when certain decisions have to be made.”
Participant 5 “Need to have supportive people in your life.”
Participant 6 “One that allows every single individual the same level of
opportunities to grow and develop.”
Participant 7 “One that tries to understand their perspective and what they might
bring to the table…just trying to get that person’s perspective.”
Document Analysis
In a 2020 U.S. GAO report on recruitment and retention efforts for female personnel, it is
noted that one of the contributing factors to influence the higher attrition rate for female
members is due to toxic work environments, lack of opportunities, sexism, organizational
culture, and family planning and dependent care. Additionally, the report noted that members of
the USMRC acknowledged the lack of female mentors and role models, which influenced their
decision to separate prior to the 20-year service commitment. The premature separation is a
contributing factor to female underrepresentation. The report also stated that the lack of
supportive or understanding leaders contributed to a “toxic work environment.” The document

60
also included overall recommendations for the parent services to “develop a plan, with clearly
defined goals, performance measures, and timeframes” to guide and monitor recruitment and
retention efforts.
Summary
Overall, the combined weighted results of the survey, interview, and document analysis
for this assumed influence, at 70.5%, do not meet the 80% cut-score threshold; therefore, it
demonstrates a need for USMRC leaders to understand the various factors that impact a female
officer’s work environment, which can also impact her ability to create a successful career. The
responses indicate a large number of leaders do not consider fair and equitable access to
information, training, or PME to be a factor in a successful work environment. Moreover, at least
45% of respondents do not consider family care, child support, or fair and equitable treatment by
leadership to be a determinant for a successful work environment. However, based on the
interview results, it is determined that Black women officers have different lived experiences
than other groups and because of biases that may deem Black women officers as angry or less
valuable or competent. It is important for USMRC leaders to create a working environment
where Black women officers feel valued, heard, and given fair and equitable access to
opportunities that allow for career growth and development.
Factual Knowledge Influence 2
The second influence identified in this study regarded whether USMRC leaders
understood what implicit biases that may exist for Black women officers.
Survey Results
I presented participants with a multi-item survey question, and they could select as many
items that they considered to be an implicit bias with which Black women officers in the

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USMRC dealt. Possible responses included: Black women officers are lazy, combative, not
professional, aggressive, not competent, untrustworthy, and noncompliant. The two responses
that were selected the most were that Black women officers are combative (77.78%) and Black
women officers are not competent (77.78%). The second highest response was that Black women
officers are not professional (66.67%), followed by Black women officers are aggressive
(55.56%), and Black women officers are noncompliant (55.56%). Black women officers being
lazy (44.44%) and Black women officers being untrustworthy (33.33%) received the lowest
responses, as shown in Figure 3.

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Figure 3
Responses to Survey Item: “What Implicit Biases Do Black Women Officers Face?”
Interview Findings
During the interview, for this assumed influence, participants were asked what they knew
of implicit biases. I then asked participants what implicit biases they thought existed for Black
women officers. All seven interviewees noted the existence of implicit biases and that they “exist
everywhere.” When followed-up with a question regarding implicit biases that Black women
officers face, Participants 1, 2, 6, and 7 mentioned Black women being regarded as the “angry
Black woman.” Participant 2 mentioned Black women being considered diversity hires or only in
the organization to meet a quota. Participant 4 mentioned Black women not being considered
educated or knowledgable. Participant 3 was the only participant to respond that there are no

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biases against Black women officers and that they have seen more support for them than any
other group in the organization. Table 6 presents participants’ responses.
Table 6
Themes of Interview Responses on Implicit Biases That Exist for Black Women Officers
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “I think the more general perception would be the projection of an
angry Black female.”
Participant 2 “There’s an angry Black woman perspective. There’s an emotional
response and that maybe they didn’t get to where they are because
of their own personal skills, but because somebody wanted to fill a
quota.”
Participant 3 “I have not seen any. To be honest, I’ve only seen more support for
Black women officers than not.”
Participant 4 “Not valuing their input. … Think that they don’t know what they’re
talking about.”
Participant 5 “You’re never going to eliminate them completely because we are
people, and people have biases.”
Participant 6 “There are many standards that are in the military today that implicitly
make things more difficult for Black women.”
Participant 7 “They exist something fierce. … What they experience all the time is
going to be the angry Black syndrome or that they’re
unprofessional.”
Document Analysis
In a report by the USMRC’s parent service, a majority of respondents indicated that
leadership engaged in racial bias related to feedback, mentoring, and counseling, as well as other
disciplinary or administrative actions. The report discusses the existence of racial bias when it

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comes to Black members, as well as highlighting bias and race-related barriers that impact their
careers, especially career progression.
Summary
Based on the survey findings and interview responses that indicate Black women officers
being angry, aggressive, or combative, the data support the idea that USMRC leaders understand
that Black women officers face biases in the form of them being angry or combative. The listed
perceptions can have a negative impact on a Black woman officer’s career and can diminish
opportunities for advancement. Although the survey responses did not meet the cut score, the
combined weighted score from the interviews, surveys, and document analysis totaled 83.3%, so
this assumed influence is determined to be an asset.
Conceptual Knowledge Influence 1
The first conceptual knowledge influence identified in this study was that USMRC
leaders need to understand the value Black women officers bring to the organization.
Survey Results
To assess if USMRC leaders possess the conceptual knowledge based on the notion that
the organization’s leaders understand the value of its Black women officers, I asked participants
to respond using a four-point Likert scale with possible responses that included strongly agree,
somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that Black women officers make
significant contributions to the organization. The results, as shown in Figure 4, detail the
responses from the participants. Sixty-one percent of respondents strongly agreed with the
statement, followed by 15.38% of respondents who somewhat agreed, 7.69% somewhat
disagreed, and 15.38% who strongly disagreed. Approximately 76% of the participants agreed
that Black women officers bring value to the organization.

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Figure 4
Responses to Survey Item: “Black Women Officers Have Made Significant Contributions to the
Organization”
Interview Findings
I asked participants in what ways they think Black women officers have contributed
positively to the organization to determine if they understood the value Black women officers
brought to the organization. Participants 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 mentioned the perspective Black
women officers bring to the organization. Participants 6 and 7 elaborated by stating that Black
women officers provide a world view that other groups could not provide. Participant 6 noted
how Black women officers “bolster” the organizational culture. Participant 2 stated that Black
women are “more willing to fight for what’s right,” and Participant 4 noted their dedication to
the mission, as well as being a role model to other members. Participant 3 did not believe Black
women contributed anything unique to the organization. Table 7 details the themes from the
participants’ responses.

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Table 7
Themes of Interview Responses to Describe Ways Black Women Have Contributed Positively to
the Organization
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “I believe it always provides a separate perspective, a separate
understanding. It fosters the hope and dream for the younger folks
who come into the military that says, … I can also achieve.”
Participant 2 “The experiences Black women have in their life in general…makes
them stronger, makes them more willing to fight for what is right. I
think their valued experiences bring a whole different level to the
organization and can help us move forward in a better way.”
Participant 3 “Everybody has their own perspective based on their life experiences.”
Participant 4 “Black female officers provide a lot of strength and knowledge. …
They are very dedicated to the mission set.”
Participant 5 “I would say a lot of people see the world in one particular way…we
had a young Black leader who was able to articulate why the Black
Lives Matter movement was important to a lot of people.”
Participant 6 “They bolster the organizational culture. … Black women bring a lot
of their culture and they way they look at the world. You need a
different perspective on different things.”
Participant 7 “No matter what, they’re able to shed light on a perspective that a
Black male or White male or even a White female can provide. …
They’re going to provide feedback to not just help themselves but
help other young Black females coming up through the ranks.”
Document Analysis
After reviewing organizational documents, there were no relevant documents available
for this influence. Therefore, based on the documents reviewed, it could not be determined if the
influence is an asset or a need, and it was not included in the weighted formula for the cut score.

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Summary
A total of 77.02% of respondents either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that Black
women officers have made significant contributions to the organization, with 85.71% of
interviewees also noting the positive contributions of Black women officers. The results indicate
that USMRC leaders understand the positive impact Black women bring to the organization. The
weighted scores of the data (80.5%) meet the cut-score threshold, and this influence is
determined to be an asset.
Conceptual Knowledge Influence 2
The second conceptual knowledge influence identified in this study was that USMRC
leaders need to understand the impacts of motherhood and career progression.
Survey Results
A four-point Likert scale asked participants to select if they strongly agree, somewhat
agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree that motherhood adversely impacts career
progression, as shown in Figure 5. A majority of respondents agreed, with 23.08% strongly
agreeing and 46.15% somewhat agreeing. About one-third of respondents strongly disagreed
(30.77%), and no respondents somewhat disagreed.

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Figure 5
Responses to Survey Item: “Motherhood Adversely Impacts Career Progression”
Interview Findings
I asked the interviewees, “How can motherhood impact an officer’s career trajectory?”
All seven participants noted that motherhood can have a negative impact on a woman’s career,
with participants stating that women could be “automatically counted out” or they may “fall
behind” and that motherhood “derails” and “interrupts” their careers. Participant 5 used a
NASCAR analogy, stating that when a car jumps out of line to pass another car, it is difficult to
get back in line or re-integrate, which can often be detrimental to an officer’s career. Table 8
notes common themes from participant responses. Several respondents noted the need for
women to plan their families around their careers.

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Table 8
Themes of Interview Responses on the Impact of Motherhood on an Officer’s Career Trajectory
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “It is an easy 1–2 years that affects an officer and their ability to
compete for the same opportunities.”
Participant 2 “There’s a negative perception of women who have kids..even taking
paternity leave is not seen in the same negative light as taking
maternity leave.”
Participant 3 “Being a mother shifts your priorities.”
Participant 4 “Women are the ones expected to take a break from work, or they take
the most leave…which creates an issue for them when going back
into the workforce because oftentimes they are replaced.”
Participant 5 “In a NASCAR race, the cars are going around in a circle, and they’re
all back-to-back. If one gets out, all the rest of them come back up,
so the guy cannot get back in the race.”
Participant 6 “Motherhood puts career trajectories in a state of limbo…jumping
back into the fold can be very difficult.”
Participant 7 “[Motherhood] kind of derails you a little bit. It hinders, halts, and
interrupts your career. … You definitely have to plan for it.”
Document Analysis
The GAO report acknowledges the impacts motherhood and the obligations that come
with motherhood have on a member’s career, including work schedules and deployments to rigid
career timelines. Certain career requirements and/or milestones may be missed due to pregnancy
or other familial obligations that make female members less competitive and less likely to be
promoted or given opportunities necessary for advancement.

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Summary
Based on the results from the survey and interviews, the responses met the
threshold for the cut score, at 87.69%, so this assumed influence is considered an asset. A little
more than one-third of the survey respondents did not believe motherhood could adversely affect
an officer’s career. All interviewees noted the negative impacts motherhood can have on an
officer’s career, and data from the GAO report confirmed the impacts motherhood can have on a
woman’s career progression and her decision not to separate.
Conceptual Knowledge Influence 3
The third conceptual knowledge influence identified in this study was that USMRC
leaders need to recognize biases in leadership.
Survey Results
Survey respondents answered a four-point Likert scale question from strongly agree to
strongly disagree (Figure 6). The item stated, “USMRC leaders demonstrate biases toward their
members.” Of the responses, 23.08% strongly agreed, 46.15% somewhat agreed, 7.69%
somewhat disagreed, and 23.08% strongly disagreed.

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Figure 6
Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC leaders Demonstrate Biases Toward Their Members”
Interview Findings
I asked the interviewees, “Do you think biases exist within USMRC leadership?” All but
one participant said that there are biases in the organization’s leadership. Participant 7 shared
that leadership would prefer to interact with someone similar to them. Participant 4 noted that the
service is trying to address biases among the organization’s leadership, but there are still
“different layers of bias” that remain. Participant 3 was the only participant to share that USMRC
leadership has no biases. Participant 3 stated that there were no biases in the leadership;
however, “personal biases can happen.” I asked participants a follow-up question regarding
whether those biases impacted the retention of minority officers. All participants, except
Participant 3, indicated that the biases “absolutely” impacted the retention of minority officers.
Table 9 presents participants’ responses.

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Table 9
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether Biases Exist Among USMRC Leadership
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “Absolutely. Certain minority groups get to terminal rank a lot quicker
than others, and, as a result, they’re not retained absent a way
forward.”
Participant 2 “I believe the career fields in which we pull senior leaders from are
majority White males, and that drives the perception that White
males are superior…and people help support people who they
know.”
Participant 3 “Systemically, no, but personal biases can happen.”
Participant 4 “I think biases exist everywhere. The military is trying to address it,
trying to have more diversity in leadership.”
Participant 5 “In leadership? Yes.”
Participant 6 “There are a lot of unconscious biases that are very negative in the
way that we work together and treat people within the
organization.”
Participant 7 “People in leadership would prefer to interact and deal with someone
that’s kind of similar to them. It’s comfortable.”
Document Analysis
After reviewing organizational documents, there were no relevant documents available
for this influence. Therefore, based on the documents reviewed, it could not be determined if the
influence is an asset or a need, and it was not included in the weighted formula for the cut score.
Summary
Based on these findings, the survey responses that indicate a bias in leadership (69.23%)
do not meet the threshold; however, the interview responses meet the threshold, with 85.72%
(n = 6) of respondents acknowledging biases among USMRC leadership. The weighted score is

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77.47%, indicating that this assumed influence is a need, and it is important for leaders and
members to recognize any potential bias that may impact decisions and how they affect members
of the organization.
Metacognitive Knowledge Influence 1
The first metacognitive knowledge influence identified in this study was that USMRC
leaders need to reflect on the impact Black women officers bring to the organization.
Survey Results
Survey respondents used a four-point Likert scale to rate whether USMRC leaders
understood the value Black women officers bring to the organization. Participants could choose
if they strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree, as shown in
Figure 7. All respondents agreed that they understood the value of Black women to the
organization, with 84.62% strongly agreeing and 15.38% somewhat agreeing.
Figure 7
Responses to Survey Item: “I Understand the Value My Black Women Members Bring to the
Organization”

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Interview Findings
In the interviews, I asked participants, “Do you believe Black women add value to the
organization?” All participants except one (85.72%) responded that Black women add value to
the organization. Participant 3 stated, “They neither add nor subtract. It’s always about the
individual.” Table 10 lists quotes from the interview responses.
Table 10
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether Black Women Add Value to the Organization
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “Yes.”
Participant 2 “Absolutely.”
Participant 3 “They neither add nor subtract. It’s always about the individual.”
Participant 4 “Black female officers make a big contribution. They haven’t been
handed stuff. They had to work hard for it. And when you have that
kind of motivation and work ethic, you’re going to be a good
leader.”
Participant 5 “Yes.”
Participant 6 “Black women bring a perspective every single time to every meeting
I’ve ever been to, and they’re not afraid to share those opinions that
can help bolster or change perspectives.”
Participant 7 “Yes. Everybody’s perspective and their background all play a major
part. … I need to hear from you when discussions come up, and we
don’t have enough Black female participants.”

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Document Analysis
Policy directives and instructions published by the service state the significance of
diversity and inclusion and direct the service and components to adopt diversity goals and
implement diversity training. However, the policies do not provide clear goals or accountability
measures for the organization to implement such goals. Additionally, diversity and inclusion
goals are not specific to just race or gender and do not call out underrepresented groups
specifically.
Summary
Based on the findings for this assumed influence, it is an asset, as the findings surpass the
threshold. One hundred percent and 85.71% of respondents from both the survey and interview,
respectively, agreed that they understood the value Black women officers bring to the
organization. The total weighted cut score of 92.06% exceeded the threshold.
Metacognitive Knowledge Influence 2
The second metacognitive knowledge influence identified in this study was that USMRC
leaders need to monitor their own biases.
Survey Results
I asked participants to select from a four-point Likert scale from strongly agree to
strongly disagree if they were aware of their own biases, shown in Figure 8. A majority of
respondents indicated that they are aware of their own biases. Eight-four percent strongly agreed,
and 7.69% somewhat agreed. No respondents somewhat disagreed, and 7.69% strongly
disagreed.

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Figure 8
Responses to Survey Item: “I Am Aware of My Own Biases”
Interview Findings
I asked the interview participants if they thought they had any biases. All except one
indicated that they were aware of their biases (n = 6). Participant 3 responded that they do not
have any biases. I asked the six participants who indicated that they did have biases if they were
aware of those biases. Participants 1, 4, and 5 indicated that they are not aware of their biases
until they “show up.” Participant 4 stated, “When you identify them, try not to continue with
those biases.” The participants, except Participant 3, were asked if those biases impact the way
they lead. All the remaining participants said no; their biases do not impact the way they lead.
However, Participant 5 indicated that their bias did. Table 11 lists key themes from the
interviewees.

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Table 11
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether USMRC Leaders Are Aware of Their Own Biases
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “You don’t know them until they show up.”
Participant 2 “We all have biases. It’s about understanding your own self and
calling yourself out.”
Participant 3 “No.”
Participant 4 “I’m sure I do, but I try to treat people with respect, and I value
everyone’s opinion, … but when you identify them, try not to
continue with those biases.”
Participant 5 “I am not aware of all, but I am more self-aware than probably most.”
Participant 6 “I try to be as conscious about myself as possible and be honest with
myself.”
Participant 7 “I think [I’m aware of] quite a few of them.”
Document Analysis
There were no relevant documents available for this influence. Therefore, based on the
documents reviewed, it could not be determined if the influence is an asset or a need, and it was
not included in the weighted formula for the cut score.
Summary
The findings indicate that this assumed influence is an asset based on the survey and
interview responses meeting the threshold. The weighted score (88.37%) surpassed the cut score,
and according to the results, USMRC leaders are aware of their own biases and try to police
those biases when they “show up.”

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Results and Findings for Motivation Causes
There were three motivational influences identified in this study. The first motivational
influence is for USMRC leaders to see the value in building a diverse team. The second
influence is based on the self-efficacy, or confidence, leaders have to mentor Black women
officers. The third motivational influence pertains to the need for leaders to have clear goals to
increase diversity.
Utility Value Influence
The first motivational influence identified in this study was that USMRC leaders need to
see the utility in building a diverse team.
Survey Results
Survey respondents used a four-point Likert scale to determine if USMRC leaders found
Black women useful to its missions. Participants could choose if they strongly agree, somewhat
agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree, as shown in Figure 9. A majority of respondents
agreed, with less than half of respondents strongly agreeing (46.15%) and 30.77% who
somewhat agreed. Fifteen percent of respondents somewhat disagreed, and 7.69% strongly
disagreed.

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Figure 9
Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC Finds Black Women Officers Useful to Its Missions”
Interview Findings
All interviewees agreed that there is value in a diverse team. Participant 2 stated that a
diverse team “broadens the scope of ideas and how to get after problems.” Participant 4 said that
“if everybody’s thinking along the same lines, you set yourself up for failure.” Participant 6
provided a similar response that diversity prevents “groupthink” or “hive mind,” where everyone
looks at a problem the same way. Table 12 presents participants’ responses.

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Table 12
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether There Is Value in a Diverse Team
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “Absolutely. 100%.”
Participant 2 “Diversity broadens the scope of ideas and how to get after problems.”
Participant 3 “Yes, everybody has their own life experiences, but it shouldn’t be
based on gender or skin color.”
Participant 4 “You can tap into different thought processes and views. If
everybody’s thinking is along the same lines, you set yourself up for
failure.”
Participant 5 “Yes.”
Participant 6 “Diverse teams across the board have shown to perform very well…it
keeps you from groupthink or hive mind where everyone has the
same background and the same way of looking at stuff.”
Participant 7 “It’s so much value. You have different perspectives, things you don’t
think about, feelings that you don’t think about. … They bring that
other perspective.”
Document Analysis
There were no relevant documents available for this influence. Therefore, based on the
documents reviewed, it could not be determined if the influence is an asset or a need, and it was
not included in the weighted formula for the cut score.
Summary
The results for this assumed influence indicate that this is an asset, as the interview
responses from the USMRC leaders at 100% indicate that they recognize the value of a diverse
team. The total weighted score is 89.74%, which meets the threshold, so this assumed influence
is determined to be an asset.

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Self-Efficacy Influence
The second motivational influence identified in this study was that USMRC leaders need
to be confident that they can mentor and develop Black women officers.
Survey Results
I asked survey respondents the degree to which they were confident that they could
effectively mentor a Black woman officer. Respondents could choose from not confident,
moderately confident, confident, and very confident. No respondents indicated that they were not
confident. A majority of respondents indicated that they were moderately confident (46.15%),
while 23.08% indicated that they were confident, and 30.77% selected very confident. All
respondents were at least moderately confident in their ability to mentor Black women, with no
respondents selecting not confident.
Figure 10
Responses to Survey Item: “To What Degree Are You Confident You Can Effectively Mentor a
Black Woman Officer.”

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Interview Findings
All interviewees responded that they felt they could mentor all leaders, and all but one
responded that they could mentor Black women officers. Participant 7 stated that they did not
believe they would be able to mentor a woman due to male bias that he may have; however,
Participant 7 also stated that they would prefer a woman of color to mentor another Black
woman because there is more relatability. Participants 1, 3, and 4 indicated that there would not
be any difference in how they approach mentoring members; however, Participants 2, 5, and 6
indicated that there is a difference in how they would approach mentorship based on the
individual. “You have to meet people where they’re at and cater to that individual,” Participant 2
said. Participant 5 stated that the difference in their approach would be based on the individual
and not based on skin color. Participant 6 said their approach would be different due to certain
issues that may be male- or female-specific. Table 13 shows responses from participants.

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Table 13
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether They Are Confident They Can Mentor Black Women
Officers
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “Absolutely. I mentor with all the same approach. I believe in
fairness.”
Participant 2 “I think I am capable of doing it. You have to meet people where
they’re at. … Cater to the individual.”
Participant 3 “Yes.”
Participant 4 “[I can mentor] any woman, and it would not matter the race; it’s a
matter of hearing people out and their needs.”
Participant 5 “I’ve had success mentoring women, but everybody is different.
There’s a difference in my approach with probably every person I
come in contact with. It’s personality-based.”
Participant 6 “Yes. I’m a lot more open and accepting of differences.”
Participant 7 “I can definitely do that because it’s mainly about respect and love and
caring and getting someone who can relate to you…I need women
to mentor women because I would have a male bias.”
Document Analysis
There were no relevant documents available for this influence. Therefore, based on the
documents reviewed, it could not be determined if the influence is an asset or a need, and it was
not included in the weighted formula for the cut score.
Summary
Based on the survey and interview results, the weighted cut score is 100%, surpassing the
80% cut-score threshold; therefore, this assumed influence would be considered an asset.

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Goals Influence 1
The third motivational influence identified in this study was that USMRC leaders need to
have clear goals to increase diversity.
Survey Results
I asked survey respondents to select from a four-point Likert scale from strongly agree to
strongly disagree to determine if the USMRC prioritizes diversity. Less than 70% of respondents
agreed that USMRC leadership prioritizes diversity, with 23.08% strongly agreeing and 46.15%
somewhat agreeing. Twenty-three percent somewhat disagreed, and 7.69% strongly disagreed.
Figure 11
Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC Prioritizes Diversity.”

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Interview Findings
I asked the interviewees if they thought the USMRC needed more well-defined diversity
goals. Participants 1, 2, and 7 all indicated that they thought the organization needs diversity
goals; however, Participants 1, 5, 6, and 7 indicated that the implementation of diversity goals
could be detrimental as it could create a quota system (Participant 1), potentially move the
organization away from the goal of diversity (Participant 5) or create pockets in the organization
where there are “token” individuals (Participant 6). Most participants were not aware of any
organizational diversity goals or if any diversity goals existed. Participant 3 responded that there
should not be any diversity goals. Table 14 lists quotes from participants’ responses.
Table 14
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether the USMRC Needs Well-Defined Diversity Goals
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “If the standard was applied uniformly, Black women officers will
succeed, but a quota can count some out.”
Participant 2 “Yes, because I don’t even know what they are, and I worked in that
area.”
Participant 3 “No.”
Participant 4 “I’m not clear what the diversity goals are, but we should all treat
people with dignity and respect.”
Participant 5 “I feel like diversity is weaponized. When hiring for diversity, we get
away from the goal of diversity.”
Participant 6 “You have to build a team with folks that you think are best for the
team, and in order to do that, I think your panels should be diverse.”
Participant 7 “Yes, because I am tired of diversity panels that aren’t diverse. If you
have a non-diverse diversity panel, then that means you have the
goals of who is on that panel.”

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Document Analysis
The USMRC’s parent service’s established diversity and inclusion policies all express the
importance of diversity in the organization, as diversity can be leveraged for strategic advantage.
However, the policies do not include specific goals or any diversity goals. Furthermore, after a
review of USMRC’s organizational documents, there are no diversity and inclusion goals.
Summary
Based on the survey and interview responses’ weighted score (41.98%), this assumed
influence is a need. While a majority of the survey respondents asserted that the organization
prioritizes diversity, the interview respondents indicated a need for well-defined diversity goals
that they hope will not be detrimental to diversity and inclusion efforts in the organization.
Several respondents indicated that they were not aware of any organizational diversity goals.
Results and Findings for Organization Causes
There were three organizational influences identified in this study. The first
organizational influence is that USMRC leaders need to create a culture of willingness to change
the composition of senior leaders, USMRC leaders need resources to enable flexibility for
women service members, and USMRC leaders need to adopt policies that align with DEI goals.
Cultural Settings Influence
The first organizational influence is that USMRC leaders need to create a culture of
willingness to change the composition of senior leadership.
Survey Results
Survey respondents selected one response from a four-point Likert scale that ranged from
strongly agree to strongly disagree with the statements “Racial and gender diversity are wellrepresented in the officer corps at the USMRC.” A majority of respondents disagreed with the

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statement: 38.46% somewhat disagreed, and 30.77% strongly disagreed. Approximately onethird of the respondents, 7.69% somewhat and 23.08% strongly, agreed that diversity is wellrepresented in the officers corps at the USMRC.
Figure 12
Responses to Survey Item: “Racial and Gender Diversity Are Well-Represented in the Officer
Corps at the USMRC.”

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Interview Findings
I asked the interview participants to describe the organizational culture as it relates to
DEI. Participants 1, 2, and 7 expressed the need for more work to be done in the DEI. Participant
1 stated that DEI culture is “nonexistent” and “muffled.” While Participant 2 expressed that there
are “pockets” of supportive people, overall, DEI is not valued. Participant 7 said that the
USMRC has “historically been a good old boy” culture, and more goals and initiatives are
needed to go after diversity programs and projects. Participants 4, 5, and 6 shared the theme that
diversity seems to be getting better, especially with the recent focus on DEI in the organization.
Participant 3 was unfavorable to DEI culture as it “promotes people that may not be deserving
based on skin color or gender.” Approximately 42.86% of respondents either expressed that DEI
needs more attention or that DEI initiatives and culture were improving, with 14.28% expressing
negative feelings about DEI and DEI culture. Table 15 lists key quotes from participants’
responses.

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Table 15
Themes of Interview Responses on Whether There Is Value in a Diverse Team
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “DEI culture is nonexistent. The climate on diversity and inclusion is
very muffled.”
Participant 2 “You have pockets of supportive people. I think it was very valued,
but a lot of it comes down to who is at the top of the organization.”
Participant 3 “It promotes people that may not be deserving based on skin color or
gender.”
Participant 4 “[The organization] seems pretty diverse. There’s a good balance of
different genders and ethnicities.”
Participant 5 “It seems like it’s better.”
Participant 6 “I think DEI has only recently been given a lot more energy. We
waited until too much bad stuff starts to show up again before we do
it.”
Participant 7 “The [USMRC] has historically been a good old boy culture. They
need more goals and more initiatives to go after a more diverse
group.”
Document Analysis
The USMRC’s parent service’s diversity and inclusion policies state the importance of
diversity and inclusion efforts as they strengthen the organization while ensuring the
organization’s ability to support its missions. While in support of diversity and inclusion efforts,
the policies also prohibit setting numerical goals for hiring or promotion. However, goals to
increase representation in a pool of candidates are acceptable.

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Summary
Based on the data, the weighted cut score (49.12%) indicates that the assumed influence
is a need. More than half of the survey respondents disagreed with the statement that racial and
gender diversity are well-represented in the officer corps at the USMRC. The interview
responses were split, which indicates that the results do not meet the threshold for the cut score.
Policies, Processes, and Procedures Influence
The second organizational influence is that USMRC leaders need to adopt policies that
align with DEI goals.
Survey Results
When it comes to the organizational policies and procedures, a majority of survey
respondents either somewhat agreed (30.77%) or strongly agreed (38.46%) that the diversity and
inclusion policies support them in their roles as leaders of a diverse team. Less than 10%
strongly disagreed, and 23.08% strongly disagreed.
Figure 13
Responses to Survey Item: “Adopted USMRC Diversity and Inclusion Policies Support You in
Your Role as Leader of Service Members From Diverse Backgrounds.”

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Interview Findings
A majority of respondents indicated that they were not aware of any policies related to
the retention of Black women officers. Participants 2 and 7 mentioned two policies that can be
attributed to retention: the dress and appearance policy regarding hair and removing photos from
official biographies. Participant 6 lauded the organization’s promotion system but expressed the
need to protect women and members from potential harm when out of work due to illness,
childbirth, or other issues. Participant 6 said,
I care about you as a person, but you know what, because of X, Y, and Z, we can’t
promote you because you didn’t go to that last thing when you decided to take care of
you or your family first.
Table 16 presents more quotes from participants’ responses.

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Table 16
Themes of Interview Responses on Current Policies in Relation to Their Enabling the Promotion
and Retention of Black Women Officers Equitably
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “Not aware of current policies, but policy change needs to be
accounted for.”
Participant 2 “I don’t know about policies, but the no pictures in bios did not do
anything…because they can judge the name [of the individual]
without pictures.”
Participant 3 “I can’t think of anything.”
Participant 4 No response.
Participant 5 “I’m unsure.”
Participant 6 “One good thing the military does well for the most part is the
promotion system, but if [you’ve been out] recuperating or healing,
that shouldn’t be held against you negatively.”
Participant 7 “I know of no current policies that support the retention of Black
women outside of dress and appearance.”
Document Analysis
A review of the USMRC’s parent service’s policies related to diversity and inclusion
indicates that the adoption of specific goals is left to the components. The policies do not provide
diversity and inclusion goals but recommend the components to adopt goals. The review of
USMRC documents did not reveal any diversity and inclusion goals for the organization.
Summary
Based on the data, the assumed influence is a need, with a total weighted score of
59.12%, which does not meet the 80% cut-score threshold. The percentage of interview

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respondents who agreed that USMRC diversity and inclusion policies support their role as
leaders did not meet the threshold. Additionally, the interviewees were split regarding the
policies in place or the existence of such policies that would support the retention of Black
women officers.
Resources Influence 1
The first organizational influence is that USMRC leaders need resources to enable
flexibility for women service members.
Survey Results
I asked respondents if the organization provided leaders with the flexibility to support
members from diverse backgrounds. More than 70% of respondents strongly agreed (30.77%) or
somewhat agreed (46.15%) that the organization provided the resources to provide needed
support to members when they needed it. Less than 30% of the respondents disagreed with the
statement, 7.69% somewhat disagreed, and 15.38% strongly agreed. Figure 14 shows the
breakdown of the survey responses.

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Figure 14
Responses to Survey Item: “USMRC Provides You Flexibility to Support the Needs of Service
Members From Diverse Backgrounds.”
Interview Findings
All seven interviewees agreed that flexibility is necessary and that allowing for flexibility
will not affect readiness. Participant 1 addressed the need for flexibility for mothers who may
require lighter duty and that they can take time off work for maternity leave without it impacting
their careers. Participant 2 mentioned that readiness will not be impacted by providing flexibility.
“Nobody’s going to die if something gets turned in the next day or you can’t get a hold of me
that night,” Participant 2 said. “You shouldn’t have members focus on work when they should be
focusing on themselves, kids, or well-being. That’s going to cause stress and impact work
performance, which to me has a detrimental effect on readiness of the organization.” Participants
3, 4, and 5 all agreed that flexibility is key. “I think some level of flexibility is key in an
organization that is going to bring the best out,” said Participant 6. However, Participant 6

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believed that flexibility should be earned based on work performance. Table 17 lists quotes from
participants’ responses.
Table 17
Themes of Interview Responses on How Offering Flexibility to Female Officers Can Impact
Readiness
Participant Theme
Participant 1 “Childbirth is exclusively a natural female process, and allowances
should be provided for that process, so flexibility, regardless of
color, needs to be provided to enable lighter duty, if needed...so
resources need to be taken care of to provide that.”
Participant 2 “You shouldn’t have members focus on work when they should be
focusing on themselves, kids, or well-being. That’s going to cause
stress and impact work performance.”
Participant 3 “It’s good to have alternatives, if you have the manning.”
Participant 4 “Allowing flexibility helps to get tasks done when members need to
remote work.”
Participant 5 “Flexible work schedules are a thing nowadays. If they need extra
time, more telework, more resources, more childcare, that’s fine, but
if you’re in leadership, you have to be careful.”
Participant 6 “If you earn a level of flexibility and you showcase to me that you are
still maintaining all your PT, your health, your work. … All those
different requirements affect readiness.”
Participant 7 “If they’re gone more handling home duties, then how much are they
going to be here to train? I’m willing to work with someone, but I
definitely question the family dynamic and how they’re working
things out.”

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Document Analysis
There were no relevant documents available for this influence. Therefore, based on the
documents reviewed, it could not be determined if the influence is an asset or a need, and it was
not included in the weighted formula for the cut score.
Summary
All interviewees were in support of the idea of providing flexibility should the member
need it, including the challenges women officers may face regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and
other home or domestic responsibilities. Participants also agreed that women should not be
penalized or have negative career impacts as a result of their need for flexibility. Only about 76%
of survey respondents agreed that the organization provides the necessary support and resources
for service members who may require additional support or flexibility. The total weighted cut
score for the data is 89.74%, exceeding the threshold, so this influence would be an asset.
Summary of Validated Influences
The data analysis was used to determine if the assumed influences identified in Chapter
Two were needs or assets. Based on the results, five of the seven knowledge influences were
determined to be needs. The two metacognitive influences were determined to be assets, as the
leaders indicated that they reflect on the impact of Black women officers and monitor their own
biases. Of the three assumed motivation influences, two were determined to be assets: USMRC
leaders see the benefit of building a diverse team and they possess the self-efficacy to develop
and mentor Black women officers. Two of the influences were determined to be a need:
USMRC leaders need to adopt policies that align diversity and inclusion goals, and USMRC
leaders need to create a willingness to change the composition of their leaders. According to the
data, the USMRC leaders indicated they have the resources to provide flexibility for women

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service members while maintaining readiness. Tables 18, 19, and 20 show the KMO influences
for this study. Chapter Five will present recommendations based on the results of the findings
presented in this chapter.
Table 18
Knowledge Assets or Needs As Determined by the Data
Assumed knowledge influence Asset or need
USMRC leaders need to know the factors that support women’s success
in the work environment. (Factual Knowledge 1)
Need
USMRC leaders need to understand what implicit biases exist for Black
women officers. (Factual Knowledge 2)
Asset
USMRC leaders need to recognize the achievements Black women
officers bring to the organization. (Conceptual Knowledge 1)
Asset
USMRC leaders need to know the impacts of motherhood and career
progression. (Conceptual Knowledge 2)
Asset
USMRC leaders need to recognize gender biases in leadership.
(Conceptual Knowledge 3)
Need
USMRC leaders need to reflect on the impact Black women officers have
on the organization. (Metacognitive Knowledge 1)
Asset
USMRC leaders need to monitor their own biases. (Metacognitive
Knowledge 2)
Asset

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Table 19
Motivation Assets or Needs As Determined by the Data
Assumed motivation influence Asset or need
USMRC leaders need to see the usefulness in building a diverse team.
(Utility Value)
Asset
USMRC leaders need confidence that they can develop and mentor Black
women officers. (Self-Efficacy)
Asset
USMRC leaders need clear goals to increase diversity. (Goals) Need
Table 20
Organization Assets or Needs As Determined by the Data
Assumed organization influence Asset or need
USMRC leaders need resources to enable flexibility for women service
members (resources).
Asset
USMRC leaders need to adopt policies that align with DEI goals
(policies, processes, and procedures).
Need
USMRC leaders need to create a culture of willingness to change the
composition of senior leaders (cultural settings).
Need

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This and previous chapters introduced the problem surrounding Black women senior
leaders’ underrepresentation in the USMRC, delved into previous research related to the
problem, and presented the findings from data analysis surrounding the problem. Chapter Five
will delve into comprehensive data analysis and build upon the findings presented in this chapter
to develop and present recommendations and create a deeper understanding of how to address
the problem.

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CHAPTER FIVE: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRACTICE
Chapter Four detailed the findings from the qualitative and quantitative responses of the
USMRC leaders to understand the KMO factors that contribute to the organizational problem of
underrepresentation of Black women general officers, based on Clark and Estes’s (2008)
framework. This chapter presents recommendations and an integrated implementation and
evaluation plan based on the findings in Chapter Four. The data were used to assess the assumed
influences related to the problem and answer the research questions centered on this study:
1. What are the USMRC leaders’ knowledge and skills, motivation, and organization
needs related to increasing the number of Black female FGOs?
2. What are the recommended knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational
solutions in support of the USMRC leaders increasing the number of Black female
FGOs?
The results presented in Chapter Four answered the first research question by determining
which assumed KMO factor was deemed an asset or a need. The purpose of this chapter is to
present recommendations and an implementation and evaluation plan in support of USMRC
leaders increasing the number of Black female FGOs. The new world Kirkpatrick model
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) is the basis of this implementation and evaluation plan
discussed in this chapter. The new world Kirkpatrick model framework provides a method to
focus on the results and works backward through its four levels: results, behavior, learning, and
reaction. This study is centered on the organizational goal to increase the representation of Black
women FGOs within its headquarters body through the stakeholder goal of improving the
retention of Black women officers.

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Recommendations for Practice to Address Knowledge Influences
Knowledge influences are based on factual information, comprehension, understanding,
and knowing (Krathwohl, 2002). Knowledge can be categorized into four groups: factual,
conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive knowledge. Knowledge and skills focus on what
individuals know and how they can apply knowledge toward tasks, goals, and performance
(Clark & Estes, 2008). Based on the literature presented in Chapter Two, seven knowledge
influences were identified. Two influences were determined to be based on factual knowledge,
three influences were based on conceptual knowledge, and two of the influences were based on
metacognitive knowledge. Two of the seven were determined to be needs and validated as
knowledge gaps. The two factual knowledge influences centered on the USMRC leaders
knowing what a supportive environment would look like for Black women officers and what
implicit biases Black women officers faced in their careers. Based on the study’s results, the first
factual knowledge influence was validated as a gap and determined to be a need. The three
conceptual knowledge influences were about USMRC leaders understanding the value Black
women officers bring to the organization, the effects of motherhood on their career trajectories,
and recognizing gender biases among USMRC leadership. The third conceptual knowledge
influence, recognizing gender biases in leadership, was determined to be a need. There are two
metacognitive knowledge influences: USMRC leaders need to monitor their own biases and be
able to reflect on the impact Black women officers have on the organization. Neither of the
metacognitive knowledge influences was validated as a gap, according to the findings. The
influences that were not validated were not determined to be a priority. While the organization
will continue working on the influences, the influences that were determined to be a need are
deemed a priority and are addressed in this implementation and evaluation plan.

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USMRC Leaders Need to Know the Factors That Support Women’s Success in the Work
Environment
According to the study’s results, about 70% of USMRC leaders did not know what a
supportive work environment would include for women in the organization. Information
processing theory states there are three stages in which information flows before becoming
encoded into long-term memory, where declarative knowledge is stored (Atkinson & Shiffrin,
2012). By understanding how information is obtained, retained, and applied, USMRC leaders
can retrieve previously stored information and understand where it will apply (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006). To close this declarative knowledge gap, USMRC leaders should know the
factors that impact their female members to mitigate them with job arrangements that can enable
job success. Oftentimes, women assume the role of primary caretakers, whether it be for minor
children or a family member, as well as manage the bulk of household management and
domestic responsibilities (King et al., 2020). In addition to the outside obligations that may
impact a woman’s ability to be present in the workplace, there are other factors that leaders
should know that can also impact workplace success and their intentions to remain in the
organization. Other workplace challenges can include unfair or biased performance appraisals,
lack of equal access to opportunities and career progression information, and unfair or
inequitable treatment (Keller et al., 2018). Because of this, it is important for leaders to know and
use tools to enable a supportive environment that allows women to have the same opportunities
as other groups to succeed (Dichter & True, 2015; Keller et al., 2018). Study participants could
not communicate what a supportive environment can look like for women officers. To address
this gap, education should introduce leaders to leadership tools they can apply, like flexible work
schedules and the ability to cross-train (Keller et al., 2018). Education can provide leaders with

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the general knowledge of how to respond to and apply to unique situations (Clark & Estes,
2008). It is important for USMRC leaders to know the basic needs of their personnel and the
right leadership tools to apply in a given situation to promote a supportive work environment.
The recommendation is to require supervisor training for all leaders that scaffolds information
previously learned during professional military training.
USMRC Leaders Need to Recognize Gender Biases in Leadership
The study’s results identified a knowledge gap regarding USMRC leaders and their
ability to recognize gender biases among their leadership. Transformative learning theory
involves a change in meaning, structures, and perspectives (Mezirow, 1991). According to
Mezirow, adults have to engage in transformative learning or a situation that challenges or
disrupts their personal worldview. By doing this, they developed a new worldview (Mezirow,
1991). The military is a historically White male-dominated organization and has maintained an
“old boys club” or “bro” culture (Huntington-Klein & Rose, 2018; Seo et al., 2017). Because of
the masculine culture deeply embedded in the organization, leaders will need to transform their
current knowledge base to allow them to recognize the gender biases in the organization and
among leadership. Recognizing these biases can help decision-makers and leaders be aware so
that policies, organizational decisions, and performance reviews are equitable (Stamarski &
Hing, 2015). To do so, the recommendation is to create working and training environments that
introduce new concepts and ideas to leaders and an environment that fosters collaboration among
a diverse group of individuals. Enabling this type of collaboration will expose leaders to
situations that will challenge long-held worldviews and personal beliefs through training and
interactions with diverse groups.

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Christie et al. (2015) conducted a study to test Mezirow’s transformational learning
theory. In an attempt to transform teaching practices and personal views, they conducted a study
involving 12 primary and secondary teachers. Seven months after the program, the researchers
discovered substantial transformative learning outcomes that challenged their personal
worldviews through immersion, lectures, and workshops. The study supports the
recommendation to create working and training environments that introduce new concepts and
ideas to leaders and create an environment that fosters collaboration among a diverse group of
individuals. Table 20 shows a summary of knowledge influences and recommendations.
Table 21
Summary of Knowledge Influences and Recommendations
Assumed knowledge
influence
Asset or need Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
USMRC Leaders
need to know the
factors that support
women’s success
in the work
environment (K,
F).
Need Individuals can
increase the
relevance of new
information by
connecting it with
information and
ideas already
known (Schraw &
McCrudden, 2006).
Require supervisor
training for all
leaders that
scaffolds
information
previously learned
during PME.
USMRC Leaders
need to understand
what implicit
biases exist for
Black women
officers (K, F).
Asset Continue to build on
this asset to ensure
future leaders
understand implicit
bias.
USMRC leaders need
to recognize the
achievements
Black women
officers bring to
the organization
(K, C).
Asset Continue to build on
this asset.

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Assumed knowledge
influence
Asset or need Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
USMRC leaders need
to know the
impacts of
motherhood and
career progression.
(K, C).
Asset Continue to build on
this asset so leaders
understand the
impacts of
motherhood on
their members’
careers.
USMRC leaders need
to recognize gender
biases in leadership
(K, C).
Need Adults have to
engage in
transformative
learning, which can
be a situation that
challenges or
disrupts their
personal
worldview. By
doing this, they
developed a new
worldview
(Mezirow, 1991).
Create working and
training
environments that
introduce new
concepts and ideas
to leaders and an
environment that
fosters
collaboration
among a diverse
group of
individuals.
USMRC leaders need
to reflect on the
impact Black
women officers
have on the
organization (K,
M).
Asset Continue to build on
this asset.
USMRC leaders need
to monitor their
own biases (K, M)
Asset Continue to build on
this asset.
Recommendations for Practice to Address Motivation Influences
According to Clark and Estes (2008), motivation gets us going, keeps us moving, and
tells us how much effort to spend on work tasks. In another definition, Rueda (2011) defined
motivation as the values, beliefs, and expectations that influence how or why an individual
would approach or persist at specific tasks or goals. Goals drive motivation (Clark & Estes,

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2008). Members can actively work toward a performance goal, even if they played no part in
establishing it (Clark & Estes, 2008). For the USMRC leaders, it is important to establish clear
goals to close the performance gap to address the underrepresentation of Black women general
officers. Clear goals help lower-level leaders and first-line managers understand diversity and
retention goals, as they have the greatest influence over member actions (King et al., 2020).
Based on the literature presented in Chapter Two, three motivation-based influences were
identified. The three influences were based on utility value, self-efficacy, and goals. One of the
three influences, the need for the organization to have goals related to diversity, was determined
to be a need and validated as a motivation gap. The first assumed influence was that USMRC
leaders need to see the usefulness of building a diverse team. This influence is based on utility
value. Clark and Estes (2008) posited that much of what people do is based on the benefits as a
result of a task and not necessarily a love for it. The second influence was based on the selfefficacy of USMRC leaders. For that influence, USMRC leaders need to be confident in their
ability to mentor Black women officers. The third influence was that USMRC leaders need clear
goals to increase diversity. The validated gap was given priority. The other influences that were
not validated were not a priority. While the organization will continue working on the assets, the
influences determined to be needs are deemed priorities.
USMRC Leaders Need Clear Goals to Increase the Representation of Black Women
The study findings indicate a need for well-defined diversity goals to support diversity,
with 41.98% of respondents expressing a need for diversity goals to demonstrate the
organization’s prioritization of diversity. Goal-setting theory asserts that goals can result in
higher levels of task performance and direct employees’ focus toward a common organizational
or team goal (Locke & Latham, 2006). Locke and Latham (2020) determined goal setting as a

107
motivational technique, while the presence of attainable and challenging goals can lead to greater
motivation. This would suggest that the presence of an organizational goal for USMRC leaders
can lead to greater motivation toward attaining higher retention and representation among its
Black women officers. The goals should support the retention of Black women officers;
however, respondents indicated that they hope having such goals will not be detrimental to
diversity and inclusion efforts. To do this, it is recommended that the organization develop
performance goals that center on retention initiatives to support DEI strategies. Table 22 shows a
summary of motivation influences and recommendations.
Table 22
Summary of Motivation Influences and Recommendations
Assumed motivation
influence
Asset or need Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
USMRC leaders need
to see the
usefulness in
building a diverse
team (utility
value).
Asset Continue to build on
this asset.
USMRC leaders need
confidence that
they can develop
and mentor Black
women officers
(self-efficacy)
Asset Continue to build on
this asset.
USMRC leaders need
clear goals to
increase diversity
(goals).
Need Goal setting can
result in higher
levels of task
performance and
be used as a
motivational
technique (Locke
& Latham, 2006)
Develop performance
goals that center on
retention initiatives
to support DEI
strategies.

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Recommendations for Practice to Address Organizational Influences
Organizational influences are external factors that impact stakeholder performance, as
opposed to knowledge, skills, and motivation, which are all internal factors (Clark & Estes,
2008). Performance gaps can be attributed to organizational influences like resources,
equipment, processes, and procedures (Clark & Estes, 2008). However, organizational influences
go beyond ineffective and inefficient processes and materials and include organizational culture
(Clark & Estes, 2008). Culture is an intangible factor that can have far-reaching impacts on
performance measures. Culture includes attitudes, core values, beliefs, emotions, processes, and
core values. Culture can either support an individual’s ability to achieve performance goals or
hinder it, so it is incumbent for leaders to create a culture supportive of their members and their
efforts (Clark & Estes, 2008). The literature revealed three influences regarding organizational
factors related to the problem. The first influence is that USMRC leaders need resources to
enable flexibility for women service members. The second influence is that USMRC leaders
need to adopt policies that align with DEI goals. The third influence is that USMRC leaders need
to create an organizational culture that is willing to change the demographics of its leaders. Of
the three influences, two were validated: USMRC leaders need to adopt policies that align with
DEI goals, and they need to create a culture that supports a willingness to change the
demographics of their leaders.
USMRC Leaders Need to Adopt Policies That Align With Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Goals
The weighted score of the study’s findings revealed that respondents were not aware of
any organizational policies that aligned with DEI goals. The lack of policy that aligns with
organizational goals and culture can present barriers to realizing performance goals (Clark &

109
Estes, 2008). Wilkens (2020) posited that even if a shared belief and responsibility toward a goal
is held among the organization’s members, leaders will be organizationally aimless, contributing
to the problem. According to Clark and Estes (2008), a misalignment between policies and goals
can create organizational barriers to goal achievement. To remedy this, it is recommended that
USMRC leaders review current policies to ensure alignment with DEI goals and adopt new
policies that continue to align with goals.
A study to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of diversity and equality
policies indicated that without accountability, diversity policies are often short-lived (Shortland
& Perkins, 2020). However, despite the lack of accountability in the policy implementation,
respondents all deemed the diversity policy to be relevant. Shortland and Perkins (2020) asserted
that diversity principles and policies should be championed at the senior and local levels.
USMRC Leaders Need to Create a Culture of Willingness to Change the Composition of
Senior Leaders
The study’s findings revealed that less than 50% of respondents reported that the
organization lacks DEI, and its current makeup does not indicate a culture of change. The theory
of generative interactions supports the idea that enabling individuals from different groups helps
challenge assumptions to ultimately support DEI in the organization (Bernstein et al., 2020). The
recommendation would be to create a workplace that systematically provides opportunities for
diverse individuals to be invited to joint leadership meetings. This will allow for greater
collaboration among a diverse group of individuals in the organization from different levels of
leadership.
According to Kalev (2009), organizational structures that create opportunities for
collaborative relations between workers from various levels and backgrounds can reduce

110
stereotyping and increase the perceived value of all workers’ contributions. The collaboration
can lead to greater positive interactions and challenge assumptions that may lead to biases and
barriers (Kalev, 2009). By encouraging collaboration and crosstalk at the organization, USMRC
leaders will be able to challenge assumptions and change perspectives that may pose barriers to
marginalized groups like minority women in the organization. From a group of approximately
2,000 female scientists, Smith-Doerr (2004) concluded that the flexibility to collaborate with
more individuals as peers contributed to an environment where their skills and contributions to
the organization can be observed, which can lead to more supervisory roles. Table 23 shows a
summary of organizational influences and recommendations.

111
Table 23
Summary of Organization Influences and Recommendations
Assumed
organization
influence
Asset or need Principle and citation Context-specific
recommendation
USMRC leaders
need resources to
enable flexibility
for women service
members
(resources).
Asset Continue to build on
this asset so
leaders can have
resources to plan
for flexibility.
USMRC leaders
need to adopt
policies that align
with DEI goals
(policies,
processes, and
procedures).
Need A misalignment
between policies
and goals can
create
organizational
barriers to goal
achievement
(Clark & Estes,
2008).
Review current
policies to ensure
alignment with
DEI goals and
adopt new policies
that continue to
align with goals.
USMRC leaders
need to create a
culture of
willingness to
change the
composition of
senior leaders
(cultural settings).
Need Diversity, equity, and
inclusion can be
facilitated through
positive,
generative
interactions that
support a shared
organizational
purpose (Bernstein
et al., 2020).
Create a workplace
environment that
systematically
provides
opportunities for
diverse individuals
to be invited to
joint leadership
meetings.
Integrated Implementation and Evaluation Plan
The new world Kirkpatrick model (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016) is the foundation of
this implementation and evaluation plan. The model is adapted from the original Kirkpatrick
model created in the 1950s by Donald Kirkpatrick. The implementation and evaluation tool
modifies the original four levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. The new model
transposes the levels, starts with the results level, and works in reverse (Kirkpatrick &

112
Kirkpatrick, 2016). Training professionals and organizations use the model to demonstrate the
effectiveness of training programs.
Organizational Purpose, Need, and Expectations
The USMRC at the center of this study is a component of a U.S. military service. The
USMRC is one of seven of the U.S. military. The leaders at the helm of the USMRC lead dozens
of units, with a total end-strength of approximately 100,000 members and an annual budget of
less than $10 million.24 The personnel assigned to the USMRC are a vital component of the U.S.
military as they save the department money, mitigate capability shortfalls, and enable readiness
of the total military.
The organizational performance problem at the root of this study is the
underrepresentation of Black women in the general officer ranks within the USMRC
headquarters. According to the most recent personnel data report, Black members make up 4.4%
of the officer corps and 8.7% of the total USMRC. The numbers taper significantly as the ranks
progress, with 3% or 30 of the 987 officers in the colonel (O-6) through general (O-7 through O10) ranks being Black. The lack of adequate representation in the higher ranks demonstrates the
problem and the demand for measures to increase diversity among its most senior ranks.
Description of Stakeholder Groups
Several groups are relevant to addressing the underrepresentation of Black female senior
leaders in the USMRC. Those groups, or stakeholders, include senior DOD, the Service, and
USMRC leadership; local unit leadership; and Black women officers in the USMRC. For this
study, the stakeholder groups with the most influence are USMRC leadership, local unit
leadership, and Black women officers. The key stakeholders and target population for the data
24 The source is the organization’s website. Actual URL is not provided because it will reveal the identity of the
organization.

113
collection and this study were leaders at the division and directorate level at USMRC
headquarters. The stakeholder group was selected as they, as first-line supervisors and managers,
have the most influence on outcomes regarding members, their progression, and shaping
organizational culture.
Level 4: Results and Leading Indicators
Level 4 results measure the organizational impact by identifying indicators that measure
external and internal outcomes. Leading indicators are short-term observations and
measurements to indicate critical behaviors are on target to reach desired results. Table 24 shows
the proposed Level 4 results and leading indicators of outcomes, metrics, and methods for
internal and external outcomes. If the internal outcomes are achieved, then the external outcomes
will also be fulfilled.

114
Table 24
Outcomes, Metrics, and Methods for External and Internal Outcomes
Outcome Metrics Methods
External outcomes
Demonstrated interest
from Black women
applicants for positions
within the headquarters
body
Number of Black women
applicants from the field
Track race/ethnicity and sex
disaggregated data of
received applicant packages.
Internal outcomes
Increased retention of
Black women field
grade officers
Number of Black women
officers who remain in the
service past commitment
HR retention report
Increased mentoring
participation
Number of officers participation
in mentorship program
Track race/ethnicity and sex
disaggregated data of member
participation in program.
Level 3: Behavior
Level 3 focuses on the changed behaviors that result from the training program
(Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Critical behaviors help assess the degree to which
stakeholders can apply learned concepts (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Critical behaviors
should be specific, observable, and measurable (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Critical Behaviors
The stakeholder of focus is USMRC leaders. The first critical behavior is for USMRC
leaders to actively engage with subordinates through coaching or feedback sessions. The
feedback sessions allow for leaders to engage with subordinates regarding work climate and as a
venue to provide mentorship and professional development guidance. The second critical
behavior is for USMRC leaders to participate in feedback sessions with each other. The feedback
sessions provide a forum for leaders to collaborate on methods to approach novel issues and how

115
to better lead and support members. This can help increase leader confidence and discover any
blind spots in their leadership, as well as provide a safe space among peers to engage and
collaborate. The third critical behavior is for USMRC leaders to track member satisfaction and
career intentions through biannual climate surveys. The frequency of the survey allows for more
current feedback versus annual feedback. Table 25 lists the specific metrics, methods, and timing
for each critical behavior.
Table 25
Critical Behaviors, Metrics, Methods, and Timing for Evaluation
Critical behavior Metrics Methods Timing
Conduct
coaching/feedback
sessions with Black
women FGOs
Number of coaching
sessions hosted
with Black women
FGOs
Self-report from
USMRC leaders
Monthly
Conduct feedback
sessions among
USMRC leaders on
topics related to
supporting Black
women FGOs
Number of feedback
sessions held with
Black women
FGOs
Track attendance of
sessions
Quarterly
Maintain a healthy
work environment
for Black women
FGOs
Completed climate
survey
Anonymous climate
survey
Biannually

116
Required Drivers
In the new world Kirkpatrick model, required drivers provide support or accountability
for critical behaviors (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Required drivers are the processes and
systems that reinforce, monitor, encourage, and reward the performance of critical behaviors on
the job (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016). Table 26 lists the required drivers necessary to
support leadership success.
Table 26
Required Drivers to Support Critical Behaviors
Methods Timing Critical behaviors supported
1, 2, 3 Etc.
Reinforcing
Asynchronous training
modules to provide the
most current DEI training
and scenarios
Biannually 1, 3
Biannual in-person training to
support DEI training
Biannually 1, 2, 3
Job aid with DEI checklist
that promotes self-reflection
for leaders
Daily 1, 3
Encouraging
Leaders support each other
with leadership techniques
Quarterly 2
Rewarding
Leadership
recognition/quarterly
awards
Quarterly 1, 3
Monitoring
360-degree feedback Biannually 1, 2, 3

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Organizational Support
Organizational support helps the organization be accountable by supporting required
drivers to enable critical behaviors. To do so, it is imperative for senior USMRC and service
leadership to voice their support for the implementation plan’s initiatives. Senior leaders set the
organization’s tone and culture, which helps guide member actions. Additionally, senior leaders
need to create a culture of trust as well as tangibly allow USMRC leaders to ensure that time is
allocated to allow for training and feedback sessions that support the overall goal. A culture of
trust creates an environment with higher productivity, high employee morale, and low turnover
(Palmer, 2021). Additionally, a culture of trust can enable an environment where leaders and
members can engage in difficult conversations that are non-judgmental, data-centered, and
cooperative (Palmer, 2021), like those types of conversations centered on diversity, equity,
inclusion, and representation. To ensure the right organizational support, senior leaders need to
allocate the necessary time and resources to support the goals.
Level 2: Learning
Learning is the degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills,
attitude, confidence, and commitment based on their participation in the training (Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick, 2016). The following learning program has been developed to support the required
drivers and the critical behaviors of USMRC leaders to demonstrate behaviors to effectively
support the increase of Black women FGOs.
Learning Goals
Following the completion of the recommended solutions, USMRC leaders will be able to
• recognize contributing environmental factors affecting member’s job execution (K,
F).

118
• understand each Black woman FGO’s experience with marginalization (K, M).
• recognize the value of supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts targeting
Black women FGOs (Motivation, utility value)
• demonstrate confidence in the ability to mentor Black women FGOs who may not
have the same background (self-efficacy).
Program
To achieve the learning goals, USMRC leaders will need to undergo initial supervisor
training, which will be a multi-layered training program consisting of workshops and
asynchronous learning modules. They will also establish a community among the leaders to
share knowledge.
The first training phase will consist of asynchronous computer-based training modules
that members will have to complete. The modules will present diversity training, videos,
knowledge checks, and assessments. The training will focus on leadership development,
diversity considerations, and a basic understanding of DEI, its significance, and current
organizational policies.
Following the asynchronous training, the leaders will attend a 2-day workshop. Prior to
the workshop, participants will complete a pre-test on their knowledge of diversity, equity, and
the organization’s inclusion, recruiting, and retention efforts. During the in-person workshop, the
participants will discuss what they learned from the asynchronous modules and hear from the
organization’s senior leaders. Receiving the organization’s vision and goals related to DEI and
retention directly from senior leadership will help to establish the organization’s focus among the
leaders for them to nest their priorities and efforts. Additionally, the in-person portion of the

119
training provides a forum for discussion and role-playing through various scenarios as the
leaders prepare to lead members of the organization.
Following training, members will have a peer group of leaders to
continue discussions and receive feedback from each other. Quarterly touchpoints will allow
leaders to continue to engage on evolving topics centered around the goal of increased DEI and
retention efforts. In addition to the quarterly touchpoints or feedback sessions, the leaders will
engage in biannual training sessions, one asynchronous.
Evaluation of the Components of Learning
Addressing the performance gaps identified in this study and implementing changes
requires that USMRC leaders have declarative, conceptual, and metacognitive knowledge. Table
27 lists the evaluation and timing of the components of learning.

120
Table 27
Evaluation of the Components of Learning for the Program
Methods or activities Timing
Declarative knowledge: “I know it.”
Knowledge checks During asynchronous modules
Pre-test and post-test Before and after the initial training program
Group Discussions During in-person training; During quarterly
feedback sessions
Survey Three months after program
Procedural skills: “I can do it right now.”
Demonstration of implementation of skills During in-person training; During quarterly
feedback sessions
Attitude: “I believe this is worthwhile.”
Discussions during in-person training and
feedback sessions
During in-person training; During quarterly
feedback sessions
Post-training evaluation Following initial training program
Instructor observations During in-person training
Confidence: “I think I can do it on the job.”
Discussions during in-person training and
feedback sessions
During in-person training; During quarterly
feedback sessions
Post-training evaluation Following initial training program, 3 months
after program
Commitment: “I will do it on the job.”
Participant created action plan During in-person training
Post-training evaluation Following initial training program, 3 months
after program
Level 1: Reaction
Evaluating participant reaction to the program gives leaders and facilitators data to
understand how receptive participants are to the program and allows necessary adjustments to be
made throughout the program. Table 28 lists the methods and timing in which reactions to the
program are measured.

121
Table 28
Components to Measure Reactions to the Program
Methods or tools Timing
Engagement
Feedback session attendance Quarterly
Instructor observation During in-person training
Post-training evaluation Immediately following initial training program
Relevance
Pulse check during feedback sessions Quarterly
Program evaluation Three months after initial training program
Customer satisfaction
Program evaluation Immediately following initial training program
Evaluation Tools: Immediately Following the Program Implementation
The USMRC leaders and program managers will collect data to evaluate Levels 1 and 2
during and after the program. In addition to knowledge checks, group discussions, and
observations made during the program, program managers will conduct post-training evaluations
to assess the relevance of the training and to understand the participants’ confidence in executing
the knowledge learned in the training course (see Appendix H for evaluation questions).
For Level 1, the program managers will take attendance, analyze responses from the
evaluations, and make a note of observations of participant engagement. For Level 2, the
program managers will measure learning based on knowledge checks, pre- and post-tests, group
discussions, instructor observations, and an action plan that will be submitted at the conclusion
of the initial training program.
Evaluation Tools: Delayed for a Period After the Program Implementation
Because the implementation plan is ongoing for USMRC, quarterly feedback sessions or
touchpoints among USMRC leaders will allow time and a forum for participants to apply what

122
they have learned. This blended evaluation approach will allow required drivers to be in place
before assessing the program’s relevance, which may not be accurately assessed immediately
following the program (Kirkpatrick & Kirkpatrick, 2016).
Data Analysis and Reporting
The program’s goal is to equip USMRC leaders with the knowledge, guidance, and
confidence to improve the retention of Black women officers in the organization and the
USMRC’s headquarters body, as well as equip them with the knowledge to effectively lead
members from various backgrounds who manage personal obligations that can affect their duty
performance. Healthy working environments that support members can improve retention and
diversity, as members are more likely to remain in the organization, creating a greater pool of
diverse members eligible for senior-level positions.
To track the Level 4 outcomes related to the program’s effectiveness in increasing Black
women FGOs’ retention, the data will be tracked from the retention metrics, application
packages received, and mentorship program participation. The same information and data will be
analyzed against each other to track Levels 3, 2, and 1. Figure 15 provides an example to show
the gap closure of the stakeholder goal.

123
Figure 15
Increase of Black Women Field Grade Officers
Summary
The new world Kirkpatrick model can help to effectively evaluate efforts toward
improving an organization’s performance gaps. In the case of the USMRC, it can implement the
model to evaluate the recommendations to address the performance gaps related to the
underrepresentation of Black women general officers, which can be attributed to gender biases
and a lack of understanding on the part of USMRC leadership as it pertains to Black women
officers’ experiences in the organization. As detailed above, the model was used to assess
USMRC leaders’ knowledge and skills, motivation, and organizational factors as it pertains to
increasing the number of Black women FGOs assigned to its headquarters body. The model is
used as an accountability mechanism to evaluate the program and address whether the return on
expectation is being met. By applying the model’s levels backward from Level 4 to Level 1,

124
leaders can backward plan to ensure they meet desired outcomes and set mechanisms in place to
identify and support those outcomes.
Limitations and Delimitations
This study included limitations, or elements outside of the researcher’s control, that could
affect the study’s results. Limitations included the wording of the survey questions that can be
interpreted in multiple ways. This was evident during the interviews when gathering responses
from the participants. Another limitation is the difficulty in recruiting participants for the survey
and interviews. Using a mixed-methods approach increases data validity and reliability through
triangulation; however, this is under the assumption that the participants provided honest data
and feedback, with some participants not fully completing responses for both the survey and
interviews, which can impact the analysis of the findings. Due to the nature of the topic,
participants may have been reluctant to share their true opinions or experiences due to concerns
about repercussions.
Delimitations are issues within the researcher’s control. One delimitation is centered on
the study’s target population. Despite selecting a purposeful sample to help gather the best data
for this study, doing so had setbacks, as some individuals, despite their positions, could not
respond to the data collection instruments completely, which can also impact the inclusion of
diverse perspectives as the majority of individuals in the purposeful sample would be White
males. Additionally, my role as a researcher and member of the organization was cause for
careful approach as I engaged with members, which also presented issues with my positionality
as I engaged with the study. The use of Clark and Estes’s (2008) framework entails a specific
methodology, which may limit the exploration of the problem utilizing alternative frameworks.

125
Future Research
The current gap in the literature pertaining to Black women and other minority groups in
the military demonstrates the need for more research surrounding the experiences of minority
women leaders and their career progression in the military. Most available research is
phenomenological, centers on the experiences of Black women in the workplace, and does not
touch on change initiatives to address the gaps in representation and their career trajectories,
especially as it relates to White, male-dominant careers or even the role of leaders in the
organization and their ability to impact change. This study also revealed the idea of expanding
the stakeholder group to address the actions Black women can take to affect their career
trajectories. There is an opportunity for additional research to explore education, societal and
cultural influences, assumptions about the military for women when they join, and recruiting
tactics used by the military. Additionally, there would be some benefit to employing
Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems model. This model can provide another lens to explore the
layers that influence the development, experiences, and actions of minority women in the
military. Another opportunity would be researching and evaluating current DEI and recruiting
and retention initiatives related to different demographic groups.
Conclusion
Chapter Five has brought into focus the complex and multifaceted issue surrounding the
underrepresentation of Black women general officers in the USMRC. Through a thorough
examination of the literature and analysis of the empirical data, this study uncovered the KMO
factors that perpetuated the performance gap.
The findings reported in Chapter Four deepen the understanding of the problem and
provide a foundation to lay the groundwork for future research. Additionally, these key findings

126
help shape recommendations that focus on closing gaps in USMRC KMO factors related to
retaining Black women FGOs. The recommendations outlined in this chapter can drive efforts to
attain the organizational goal of increasing Black women FGOs’ representation in the
organization by 100% by 2024. As organizations continue to prioritize DEI among their staff,
this study’s results can help drive evidence-based decisions, resulting in more inclusive and
representative organizations.

127
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APPENDIX A: PRE-INTERVIEW RECRUITING COMMUNICATIONS
Pre-Interview: Initial Email to Request Study Participation
The following email will be sent to lieutenant colonels through brigadier general at the
USMRC headquarters who are directors, deputy directors, and division chiefs.
Dear Dr., Ms., or Mr. ___________
My name is Alicia Lacy-Jimenez, and I am a doctorate student at the University of
Southern California. I am conducting research on the underrepresentation of Black women
general officers. My goal as a student practitioner is to provide insight to our field as to how we
might be able to collaborate to overcome some of the challenges we are facing. Ultimately, it is
my hope that this information will benefit the USMRC. I assure you that information acquired
will remain anonymous, as will the organization.
I have received IRB approval and am in the stage of my dissertation where I am gathering
data. I am conducting interviews with senior leaders at the USMRC headquarters. All participant
and organizational information will be completely confidential. While I know how busy you are,
it would mean the world to me if you would consider giving me 1 hour of your time. I will share
the findings of the study with you. It would be my hope that some of these findings could be of
professional value to you.
I would like to schedule 45 minutes with you in the next week at a time and date that is
most convenient to you. Please feel free to reply to this email with some dates and times that
work best. I have also included a link to Calendly in case it is easier for you to use this method to
schedule the 1-hour block of time to be interviewed: calendly.com/alicia-lacy. Thank you very
much for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Alicia Lacy-Jimenez
Doctoral Candidate
Rossier School of Education
The University of Southern California

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Pre-Interview: Email to Confirm Participation for Study
Following the scheduling of a participant, the email below will be sent to confirm
interview appointments.
Dear Dr., Ms., or Mr. ___________
Thank you very much for agreeing to participate in my research study concerning the
topic of the underrepresentation of Black women general officers. You should have received a
Zoom link when you registered for an interview. As a reminder, your identity will be known only
to me, and I am conducting this study for my doctoral dissertation at the University of Southern
California. I am attaching a pdf file to this email regarding the formal notice of participant rights
and the protocol surrounding how the information you provide will be used and protected. Please
reach out to me if you have any questions about this.
Thank you so very much for taking time out of your schedule to assist me with this
research, and I look forward to our conversation.
Best regards,
Student
Doctoral Candidate
Rossier School of Education
The University of Southern California

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APPENDIX B: INFORMATION SHEET FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Pkwy Ste 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90089
INFORMATION SHEET FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH
STUDY TITLE: The Underrepresentation of Black Women General Officers
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Alicia Lacy-Jimenez, Doctoral Candidate
FACULTY ADVISOR: Dr. Adrian J. Donato
You are invited to participate in a research study. Your participation is voluntary. This document
explains information about this study. You should ask questions about anything that is unclear to
you.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to examine the underrepresentation of Black women general officers
at the USMRC headquarters. I hope to learn about how officers are promoted and how they are
selected for assignments. You are invited as a participant because of your specific role within
your organization, which fits the defined research population of the study.
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
You are asked to participate in a Zoom meeting to be interviewed about the research topic. The
interview is expected to last no more than 45 minutes. All interaction for you and your
organization is confidential and anonymous. Neither you nor your organization will be named or
alluded to in a manner that would provide identification.
While it is the desire of the researcher to record the conversation for subsequent confidential and
anonymous transcription so that your responses can be accurately analyzed, such recording is
purely voluntary on your part and is not a condition for participation. The researcher will take
notes as an alternative during the interview as needed.
There is no ‘prework’ necessary for the interview, and it will be held at a time that is to your
convenience and with respect to your schedule and responsibilities.
CONFIDENTIALITY
The members of the research team and the University of Southern California Institutional
Review Board (IRB) may access the data. The IRB reviews and monitors research studies to
protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.
When the findings of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no identifiable
information will be used.
Audio recordings, if made, will not have any direct reference to the full name or organization of
the participant and will be used solely for the purpose of analyzing the transcript for relevant

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content. The recordings will remain in the sole possession of the research team and will be
destroyed not later than 1 year from completion and final approval of the study. The study is
expected to be fully completed by [insert your date]. For this study the Research Team is the
researcher and the Chair of the researcher’s dissertation committee.
Audio recordings, if made, will not be started until the preliminary and identifying remarks of
the participant, and their organization, are concluded. The researcher will refer to the participant
by an arbitrary identification to maintain confidentiality and anonymity. As a part of the research
study the recordings will be transcribed by a bonded academic paper transcription company. If a
participant desires a copy of that transcript will be provided for review, editing, of declination of
participation.
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about this study, please contact Alicia Lacy-Jimenez,
lacyjime@usc.edu, 323-609-9527, or Dr. Adrian J. Donato: adonato@usc.edu
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, please contact the
University of Southern California Institutional Review Board at (323) 442-0114 or email
irb@usc.edu.
USC IRB Information Sheet Template Version Date: 01/30/2021

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APPENDIX C: KMO SURVEY CROSSWALK
Assumed influence Survey item
Knowledge
USMRC Leaders need to know the factors
that support women’s success in the work
environment (K, F).
Please pick from the list below the parts of a
strategic plan.
What components are required to support
women in the USMRC? (K-F)
(Pick all that apply from a list)
Flexible scheduling
Childcare support
Family care support
Mentorship
Fair and equitable access to in-residence
professional military education
Fair and equitable access to training
opportunities
Fair and equitable access to assignment
opportunities
Fair and Equitable access to information
accurate and unbiased performance
Evaluations
Fair and equitable treatment by
leadership/supervisors
USMRC Leaders need to understand what
implicit biases exist for Black women
officers (K, F).
What implicit biases do Black women officers
face? (K-F)
(Pick all that applies from a list)
Black women officers are lazy
Black women officers are combative
Black women officers are not professional
Black women officers are aggressive
Black women officers are not competent
Black women officers are untrustworthy
Black women officers are noncompliant
USMRC Leaders need to distinguish the
unique achievements of Black women
officers as opposed to other officers.
Black women officers have made significant
contributions to the organization (K-C).
(4-point Likert)
I recognize the value of diversity (K, C).
(4-point Likert)

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Assumed influence Survey item
USMRC Leaders need to know the impacts of
motherhood and career progression (K, C).
Motherhood can adversely impact career
progression. (K, C)
(4-point Likert)
USMRC Leaders need to recognize gender
biases in leadership (K, C).
USMRC leaders demonstrate biases toward
their members (K, C).
(4-point Likert)
USMRC Leaders need to reflect on the impact
Black women officers bring to the
organization (K, M).
I understand the value my Black women
wingmen bring to the organization (K, M).
(4-point Likert)
Motivation
USMRC Leaders need to see the utility in
building a diverse team of leaders (value).
USMRC finds Black women officers useful to
its missions? (value)
(4-point Likert)
USMRC Leaders need confidence that they
can develop and mentor Black women
officers (self-efficacy).
I am confident I can mentor Black women
officers as I would any other officer (selfefficacy).
Not confident
Moderately confident
Confident
Very confident
USMRC Leaders need clear goals to increase
diversity (goals).
USMRC prioritizes diversity.
(4-point Likert)
Organization
USMRC Leaders need resources to enable
flexibility for women service members
(resources).
USMRC provides you flexibility, particularly
to support the needs of service members
from diverse backgrounds (resources) (4-
point Likert)
USMRC Leaders need to adopt policies that
align with DEI goals (policies, processes,
and procedures).
Adopted USMRC diversity and inclusion
policies support you in your role as a leader
of service members from diverse
backgrounds. (4-point Likert)
USMRC Leaders need to create a culture of
willingness to change the composition of
senior leaders (cultural settings).
Diversity is well-represented in the officer
corps at USMRC (cultural settings). (4-
point Likert)

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APPENDIX D: KMO SURVEY PROTOCOL
1. What components are required to support women in the USMRC? (K, F)
(Pick all that apply from a list)
a. Flexible scheduling
b. Childcare support
c. Family care support
d. Mentorship
e. Fair and equitable access to in-residence professional military education
f. Fair and equitable access to training opportunities
g. Fair and equitable access to assignment opportunities
h. Fair and equitable access to information
i. Accurate and unbiased performance evaluations
j. Fair and equitable treatment by leadership/supervisors
2. What implicit biases do Black women officers face? (K, F)
(Pick all that applies from a list)
a. Black women officers are lazy.
b. Black women officers are combative.
c. Black women officers are not professional.
d. Black women officers are aggressive.
e. Black women officers are not competent.
f. Black women officers are untrustworthy.
g. Black women officers are noncompliant.

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3. Black women officers have made significant contributions to the organization (K, C).
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
4. I recognize the value of diversity (K, C).
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
5. Motherhood adversely impacts career progression (K-C).
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
6. USMRC leaders demonstrate biases toward their members (K-C).
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

145
7. I understand the value my Black women wingmen bring to the organization (K-M).
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
8. USMRC finds Black women officers useful to its missions? (Value)
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
9. To what degree are you confident you can effectively mentor a Black woman officer?
(self-efficacy)
• Not confident
• Moderately confident
• Confident
• Very confident
10. USMRC prioritizes diversity.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
11. USMRC provides you flexibility, particularly to support the needs of service
members from diverse backgrounds (resources).

146
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
12. Adopted USMRC diversity and inclusion policies support you in your role as a leader
of service members from diverse backgrounds.
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree
13. Diversity is well-represented in the officer corps at the USMRC (cultural settings).
• Strongly agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly disagree

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APPENDIX E: KMO INTERVIEW CROSSWALK
Assumed influence Interview item
Knowledge
USMRC Leaders need to know the factors
that support women’s success in the work
environment (K, F).
Can you tell me what you think a supportive
work environment looks like for Black
women officers? (K, F)
USMRC Leaders need to understand what
implicit biases exist for Black women
officers (K, F).
What do you know about implicit biases? (K,
C)
Probe: What implicit biases do you think exist
for Black women officers?
USMRC Leaders need to distinguish the
unique achievements of Black women
officers as opposed to other officers (K,
C).
In what ways do you think the achievements of
Black women have contributed to the
organization positively? (K, C)
USMRC Leaders need to know the impacts
of motherhood and career progression (K,
C).
How can motherhood impact an officer’s
career trajectory? (K, C)
USMRC Leaders need to recognize gender
biases in leadership (K, C).
Do you think gender biases exist within
USMRC leadership? (K, C)
Probe: Do you think gender biases impact
retention of minority groups?
USMRC Leaders need to reflect on the
impact Black women officers bring to the
organization (K, M).
A Black woman is part of a board group to be
hired for a leadership position. Can you talk
to me aloud about what you are thinking at
that moment (K, M)?
USMRC Leaders need to monitor its own
biases. (K, M).
Do you think a Black woman uniquely
contributes to the organization?
Probe: In what ways?
A Black woman comes into your office and
would like to be hired into leadership. Can
you talk to me aloud about what you are
thinking at that moment (K, M)?
Motivation
USMRC Leaders need to see usefulness in
building a diverse team of leaders (utility
value).
Do you consider diverse teams of leaders to be
useful to you in your leadership? If so, in
what ways would a silent observer know this
about you? (value)

148
USMRC Leaders need confidence that they
can develop and mentor Black women
officers (self-efficacy).
Are you confident you can mentor the next
generation of leaders? (self-efficacy)
Probe: Do you think you can adequately
mentor women?
Do you think you can adequately mentor Black
women?
Is there a difference in your approaches?
USMRC Leaders need clear goals to increase
diversity (goals).
Can you talk to me about what goals you have
set for yourself to increase diversity among
officer ranks? (goals)
Organization
USMRC Leaders need resources to enable
flexibility for women service members
(resources).
In what ways do you think offering support
and flexibility to women officers impacts
readiness? (resources)
Probe: In what ways do you think the
organization can maintain readiness while
supporting women (officers)?
USMRC Leaders need to adopt policies that
align with DEI goals (policies, processes,
and procedures).
Can you talk to me about current policies in
relation to their enabling the promotion and
retention of Black women officers
equitably? (policies, processes, and
procedures)
Probe: In what ways can this be managed?
USMRC Leaders need to create a culture of
willingness to change the composition of
senior leaders (cultural settings).
Can you describe the organizational culture as
it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Probe: Do you think the current demographics
of senior leadership demonstrate a value of
diversity?
Do you believe the organization evaluates all
members based on merit?

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APPENDIX F: KMO INTERVIEW PROTOCOL
1. Can you tell me what you think a supportive work environment looks like for Black
women officers? (K, F)
2. What do you know about implicit biases? (K, C)
Probe: What implicit biases do you think exist for Black women officers?
3. In what ways do you think the achievements of Black women have contributed to the
organization positively (K, C)
4. How can motherhood impact an officer’s career trajectory? (K, C)
5. Do you think biases exist within USMRC leadership? (K, C)
Probe: Do you think the biases impact retention of minority groups?
Probe: Has hiring for diversity been a priority for you at any time?
6. Do you believe Black women add value to the organization? (K, M)
7. Do you think you have biases? (K, M)
Probe: Are you aware of those biases?
Probe: Do you think any biases have impacted how you lead?
8. Do you think there is value in having a diverse team? (Value)
9. Are you confident you can mentor the next generation of leaders? (Self-efficacy)
Probe: Do you think you can adequately mentor women?
Probe: Do you think you can adequately mentor Black women?
Probe: Is there a difference in your approaches?
10. Do you think there needs to be more defined diversity goals? (Goals)
11. In what ways do you think offering support and flexibility to women officers impacts
readiness? (Resources)

150
Probe: In what ways do you think the organization can maintain readiness while
supporting women (officers)?
12. Can you talk to me about current policies in relation to their enabling the promotion
and retention of Black women officers equitably? (Policies, processes, and
procedures) Probe: In what ways can this be managed with policy change?
13. Can you describe the organizational culture as it relates to diversity, equity, and
inclusion?
Probe: Do you think the current demographics of senior leadership demonstrate a
value of diversity?
Probe: Do you believe the organization evaluates all members based on merit?

151
APPENDIX G: KMO DOCUMENT ANALYSIS PROTOCOL
Document analysis will include a combination of electronic and hardcopy documents
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The types of documents include past and current policy from the
U.S. Military Service regarding access to PME, the sex and the U.S. Military Service’s job
specialty disaggregated data for PME, officer rank demographics for the past 10 years, senior
leader biographies, and report findings regarding race and gender in the military. Table G1,
shown below, details the documents referenced to the study’s assumed influences.
Table G1
Documents Referenced to the Assumed Influences
Assumed influences Selected documents Purpose of analysis
Knowledge
USMRC leaders needs to know
the factors that support
women’s success in the work
environment (K, F).
Government
Accountability Office
report on female
retention
Understand findings
regarding why women
officers decide to separate
at the mid-career level.
USMRC Leaders need to
understand what implicit
biases exist for Black women
officers (K, F).
Inspector General report
on racial disparities
DEOMI climate surveys
Understand the findings
regarding the disparities in
punishment and career
advancement for Black
members.
Gain meaning from survey
responses regarding biases
Black members faced.
USMRC Leaders need to
understand the value Black
women officers bring to the
organization (K, C).
N/A N/A
USMRC Leaders need to know
the impacts of motherhood
and career progression (K, C)
Government
Accountability Office
report on female
retention
Understand findings
regarding why women
officers decide to separate
at the mid-career level.

152
Assumed influences Selected documents Purpose of analysis
USMRC Leaders need to
recognize gender biases in
leadership (K, C)
N/A N/A
USMRC Leaders need to know
policies and guidelines related
to diversity, equity, and
inclusion (K, P)
Service policies on DEI
and PME selection
Understand how the policies
can help or harm Black
women officers in career
advancement.
USMRC Leaders need to reflect
on the value Black women
officers bring to the
organization (K, M)
N/A N/A
Motivation
USMRC Leaders need to see the
utility in building a diverse
team of leaders (value).
N/A N/A
USMRC Leaders need
confidence that they can
develop and mentor Black
women officers (selfefficacy).
N/A N/A
USMRC Leaders need a clear
goal to increase diversity
(goals).
Service policies on
diversity, equity, and
inclusion
Understand how the policies
can help or harm Black
women officers in career
advancement or the lack of
diversity hiring goals.
Organization
USMRC Leaders need resources
to enable flexibility for
women service members
(resources).
N/A N/A
USMRC Leaders need to adopt
policies that align with DEI
goals (policies, processes, and
procedures).
Service policies on
diversity, equity, and
inclusion
Understand how the policies
can help or harm Black
women officers in career
advancement.

153
Assumed influences Selected documents Purpose of analysis
USMRC Leaders need to create
a culture of willingness to
change the composition of
senior leaders (cultural
settings).
Service policies on
diversity, equity, and
inclusion
Understand how the policies
can help or harm Black
women officers in career
advancement.

154
APPENDIX H: IMMEDIATE EVALUATION INSTRUMENT (L2-L1)
Question Strongly
disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
agree
Declarative
knowledge (I
know it)
I recognize the unique
challenges members of
my organization face.
Procedural
knowledge (I can
do it)
I can follow the DEI
checklist to engage in
self-reflection
Attitude (I believe
this is
worthwhile)
There is value in a
diverse force
Confidence (I think
I can do it)
I am confident in my
ability to engage in
DEI practices
Commitment (I
will do it on the
job)
I will use the principles
from the training on
the job
Engagement I actively participated in
the discussions.
Relevance The training equipped me
to engage in DEI
practices.
Customer
satisfaction
I am satisfied with the
overall training.
Open-ended questions
What parts of the
training were
most valuable?
What parts of the
training would
you change?

155
APPENDIX I: DELAYED-BLENDED EVALUATION INSTRUMENT (L4, L3, L2, L1)
Kirkpatrick &
Kirkpatrick Levels
Question Strongly
disagree
Disagree Agree Strongly
agree
Level 4: Results As a result of the training, I
have incorporated DEI
tools within my
workspace.
In what ways have you
observed or experienced
success toward the
organization’s goals?
Level 3: Behavior I have collaborated with
other leaders on how to
best engage in DEI
activities.
I have developed mentoring
relationships and
knowledge sharing.
Level 2: Learning I applied the DEI principles
learned in the training
program.
In what ways have you
applied DEI principles in
your workspace?
Level 1: Reaction The training program was
valuable.
Commitment (I
will do it on the
job)
The delivery and format of
the training was valuable
What parts of the
training would
you change?

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Asset Metadata

Creator Lacy-Jimenez, Alicia (author)

Core Title The underrepresentation of Black women general officers in a U.S. military reserve component

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2023-12

Publication Date 01/17/2024

Defense Date 11/02/2023

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Armed Forces,black women,Clark and Estes,DEI,Development,diversity,equity,gender discrimination,gender norms,Headquarters,inclusion,KMO,leadership,Military,OAI-PMH Harvest,officer,officer corps,racial discrimination

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Robles, Darline (committee chair), Donato, Adrian (committee member), Filback, Robert (committee member)

Creator Email alicia.lacy@yahoo.com,lacyjime@usc.edu

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