84 TH GRAND CHAPTER MEETING: MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
The Honorable Ryan D. McCarthy, Acting Secretary of the United States Army addresses Kappa Alpha Psi ® during the Second Business Session of the 84 th Grand Chapter Meeting. T he Military and Veterans Af- fairs Commission under the leadership of Brother Major General (Ret.) “Peet” Proctor executed a mission no other Divine Nine entity accomplished in their
an earlier meeting to discuss branding opportunities, diversification, recruit- ment methods and strategies within the Army ranks. Brother Dr. Samuel Odom raised two important ques- tions with Secretary McCarthy which helped to better understand the im- portance of diversity within the officer ranks of the United States Army. He was asked as Secretary of the Army, how do you influence and ensure the “pipeline” for minority officers within the US Army ranks to become a General officer remain open and viable for the next cohort (10 - 20 years ahead) of General Officers in the United States Army? Secretary McCarthy specified that “the Army takes every effort to deliver the right Soldier, to the right assign- ment, at the right time. To do this we have to recognize that every Soldier has a different background, culture, and thought process from which they can draw. When these separate differences are combined and work together, it contributes to an adaptive,
culturally astute Army that further enhances our capabilities around the world.” The Secretary was also asked what does the proposal sound look like on paper and what does the execution look like in ‘real time’ regarding diver- sity within the officer ranks leading up to General officer in the United States Army? Secretary McCarthy acknowl- edged that “the 2019 National De- fense Authorization Act granted nine new authorities that provide the Army flexibility to determine the character- istics of a future talent based system. This represents the greatest expansion of authorities to the Army since the Defense Officer Personnel Manage- ment Act (DOPMA) and the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act (ROPMA) in 1980. The Army is undergoing the most comprehensive reform of its officer personnel systems since the Officer Personnel Act of 1947. By better understanding the talent of our workforce and the talent needed for mission success, the Army can deliver the right officer, to the
history. Brother Cadet Jeremiah Pasley, a Spring 2019 initiate of the Univer- sity of Alabama Chapter, the Eta Chi of Kappa Alpha Psi was presented a $98,000 Army ROTC Scholarship from the United States Army Cadet Command by The Honorable Ryan D. McCarthy, Acting Secretary of the U.S. Army, during the second busi- ness session of the 84 th Grand Chapter Meeting. During the scholarship pre- sentation, Brother Cadet Pasley was accompanied by his fellow chapter brother General Counsel Cleophus Thomas, Jr., Esq., (Eta Chi 1974). Specifically the instrumental ef- forts led by the 66 th Inspector General of the U.S. Army, Brother Lieutenant General Leslie C. Smith, Kappa Alpha Psi successfully hosted Secretary Mc- Carthy. Secretary McCarthy met with the leadership of Kappa Alpha Psi in
84 | FALL 2019 ♦ THE JOURNAL
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