Appendix_A_2016_Protocols.pdf

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol A: Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps 1

DACOWITS 2016

Focus Group Protocol A:

Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps

Session Information

Location:

Date:

Time:

Facilitator:

Recorder:

Number of participants present for entire session:

Number of participants excused/reasons:

Focus Group Kickoff: Key Points to Cover

1. Welcome attendees

Thank you for taking the time to join our discussion today. Please take a minute to fill out the name tent in front of you, writing whatever name you would like to be referred to during today’s activities.

I am [INSERT NAME], and I am a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, and this is [INTRODUCE PARTNER], also a member of

DACOWITS.

We have [INSERT NAME] here with us from the DACOWITS staff.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], is with [CONTRACTOR], a research firm hired to record these sessions, and s/he is part of the DACOWITS research team.

2. Introduce DACOWITS and its purpose

DACOWITS stands for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. The Committee has been around a long time—over 60 years.

DACOWITS has put forth hundreds of recommendations to the Secretary of Defense over the years; many of these recommendations have resulted in policy changes that affect the lives of Service members.

DACOWITS’ charter is broad—to advise the Secretary of Defense on matters and policies relating to women serving in the Armed Forces.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol A: Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps 2

We are a civilian Committee, although some of us have prior military service. (MODERATOR: Do not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group;

simply state you are a veteran).

We are appointed by the Secretary of Defense. We are all volunteers and we serve without pay.

Every year, DACOWITS selects specific topics on which to prepare a report for the Secretary of Defense.

This year, the Committee is interested in hearing from you on several topics, including mentorship and the chaplain corps. [FOR MALE GROUPS: We are also meeting with groups of women.] We would like to spend some time discussing these specific topics, but we will also try to set aside some time at the end to discuss any other topics relating to women serving the military that you’d like to talk about.

3. Describe how focus group session will work

A focus group is basically just a guided discussion. As the facilitator, I have a set of scripted questions that I’d like to cover today, but we would like to encourage open conversation. Our note taker serves as a recorder. S/he will generate a transcript of our discussion but will not take down anyone’s name.

The session will last approximately 90 minutes, and we will not take a formal break. Restrooms are located [INSERT RESTROOM LOCATION]. Please don’t hesitate to step out at any time for whatever reason.

We consider you the experts on this topic; your opinions and attitudes are important to us.

While we would like to hear from everyone, feel free to answer as many or as few questions as you prefer.

4. Explain ground rules

Please speak clearly and one at a time to make sure our note taker can capture everything that you say.

There are no right or wrong answers.

We want to hear the good and the bad.

We respect and value differences of opinion.

Please avoid sidebar conversations.

I want to make sure we cover all our questions today. If I feel we’ve covered a topic, I’ll move us along.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], will also make sure we’re sticking to the schedule and will remind me if we need to move on to the next question.

5. Emphasize that participation is voluntary and that privacy and confidentiality will be maintained

Your participation in this session is completely voluntary.

If you would prefer to excuse yourself from the focus group at any time, you are free to do so.

If there are any questions you don’t want to answer for whatever reason, please feel free to pass.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol A: Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps 3

We treat the information you share as confidential. That means we will protect your confidentiality to the extent allowable by law. We will not reveal the names of study participants, and no information will be reported that can identify you. In fact, all members of the DACOWITS research team (members and staff) have signed agreements pledging to safeguard the confidentiality of the information we gather during these sessions.

Your name will not be linked to your answers or to any comments you make during the discussion.

There are some behaviors that we are required to report. If we learn that you are being hurt or plan on hurting yourself or others, or others are being hurt or plan on hurting themselves or others, the law requires that we share this information with someone who can help and the appropriate authority.

Because this is a group meeting, it is important that each of you agree to respect and protect each other’s privacy. We expect you to keep any information you hear today in the strictest of confidence and not discuss it with anyone outside of this group. We also expect you not to share the identity of other participants with anyone outside of this group.

We will begin by passing out a couple of short forms.

▪ The first is a participant rights form for you to read. If you do not agree to the terms in the form, we will not be able to include you in the group today. If you stay for the group discussion, this will indicate your consent.

▪ The second is a short mini-survey that we ask you to complete anonymously. Please do not include your name. This mini-survey allows us to compile data on the number and kinds of participants we spoke with during our site visits. Because the mini-survey is anonymous, we will not be able to link any responses you make during the discussion today with your responses to the mini-survey. Please be sure to fill out the front and the back of the form.

After all of the focus groups at this and other sites we’re visiting this year have been completed, our staff will compile the results into a report that we use in writing our annual report to the Secretary of Defense. [SHOW COPY OF 2015 REPORT] Copies of our annual reports are available on the web at dacowits.defense.gov. The focus group report compiles responses by broad categories only, such as female junior officers or male senior enlisted.

Warm-Up/Introductions

1. Before we get started with our discussion about mentorship and the Chaplain Corps, let us tell you a bit about ourselves (short introduction from DACOWITS members; e.g., My name is [NAME] and I’m from [LOCATION]. I am a [RETIRED SERVICE MEMBER/CURRENT OCCUPATION]). (MODERATOR: Do not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group; simply state you are a veteran).

Now, let’s go around the room and have each of you tell us: [MODERATOR: Ask all these at once]

▪ How many years you’ve served in the military

▪ Your job in the military

▪ How long you’ve been with your current unit

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol A: Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps 4

Mentorship

Let’s begin by talking about mentorship. This is something the Committee has heard a lot about in past years. Many people have mentors or serve as mentors to others at different points in their lives. Today, we want to learn about your experiences with mentorship. As we proceed through the discussion, you are welcome to share any personal experiences you may have with mentorship if you feel comfortable doing so, but you don’t have to share your personal experiences if you don’t wish to do so.

2. When you hear the term mentorship, what comes to mind?

a. What are some of the things that mentors do for people?

b. Are the roles the same in every mentor-mentee/protégé relationship?

c. Do people typically have one mentor or do they go to multiple people for different needs?

d. How does the idea of mentorship differ by generation?

e. How do mentors differ from sponsors? If so, how?

Mentorship means different things to different people, but can generally be defined as a relationship where a person with more experience and wisdom (the mentor) assists a person with less experience and wisdom (the mentee/protégé) by providing advice and counsel on personal and professional issues.

This relationship can be formal or informal and can include a senior and a junior level person or can be peer-to-peer.

3. Thinking about this definition, by a show of hands, how many of you have ever had a mentor?

[NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

a. And how many of you have ever served as a mentor to someone? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

b. For those of you don’t have a mentor right now, how many of you are interested in having one? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

4. What makes for a good or bad mentor-mentee/protégé relationship?

a. What makes a person a good mentor?

i. In what ways should the mentor be similar to the mentee/protégé (e.g., age, career field, gender, life experiences)? In what ways should they be different?

ii. [IF NOT PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED:] Does it make a difference if the mentor and mentee/protégé are the same or different gender?

− What are some benefits and challenges of having the mentor and mentee/protégé be the same gender?

b. What characteristics would make a person a bad mentor?

c. Now, let’s switch gears a bit and talk about the mentee/protégé. What makes a person a good mentee/protégé?

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol A: Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps 5

Next, let’s talk about the structure of the mentorship relationship. There are different ways that mentorship relationships can be set up. There are more formal relationships that might be required by the Service branch, with the mentor and mentee/protégé assigned by someone else, regularly scheduled times to meet, and a formal relationship agreement signed by both parties. There are also informal relationships, where a junior Service member typically goes to someone more senior than them or more experienced in their career field for advice when the need arises.

5. What are some situations where a more formal mentor-mentee/protégé relationship would be best? When would informal relationships be best?

a. What are some benefits and challenges of each?

6. If you could develop a mentorship program for the current generation of Service members, what would it look like?

a. Would it be a Service-wide program or something at the unit- or career field-level?

b. How would mentees/protégé and mentors be matched (e.g., by age, by gender)?

c. What activities/interactions would be encouraged?

d. What guidance/training should be given to mentors?

e. Should anything be mandatory?

The Chaplain Corps

Next, we’d like to switch topics and talk about military chaplains. We understand that you may have a wide range of personal interactions with chaplains; some of you might turn to chaplains regularly and others may not at all—we want to hear all points of view. Some of you may belong to congregations off of the installation—but today, we’re focusing on the military chaplains. As we proceed through the discussion, you’re welcome to share any personal experiences you may have with chaplains if you feel comfortable doing so, but you don’t have to share personal experiences if you do not wish to do so.

7. In your opinion, what is the role of a chaplain in the military?

Research has shown that people today are less religious than past generations. Do you think chaplains meet the needs of today’s Service members? If not, how should the role of the chaplain be different? As you may know, chaplains are the religious leaders of the military but they also serve non-religious roles as well. The chaplain's responsibilities include everything from performing religious rites and conducting worship services to providing confidential counseling and advising commanders on religious, spiritual, and moral matters.

8. By a show of hands, how many of you know who the chaplain is for your unit? [NOTE TAKERS:

Count the number of hands]

9. Also by a show of hands, how many of you have had one-on-one experience with a chaplain, either in your current command or in a previous command? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

a. Also by a show of hands, how many of you have ever been in a command that had a female chaplain? Please tell us more about your experiences. [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol A: Mentorship and the Chaplain Corps 6

10. A few moments ago we provided some examples of the ways Service members and chaplains might interact.

a. What are some of the main reasons Service members may want to talk to a chaplain? Why might they not want to talk to a chaplain?

11. In your opinion, what are some ways, if any, that female chaplains may be perceived differently than male chaplains? Please explain.

a. In what situations, if any, might a female chaplain be preferable to a male chaplain?

b. In what situations, if any, might a male chaplain be preferred?

12. How, if at all, do chaplains influence or support Service members, commanders, and the overall command climate?

13. As you may have heard, women are being integrated into certain units and positions for the first time—primarily in combat roles. What role can or should chaplains play in the gender integration efforts of these newly opened units and positions/billets?

a. Do you believe there should be more women serving as chaplains? Please explain why or why not.

General Questions

We’re also interested in hearing about other issues that may affect women in the military that we haven’t yet discussed. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about with us? We may use your ideas as future topics of DACOWITS research.

14. What do you feel is the biggest challenge to women serving in the military today?

15. If you could send one recommendation back to the Secretary of Defense, what would it be?

[MODERATOR: Reinforce confidentiality] We will keep your information confidential—please do so as well by not sharing what you heard with anyone else.

This concludes our discussion. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. Your thoughts are valuable to our efforts to inform the Secretary of Defense on these matters.

Once again, thank you very much.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol B2: Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication 1

Focus Group Protocol B:

Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication

Session Information

Location:

Date:

Time:

Facilitator:

Recorder:

Number of participants present for entire session:

Number of participants excused/reasons:

Focus Group Kickoff: Key Points to Cover

1. Welcome attendees

Thank you for taking the time to join our discussion today. Please take a minute to fill out the name tent in front of you, writing whatever name you would like to be referred to during today’s activities.

I am [INSERT NAME], and I am a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, and this is [INTRODUCE PARTNER], also a member of

DACOWITS.

We have [INSERT NAME] here with us from the DACOWITS staff.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], is with [CONTRACTOR], a research firm hired to record these sessions, and s/he is part of the DACOWITS research team.

2. Introduce DACOWITS and its purpose

DACOWITS stands for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. The Committee has been around a long time—over 60 years.

DACOWITS has put forth hundreds of recommendations to the Secretary of Defense over the years; many of these recommendations have resulted in policy changes that affect the lives of Service members.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol B2: Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication 2 not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group;

simply state you are a veteran).

We are appointed by the Secretary of Defense. We are all volunteers and we serve without pay.

Every year, DACOWITS selects specific topics on which to prepare a report for the Secretary of Defense.

This year, the Committee is interested in hearing from you on several topics, including gender integration and how you receive information. [FOR MALE GROUPS: We are also meeting with groups of women]. We would like to spend some time discussing these specific topics, but we will also try to set aside some time at the end to discuss any other topics that you’d like to talk about relating to women serving in the military.

3. Describe how focus group session will work

A focus group is basically just a guided discussion. As the facilitator, I have a set of scripted questions that I’d like to cover today, but we would like to encourage open conversation. Our note taker serves as a recorder. S/he will generate a transcript of our discussion but will not take down anyone’s name.

The session will last approximately 90 minutes, and we will not take a formal break. Restrooms are located [INSERT RESTROOM LOCATION]. Please don’t hesitate to step out at any time for whatever reason.

We consider you the experts on this topic; your opinions and attitudes are important to us.

While we would like to hear from everyone, feel free to answer as many or as few questions as you prefer.

4. Explain ground rules

Please speak clearly and one at a time to make sure our note taker can capture everything that you say.

There are no right or wrong answers.

We want to hear the good and the bad.

We respect and value differences of opinion.

Please avoid sidebar conversations.

I want to make sure we cover all our questions today. If I feel we’ve covered a topic, I’ll move us along.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], will also make sure we are sticking to the schedule and will remind me if we need to move on to the next question.

5. Emphasize that participation is voluntary and that privacy and confidentiality will be maintained

Your participation in this session is completely voluntary.

If you would prefer to excuse yourself from the focus group at any time, you are free to do so.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol B2: Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication 3 pass.

We treat the information you share as confidential. That means we will protect your confidentiality to the extent allowable by law. We will not reveal the names of study participants, and no information will be reported that can identify you. In fact, all members of the DACOWITS research team (members and staff) have signed agreements pledging to safeguard the confidentiality of the information we gather during these sessions.

Your name will not be linked to your answers or to any comments you make during the discussion.

There are some behaviors that we are required to report. If we learn that you are being hurt or plan on hurting yourself or others, or others are being hurt or plan on hurting themselves or others, the law requires that we share this information with someone who can help and the appropriate authority.

Because this is a group meeting, it is important that each of you agree to respect and protect each other’s privacy. We expect you to keep any information you hear today in the strictest of confidence and not discuss it with anyone outside of this group. We also expect you not to share the identity of other participants with anyone outside of this group.

In front of you are a couple of forms.

▪ The first is a participant rights form for you to read. You do not need to sign this form. If you do not agree to the terms in the form, we will not be able to include you in the group today.

If you stay for the group discussion, this will indicate your consent.

▪ The second is a short mini-survey that we ask you to complete anonymously. Please do not include your name. This mini-survey allows us to compile data on the number and kinds of participants we spoke with during our site visits. Because the mini-survey is anonymous, we will not be able to link any responses you make during the discussion today with your responses to the mini-survey. Please be sure to fill out the front and the back of the form.

After all of the focus groups at this and other sites we’re visiting this year have been completed, our staff will compile the results into a report that we use in writing our annual report to the Secretary of Defense. [SHOW COPY OF 2015 REPORT] Copies of our annual reports are available on the web at dacowits.defense.gov. The focus group report compiles responses by broad categories only, such as female junior officers or male senior enlisted.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol B2: Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication 4

Warm-Up/Introductions

1. Before we get started with our discussion about career progression, let us tell you a bit about ourselves (short introduction from DACOWITS members; e.g., My name is [NAME] and I’m from [LOCATION]. I am a [RETIRED SERVICE MEMBER/CURRENT OCCUPATION]). (MODERATOR: Do not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group; simply state you are a veteran).

Now, let’s go around the room and have each of you tell us: [MODERATOR: Ask all these at once]

▪ How many years you’ve served in the military

▪ Your job in the military

▪ How long you’ve been with your current unit

Successful Gender Integration

To get started, we would like to talk about gender integration and hear your thoughts about efforts to integrate women into previously closed positions/billets and units.

2. By a quick show of hands, who here is working or has worked in a unit where women are being integrated into certain positions/billets for the first time? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

a. [PROBE IF RELEVANT:] For those who have had experience with gender integration in a previous unit, can you tell us more about that experience (e.g., when was it, what type of unit)?

We realize that, in our focus groups, some people will have personal knowledge of how this is going from working in recently integrated units, and others will not—but that’s OK. Regardless of whether you have direct experience, gender integration is a military-wide issue and we want to hear your general reactions and impressions.

3. On December 3, 2015 the Secretary of Defense announced his decision to open all combat positions to women. How did you first hear about this official decision?

4. We realize that the official announcement about full gender integration was issued very recently, but we’d like to know if you’ve seen any early signs of progress or change. What changes have you noticed in your unit or Service since December 3rd, if any?

[PROBE IF NEEDED:] Changes in leadership? Training? Recruitment? Employment?

a. Even if you haven’t seen any changes yet, what have you heard about plans to make changes?

b. What changes would you expect to see by now?

5. What kinds of barriers do you think women face in successfully integrating into newly opened units and positions/billets?

a. Thinking about your Service, what barriers are there on an institutional level around preparing for gender integration?

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol B2: Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication 5

b. [PROBE IF NEEDED:] Military culture? Structural barriers like berthing space? Stereotypical gender expectations, such as men feeling they need to protect women?

Strategic Communication: Impact, Effectiveness, and Channels

Next I want to talk about communications and messages around gender integration. The Committee is interested in the different methods you use for communicating with your peers in your unit, your command, and your Service. We are also interested in how your peers, your command, and your Service communicate with you. We want to learn what methods are most effective and which are least effective.

6. In the military, who communicates with you about the full integration of women, and how do they do it?

[PROBE IF NEEDED:] Do you receive information from your command? Your Service? DoD? Others?

a. What is the message(s) or image(s) being communicated?

b. Are the messages positive, negative, or both?

c. Which methods of communication are most effective? Which are least effective?

d. Which do you trust most? Are there any that you do not trust?

e. If you were looking for information about the full integration of women in the military, where would you go and why?

7. What are you hearing about possible changes to the standards or training requirements for units and positions that are being opened to women for the first time?

a. Where did you get that information?

i. How accurate do you think the information is?

b. Who do trust for accurate information about this issue?

c. Has your command done anything to address rumors on this topic?

8. In your opinion, are there differences between physical fitness standards and occupational standards? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

9. What have you heard about the new gender-neutral standards that have been developed for each occupational specialty in the military?

10. Have you received any official communication from your Service or command on your new standards?

Just to make sure we are on the same page, physical fitness standards are used to assess Service members’ fitness levels as it relates to their general health and wellness. Occupational standards however are different for each job in the military and are driven by the physical requirements of the job-related tasks. Over the past several years, each Service has been working to generate gender-neutral occupational standards for each occupational specialty.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol B2: Successful Gender Integration and Strategic Communication 6

11. If you were looking for information about your Service’s gender implementation plans, where would you go and why?

Next let’s talk about communication in a broader sense.

12. What are all the ways you communicate with people in your unit and command and how do they communicate with you?

a. How do communication methods differ by generation?

b. Which methods are most and least effective, and when?

13. How, if at all, does communication influence unit cohesion, morale, and pride?

14. To wrap up, we’ve talked a lot about communications and messages surrounding some controversial topics. What recommendations, if any, do you have to improve how information on these topics is communicated?

General Questions

We’re also interested in hearing about other issues that may affect women in the military that we haven’t yet discussed. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about with us? We may use your ideas as future topics of DACOWITS research.

15. What do you feel is the biggest challenge to women serving in the military today?

16. If you could send one recommendation back to the Secretary of Defense, what would it be?

[MODERATOR: Reinforce confidentiality] We will keep your information confidential—please do so as well by not sharing what you heard with anyone else.

This concludes our discussion. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. Your

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol C: Discussion Guide for Leaders/Trainers: Successful Gender Integration 1

Focus Group Protocol C:

Discussion Guide for Leaders/Trainers on Successful Gender

Integration Session Information

Location:

Date:

Time:

Facilitator:

Recorder:

Number of participants present for entire session:

Number of participants excused/reasons:

Focus Group Kickoff: Key Points to Cover

1. Welcome attendees

Thank you for taking the time to join our discussion today. Please take a minute to fill out the name tent in front of you, writing whatever name you would like to be referred to during today’s activities.

I am [INSERT NAME], and I am a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, and this is [INTRODUCE PARTNER], also a member of

DACOWITS.

We have [INSERT NAME] here with us from the DACOWITS staff.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], is with [CONTRACTOR], a research firm hired to record these sessions, and s/he is part of the DACOWITS research team.

2. Introduce DACOWITS and its purpose

DACOWITS stands for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. The Committee has been around a long time—over 60 years.

DACOWITS has put forth hundreds of recommendations to the Secretary of Defense over the years; many of these recommendations have resulted in policy changes that affect the lives of Service members.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol C: Discussion Guide for Leaders/Trainers: Successful Gender Integration 2 not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group;

simply state you are a veteran).

We are appointed by the Secretary of Defense. We are all volunteers and we serve without pay.

Every year, DACOWITS selects specific topics on which to prepare a report for the Secretary of Defense.

This year, the Committee is interested in hearing from leaders like you about gender integration.

We will also try to set aside some time at the end to discuss any other topics that you’d like to talk about relating to women serving in the military.

In addition to this focus group with leaders, we are conducting focus groups on a range of other topics with groups of men and women of varying ranks at this installation. [If ASKED: Topics for those groups will include strategic communications, gender integration, the chaplain corps, and mentorship].

3. Describe how focus group session will work

A focus group is basically just a guided discussion. As the facilitator, I have a set of scripted questions that I’d like to cover today, but we would like to encourage open conversation. Our note taker serves as a recorder. S/he will generate a transcript of our discussion but will not take down anyone’s name.

The session will last approximately 60 minutes, and we will not take a formal break. Restrooms are located [INSERT RESTROOM LOCATION]. Please don’t hesitate to step out at any time for whatever reason.

We consider you the experts on this topic; your opinions and attitudes are important to us.

While we would like to hear from everyone, feel free to answer as many or as few questions as you prefer.

4. Explain ground rules

Please speak clearly and one at a time to make sure our note taker can capture everything that you say.

There are no right or wrong answers.

We want to hear the good and the bad.

We respect and value differences of opinion.

Please avoid sidebar conversations.

I want to make sure we cover all our questions today. If I feel we’ve covered a topic, I’ll move us along.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], will also make sure we are sticking to the schedule and will remind me if we need to move on to the next question.

5. Emphasize that participation is voluntary and that privacy and confidentiality will be maintained

Your participation in this session is completely voluntary.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol C: Discussion Guide for Leaders/Trainers: Successful Gender Integration 3

If you would prefer to excuse yourself from the focus group at any time, you are free to do so.

If there are any questions you don’t want to answer for whatever reason, please feel free to pass.

We treat the information you share as confidential. That means we will protect your confidentiality to the extent allowable by law. We will not reveal the names of study participants, and no information will be reported that can identify you. In fact, all members of the DACOWITS research team (members and staff) have signed agreements pledging to safeguard the confidentiality of the information we gather during these sessions.

Your name will not be linked to your answers or to any comments you make during the discussion.

There are some behaviors that we are required to report. If we learn that you are being hurt or plan on hurting yourself or others, or others are being hurt or plan on hurting themselves or others, the law requires that we share this information with someone who can help and the appropriate authority.

If you would like to speak with your installation’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, s/he is available to speak with you during or after our focus group session. You are also able to contact the DoD Safe Helpline by visiting safehelpline.org or calling 1-877-995-5247.

Because this is a group meeting, it is important that each of you agree to respect and protect each other’s privacy. We expect you to keep any information you hear today in the strictest of confidence and not discuss it with anyone outside of this group. We also expect you not to share the identity of other participants with anyone outside of this group.

In front of you are a couple of forms.

▪ The first is a participant rights form for you to read. You do not need to sign this form. If you do not agree to the terms in the form, we will not be able to include you in the group today.

If you stay for the group discussion, this will indicate your consent.

▪ The second is a short mini-survey that we ask you to complete anonymously. Please do not include your name. This mini-survey allows us to compile data on the number and kinds of participants we spoke with during our site visits. Because the mini-survey is anonymous, we will not be able to link any responses you make during the discussion today with your responses to the mini-survey. Please be sure to fill out the front and the back of the form.

After all of the focus groups at this and other sites we’re visiting this year have been completed, our staff will compile the results into a report that we use in writing our annual report to the Secretary of Defense. [SHOW COPY OF 2015 REPORT] Copies of our annual reports are available on the web at dacowits.defense.gov. The focus group report compiles responses by broad categories only, such as female junior officers or male senior enlisted.

Introduction

As everyone here knows, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced his decision to open all previously closed U.S. military units and positions to women on December 3, 2015. The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, has been following this issue closely for several years. We’ve received briefings and written responses on this topic from each of the Services, and we’ve conducted focus groups with military men and women from all ranks and branches regarding

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol C: Discussion Guide for Leaders/Trainers: Successful Gender Integration 4 gender integration. Now that the decision has been made and full gender integration is moving forward, we’d like to hear from the people charged with making it happen. We specifically chose to visit this installation because of its role in training the first generation of female [INSERT NAME OF NEWLY OPENED POSITION/UNIT], and we specifically asked to speak with you because of your leadership role in this process. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to share your perspectives with us.

1. Before we get started, let’s do some introductions. My name is [NAME] and I’m from [LOCATION]. I am a [RETIRED SERVICE MEMBER/CURRENT OCCUPATION]). (MODERATOR: Do not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group;

simply state you are a veteran).

2. Now, let’s go around the room and have each of you tell us: [MODERATOR: Ask all these at once]

a. How many years you’ve served in the military

b. Your job in the military

c. Briefly talk about your job/unit and how you are contributing to gender integration efforts

Successful Gender Integration

Thank you. It sounds like you will all have very interesting perspectives to share. To start off, I’d like you to think back to when you first found out about the Secretary of Defense’s decision to open all previously closed units and positions.

3. As best you can recall, what was the first “official” communication you received from your command related to Secretary of Defense’s decision to open all combat positions to women?

a. Who did you hear from? How and when did you hear from them?

b. What was the message in this initial communication?

4. How about the first official plans you received related to the gender integration announcement?

What can you tell me about those?

a. Who did the plans come from?

b. What did they entail?

5. As far as you can tell, do women in your unit and Service branch seem interested in integrating into newly opened units and positions? Please describe their level of interest for me.

6. What kind of support are you currently receiving to carry out your Service’s gender integration plans?

a. How is your leadership helping with this process? What kinds of resources do they provide?

b. How are your peers helping with this process? What kinds of resources do they provide?

c. [IF RELEVANT FOR TRAINERS:] How are the people who report to you helping with this process?

d. Is there anything else about your Service branch or unit that is making your job easier? Does anything about military culture make it easier?

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol C: Discussion Guide for Leaders/Trainers: Successful Gender Integration 5

7. What barriers or challenges do you currently face in carrying out gender integration plans?

a. Are you receiving any pushback? From whom/what? What kind? This might include pushback from individual people or groups, or at the Service level.

b. Does military culture pose a barrier in any way? This could include structural barriers, such as berthing space, or stereotypical gender expectations, like men feeling they need to protect women.

8. In your unit, what have the conversations been like surrounding the new gender-neutral occupational standards?

a. How informed do you feel about these new standards?

b. Have you been hearing questions from people in your unit about these standards?

c. What is being done to address rumors related to occupational standards?

[MODERATOR: Explain if needed] Just to make sure we are on the same page, physical fitness standards are used to assess Service members’ fitness levels as it relates to their general health and wellness.

Occupational standards however are different for each job in the military and are driven by the physical requirements of the job-related tasks. Over the past several years, each Service has been working to generate gender-neutral occupational standards for each occupational specialty.

9. Would you say your command is doing everything in its power to make gender integration successful? Why or why not?

a. What could your command do to better support you in your role?

b. What could DoD do to better support you in your role?

General Questions

We’re also interested in hearing about other issues that may affect women in the military that we haven’t yet discussed. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about with us? We may use your ideas as future topics of DACOWITS research.

10. What do you feel is the biggest challenge to women serving in the military today?

11. If you could send one recommendation back to the Secretary of Defense, what would it be?

[MODERATOR: Reinforce confidentiality] We will keep your information confidential—please do so as well by not sharing what you heard with anyone else.

This concludes our discussion. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. Your

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol D: Mentorship 1

Focus Group Protocol D:

Mentorship

Session Information

Location:

Date:

Time:

Facilitator:

Recorder:

Number of participants present for entire session:

Number of participants excused/reasons:

Focus Group Kickoff: Key Points to Cover

1. Welcome attendees

Thank you for taking the time to join our discussion today. Please take a minute to fill out the name tent in front of you, writing whatever name you would like to be referred to during today’s activities.

I am [INSERT NAME], and I am a member of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, and this is [INTRODUCE PARTNER], also a member of

DACOWITS.

We have [INSERT NAME] here with us from the DACOWITS staff.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], is with [CONTRACTOR], a research firm hired to record these sessions, and s/he is part of the DACOWITS research team.

2. Introduce DACOWITS and its purpose

DACOWITS stands for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. The Committee has been around a long time—over 60 years.

DACOWITS has put forth hundreds of recommendations to the Secretary of Defense over the years; many of these recommendations have resulted in policy changes that affect the lives of Service members.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol D: Mentorship 2 not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group;

simply state you are a veteran).

We are appointed by the Secretary of Defense. We are all volunteers and we serve without pay.

Every year, DACOWITS selects specific topics on which to prepare a report for the Secretary of Defense.

This year, the Committee is interested in hearing from you about mentorship. [FOR MALE GROUPS: We are also meeting with groups of women.] We would like to spend some time discussing these specific topics, but we will also try to set aside some time at the end to discuss any other topics relating to women serving the military that you’d like to talk about.

3. Describe how focus group session will work

A focus group is basically just a guided discussion. As the facilitator, I have a set of scripted questions that I’d like to cover today, but we would like to encourage open conversation. Our note taker serves as a recorder. S/he will generate a transcript of our discussion but will not take down anyone’s name.

The session will last approximately 60 minutes, and we will not take a formal break. Restrooms are located [INSERT RESTROOM LOCATION]. Please don’t hesitate to step out at any time for whatever reason.

We consider you the experts on this topic; your opinions and attitudes are important to us.

While we would like to hear from everyone, feel free to answer as many or as few questions as you prefer.

4. Explain ground rules

Please speak clearly and one at a time to make sure our note taker can capture everything that you say.

There are no right or wrong answers.

We want to hear the good and the bad.

We respect and value differences of opinion.

Please avoid sidebar conversations.

I want to make sure we cover all our questions today. If I feel we’ve covered a topic, I’ll move us along.

Our note taker, [INSERT NAME], will also make sure we’re sticking to the schedule and will remind me if we need to move on to the next question.

5. Emphasize that participation is voluntary and that privacy and confidentiality will be maintained

Your participation in this session is completely voluntary.

If you would prefer to excuse yourself from the focus group at any time, you are free to do so.

pass.

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol D: Mentorship 3

We treat the information you share as confidential. That means we will protect your confidentiality to the extent allowable by law. We will not reveal the names of study participants, and no information will be reported that can identify you or your family. In fact, all members of the DACOWITS research team (members and staff) have signed agreements pledging to safeguard the confidentiality of the information we gather during these sessions.

Your name will not be linked to your answers or to any comments you make during the discussion.

There are some behaviors that we are required to report. If we learn that you are being hurt or plan on hurting yourself or others, or others are being hurt or plan on hurting themselves or others, the law requires that we share this information with someone who can help and the appropriate authority.

If you would like to speak with your installation’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, s/he is available to speak with you during or after our focus group session [INSERT NAME AND PHONE NUMBER]. You are also able to contact the DoD Safe Helpline by visiting safehelpline.org or calling 1-877-995-5247.

Because this is a group meeting, it is important that each of you agree to respect and protect each other’s privacy. We expect you to keep any information you hear today in the strictest of confidence and not discuss it with anyone outside of this group. We also expect you not to share the identity of other participants with anyone outside of this group.

We will begin by passing out a couple of short forms.

▪ The first is a participant rights form for you to read. If you do not agree to the terms in the form, we will not be able to include you in the group today. If you stay for the group discussion, this will indicate your consent.

▪ The second is a short mini-survey that we ask you to complete anonymously. Please do not include your name. This mini-survey allows us to compile data on the number and kinds of participants we spoke with during our site visits. Because the mini-survey is anonymous, we will not be able to link any responses you make during the discussion today with your responses to the mini-survey. Please be sure to fill out the front and the back of the form.

After all of the focus groups at this and other sites we’re visiting this year have been completed, our staff will compile the results into a report that we use in writing our annual report to the Secretary of Defense. [SHOW COPY OF 2015 REPORT] Copies of our annual reports are available on the web at dacowits.defense.gov. The focus group report compiles responses by broad categories only, such as female junior officers or male senior enlisted.

Warm-Up/Introductions

1. Before we get started with our discussion about mentorship and the Chaplain Corps, let us tell you a bit about ourselves (short introduction from DACOWITS members; e.g., My name is [NAME] and I’m from [LOCATION]. I am a [RETIRED SERVICE MEMBER/CURRENT OCCUPATION]). (MODERATOR: Do not share whether you were prior enlisted/officer or your former rank/title with the group; simply state you are a veteran).

Now, let’s go around the room and have each of you tell us: [MODERATOR: Ask all these at once]

▪ How many years you’ve served in the military

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol D: Mentorship 4

▪ Your job in the military

▪ How long you’ve been with your current unit

Mentorship

Let’s begin by talking about mentorship. This is something the Committee has heard a lot about in past years. Many people have mentors or serve as mentors to others at different points in their lives. Today, we want to learn about your experiences with mentorship. As we proceed through the discussion, you are welcome to share any personal experiences you may have with mentorship if you feel comfortable doing so, but you don’t have to share your personal experiences if you don’t wish to do so.

2. When you hear the term mentorship, what comes to mind?

a. What are some of the things that mentors do for people?

b. Are the roles the same in every mentor-mentee/protégé relationship?

c. Do people typically have one mentor or do they go to multiple people for different needs?

d. How does the idea of mentorship differ by generation?

e. How do mentors differ from sponsors? If so, how?

Mentorship means different things to different people, but can generally be defined as a relationship where a person with more experience and wisdom (the mentor) assists a person with less experience and wisdom (the mentee/protégé) by providing advice and counsel on personal and professional issues.

This relationship can be formal or informal and can include a senior and a junior level person or can be peer-to-peer.

3. Thinking about this definition, by a show of hands, how many of you have ever had a mentor?

[NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

a. And how many of you have ever served as a mentor to someone? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

b. For those of you don’t have a mentor right now, how many of you are interested in having one? [NOTE TAKERS: Count the number of hands]

4. What makes for a good or bad mentor-mentee/protégé relationship?

a. What makes a person a good mentor?

i. In what ways should the mentor be similar to the mentee/protégé (e.g., age, career field, gender, life experiences)? In what ways should they be different?

ii. [IF NOT PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED:] Does it make a difference if the mentor and mentee/protégé are the same or different gender?

− What are some benefits and challenges of having the mentor and mentee/protégé be the same gender?

b. What characteristics would make a person a bad mentor?

DACOWITS 2016 Focus Group Protocol D: Mentorship 5

c. Now, let’s switch gears a bit and talk about the mentee/protégé. What makes a person a good mentee/protégé?

Next, let’s talk about the structure of the mentorship relationship. There are different ways that mentorship relationships can be set up. There are more formal relationships that might be required by the Service branch, with the mentor and mentee/protégé assigned by someone else, regularly scheduled times to meet, and a formal relationship agreement signed by both parties. There are also informal relationships, where a junior Service member typically goes to someone more senior than them or more experienced in their career field for advice when the need arises.

5. What are some situations where a more formal mentor-mentee/protégé relationship would be best? When would informal relationships be best?

a. What are some benefits and challenges of each?

6. If you could develop a mentorship program for the current generation of Service members, what would it look like?

a. Would it be a Service-wide program or something at the unit- or career field-level?

b. How would mentees/protégé and mentors be matched (e.g., by age, by gender)?

c. What activities/interactions would be encouraged?

d. What guidance/training should be given to mentors?

e. Should anything be mandatory?

General Questions

We’re also interested in hearing about other issues that may affect women in the military that we haven’t yet discussed. Is there anything else you’d like to talk about with us? We may use your ideas as future topics of DACOWITS research.

7. What do you feel is the biggest challenge to women serving in the military today?

8. If you could send one recommendation back…