U.S. Navy — SES

Dr. Charles V. Barber

Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Department of the Navy

Posted: March 25, 2025

⚠ Key Findings

1 Appeared in a YouTube Video published by Government Matters titled: "Diversity, equity and inclusion goals a growing priority for Army, Navy". In the video he talked about making DEI a priority and how it served as a benefit to military effectiveness. He also said diversity was an imperative and it is a cultural issue. He admitted there was a specific effort to combat "underrepresentation."
2 While in the Army, he worked as a human resources professional. An article in the Diversity Professional he said: "I had the opportunity to work in every area within HR," he says. "I was in records and promotions, and that's how I got my first taste of how diversity and inclusion impacts talent management." He also said: "What I want to do is take initiatives and link them to culture". . . "That'll give the Navy an opportunity to continuously diagnose symptoms that impact diversity and inclusion, systemic inequalities and other areas that potentially impact operational readiness. Then, they'll have a get-well plan to maintain it long term."
3
In a previous role, he served as director of diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
- During his time there he contributed to 'Task Force One's' publication for increasing and implementing DEI initiatives in the Navy.
- His contributions included 50 suggestions.
4 Barber runs a YouTube channel (@dr.charlesbarber1958) where he highlights multiple videos promoting DEI. In a video titled "Racial Equity and Inclusion," Barber said: "We want the Department of the Navy to look like the representative labor force of society." "This allows us to put underrepresentation as an equity issue so we can further advance diversity through our workforce."
5
In another YouTube video, Barber made a series of comments regarding the 2020 BLM riots and race in America:
- Regarding the BLM riots, Barber excused them by saying (5 min into video) "what your seeing now is a culmination of anger over 400 years of oppression". . . "we cannot blame the black community for being angry."
- (7:50) Barber said: "with the metrics that we have right now there are indicators that point to equity gaps that has been in the moral fabric of this country for decades". . . "we have wealth gaps, employment, housing discrimination, incarceration, drug arrests, surveillance, and the list goes on and on." . . . (10:20) "all of these things point to systemic racism."
- When asked why people are rioting rather than holding peaceful protests, Barber said, "we've tried peaceful protests". . .
- Defends Colin Kaepernick kneeling, saying: "he wasn't disrespecting the flag". . . (14:50) "a lot of folks don't know about the 3rd verse in the star-spangled banner is very offensive to African Americans because if you go and you really read that verse it talks about celebrating killing African Americans."
- (28:40) "Black Lives Matter is a term to combat systemic racism". . . "the phrase All Lives Matter comes across as a gaslighting tactic, don't try to get me to question my reality as a victim."
- (35:30) "Sometimes the white Americans need to go into the black schools and need to go to the black communities and the black churches. We really need to look at those terms of integration."
- Talking to a white man, Barber said regarding the black community (36:50) "we can't do it alone, we need your help, we need you guys to free us from our fears and you guys need us to free you from your guilt." "we can work on those systems that support racism."
- (40:35) "The government has a huge role in what we're seeing right now". . . "It's up to the government to help shape the culture." "All that culture, it needs to trickle down."
- (42:05) When asked if he has inspiration to run for elected office, he said, "I think because of the past experiences that I have, I think my calling is pushing toward politics. I do have aspirations to get into politics." "Moving back home and getting involved in politics at the state level."
- When asked what his platform would be if he ran for office, he said he would "want to see what kind of culture plan I can put in place to kick start changing the culture across the state."
- (47:25) "if I don't have the right level of diversity represented in my cabinet I could most certainly develop advisory groups. . . to make sure you have the proper diversity."
- (48:30) "I would definitely like to see diversity training in school districts."
- (58:16) "because of my position, I'm actually equivalent to a 2 star general."
6
In a video recorded for a class lecture, Barber says: "I want to talk to you about how I'm planning to set up an Inclusion and Diversity program for the Dept of Defense, particularly for the Navy."
- (4:00) Barber says relating to the Navy's core values, points out they haven't been "updated in almost 30 years." He says, "what we're seeing in society today with the social issues, the injustice issues, it was high time the Navy did their part with looking at those values." "The Navy's current values were courage, honor and duty, so what we did, we made a recommendation to include the word respect" that includes "respect for diversity."
- (5:45) Regarding Succession Management, Barber said, "minority groups don't get a fair shake at development opportunities." "I want leaders to show who they have in their pipeline in terms of development, and it's my hope they will include some diversity in those folks they are mentoring."
- (9:10) On reverse mentoring: "I want senior leaders to have one on one sessions with minorities."
- (10:15) Plans to create a "culture score," with each organization to have an "action plan based on their culture score" focused on "inequalities."
7 In another video on "Inclusion Friday," Barber says: "recognize bias. . . sometimes bias manifests that contribute to systemic inequities."
8 In a video titled "Leveraging DEI to reimagine readiness and culture," Barber says, in a Navy training video: "I want you to think about the intersection of society, culture, social institutions, think about those things, this also becomes an imperative for humanity and not just an operational imperative. We've developed an innovative approach here at the Dept of the Navy, where we're able to really implement DEI across multiple organizational dynamics to include policy, talent management, operations and culture, and in doing so are we not only able to upscale our workforce, we're able to reduce underrepresentation. . . to allow us to represent underrepresentation as an equity issue."
9
Barber created the "Enduring DEI Model" for the Navy.
- Barber advocated to ensure "DEI is not just compliance based. . . but also linked to culture."
- Wants "the ability to leverage affinity groups and/or various advisory groups to help form key decisions" to "help to integrate DEI into operational functions and decisions."

Research brought to you by Restoration News. All reports are based on published news stories, public databases, or records requests that may change or be updated after publication. Restoration News makes no claims regarding the accuracy of the original news stories. For media inquiries & corrections: tips@restorethemilitary.com

Help Restore the Military

Your support funds the investigations that expose leaders undermining America's warfighting readiness. Every dollar goes toward accountability journalism.

Donate to the Mission Submit a Tip