By Jimmy Drennan

We at CIMSEC believe strongly in the value of seeking the widest possible set of perspectives to foster the discussion on securing the seas. Diversity and inclusion are woven into our identity. International maritime security is not within the purview of any one nation or group of people. All countries around the world, regardless of geography, have individual interests, and a shared interest, in a secure maritime domain. To that end, our goal is to present the most diverse array of ideas possible. In fact, we recently published a topic week featuring articles on regional maritime strategies to offer less-discussed nations and powers an opportunity to feature more prominently in our discourse.

We recognize that not all of the world’s problems can be solved with discussion, but without thoughtful discourse, solutions tend to be messy, wasteful, and sometimes tragic. Other issues facing the world today seem to be fueled by a lack of rational conversation.

Recently, we published two articles on American social issues that are a bit different than the subject matter typically seen on CIMSEC. Nevertheless, we decided to proceed because we believe the ideas can be applicable to all nations, and they represent a step forward in much needed thoughtful discourse. The fact is when the world’s premier naval service stands up a task force to combat discrimination, the topic inherently becomes a sea service issue.

Reuben Green’s “The Navy’s Perpetual Racism Problem and How to Fix It” and Bill Bray’s “Military Officers: Read Black Writers” both produced an expectedly vibrant reaction. CIMSEC will continue to seek diverse contributors to engage in conversations about race, racial inequities, and racial dynamics in the naval community. We will continue to review and publish responses to our articles, so long as they do not constitute personal attacks, hate speech, and meet basic editorial standards.

We value diversity and inclusion, and to codify that stance, we have adopted the following statement on our organizational beliefs. Of course, like everyone, we have our own opinions, but we strive to maintain a neutral tone and allow the discussion on securing the seas to take place through our community. I myself am unapologetically American, and since I believe in the virtues of the American system of government, I do not fear or loathe opinions to the contrary. I try to listen to all perspectives, and develop an informed opinion of my own. I hope our community will do the same. We will continue to publish the most diverse range of perspectives possible, so we urge our readers to move from the comment boards to the submission page.

CIMSEC Statement on Diversity and Inclusion

The ‘I’ is for International.

CIMSEC has no physical location. There is no office or headquarters, just dedicated volunteers from many backgrounds. If you are writing, speaking on or listening to one of our podcasts, attending one of our events, or  reading our articles, CIMSEC is YOU.

The “I” in CIMSEC stands for International, which can imply many things, but to us it indicates our passion for creating an inclusive platform for discussion and exchange which celebrates diverse identities, perspectives, views, voices, languages, backgrounds, and experiences. It implies our shared dependence on and responsibility for the maritime domain. Diversity and inclusion are the core principles shaping the way we build our teams, work together, and create a global and multicultural forum to foster the discussion on securing the seas.

Jimmy Drennan is the President of CIMSEC. Contact him at President@cimsec.org. 

Featured Image: EAST CHINA SEA (July 31, 2020) Master Chief Damage Controlman Lavoskia Torain, from Memphis, Tenn., left, puts a petty officer first class rank insignia on Damage Controlman 1st Class Shamar Melton, from Greensboro, N.C., as she is promoted during an advancement ceremony on board the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)

Notice: Voting has been closed

CIMSEC’s officer elections are here! Please vote on the next round of volunteers who will continue advancing CIMSEC’s priorities of shaping the discourse on maritime security and building a community of engaged thinkers. 

See the voting form and candidate bios below. Elections will close on Friday, August 21.

Jimmy Drennan

Dmitry Filipoff

Dmitry Filipoff graduated from the University of California, Merced in 2013 with a B.A. in Political Science. He has served as CIMSEC’s Director of Online Content since June 2015. 

Steph Umbert recently completed his Master of International Affairs (MIA) program at Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs (SIPA) in New York, where he Concentrated in International Security Policy and Specialized in East Asian Studies and International Conflict Resolution. His graduate studies at SIPA built on academic foundations in Economics and Political Science, in which he holds a double major Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, and Legal Studies, in which he holds a Diploma, laid prior in DC and Florida where he studied at George Washington University, the University of Miami, and American Heritage School. He also has experience in legislative politics, track-two diplomacy, and political analysis gained on Capitol Hill and on Manhattan. From his earliest days he has held and pursued, among other things, an intense interest in history, including military history, and in the broad spectrum of military affairs, from the development of technological capabilities and doctrines to the deterioration of veteran relations and regimes. He is a native of Florida born to naturalized immigrant parents and he has traveled extensively across both the Western Hemisphere and Eurasia.

Mark Jbeily 

Lieutenant (j.g.) Mark Jbeily is  currently in the naval aviation training pipeline in Kingsville, Texas. Prior to flight school, he graduated from the University of Texas and subsequently the University of Oxford with a masters in international relations. He has written for the U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings and his article entitled “An Ace For All Seasons” won first prize in the 2017 Emerging and Disruptive Technologies essay contest.

Eugene Yang

Captain Eugene Yang is an active duty Marine Infantry Officer currently stationed at Fort Meade serving as a Defensive Cyber Operations Officer. He has deployed to the East-Asia Pacific as a platoon commander with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, and served in temporary assignments with the Department of State both in Washington D.C. and abroad in China. He holds the additional military occupational specialty of China Foreign Area Officer and speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, and from the University of Oxford with a dual Master of Science in Computer Science and a Master of Business Administration in 2016. He has two publications on Natural Language Processing on the analysis of political sentiment using Twitter data. His parents immigrated to America from Taiwan in the 80s, and he was born and raised in the Bay Area of California.