New Affirmative Employment Program manager brings unique skills to Wright-Patt

88th Air Base Wing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility team

Jazmyn Turner is the newest addition to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility team at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. She serves as the Affirmative Employment Program manager.

The installation Affirmative Employment Program manager is a key position responsible for developing and implementing action plans to promote equal employment opportunity for all personnel and applicants.

“Team Wright-Patt is fortunate to have Jazmyn in this role,” said Kimberly Watson, the 88th Air Base Wing’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility chief. “Her knowledge, skills and abilities make her the perfect candidate to tackle the task of leading the Installation Barrier Analysis Working Group to identify triggers that may indeed be barriers to equal employment opportunity.”

A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Turner joined the Air Force in 2011 and attended tech schools for communication intelligence. Her first tour of duty was at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska.

In 2015, Turner arrived at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as a senior airman and worked at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center until December 2020. After separating from the Air Force that same year and becoming a civil servant, she started working on WPAFB’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team as a victim advocate.

“Jazmyn has demonstrated abilities in utilizing tools such as survey data, research and statistics to define and solve problems,” Watson said. “She has experience in creating effective working relationships with leaders and peers by using excellent communication and interpersonal skills.”

Turner said she has a passion for helping others.

“I really like helping people and making a difference,” she said. “DEIA was a good opportunity for me to spread my wings.”

As a mother to triplets (all boys) who will turn 2 years old this month, it’s not surprising Turner also wants to leave a legacy of promoting diversity, equity and inclusion for future workforces. Her husband is active duty with Space Force.

She said her new role is “very rewarding. I can see the world from someone else’s perspective” and use that knowledge to help remove employment barriers for the next generation.

“Jazmyn is enthusiastic, a team player and ready to assist Team Wright-Patt in supporting a workplace environment based on merit, dignity and respect,” Watson added.

As AEP manager, Turner works with various associated activities such as member/employee resource groups, special-emphasis programs and the Installation Barrier Analysis Working Group.

“IBAWG, for instance, is a chance for people across the installation to identify different issues that affect people differently,” she said.

MERGS also look at situations that might affect working dads, for example, or women who face challenges in getting promoted.

Turner says she wants the “generations after me to have something to look forward to … with no barriers.”

As such, she is currently working on her graduate degree in industrial and organizational psychology through American Military University.

“It’s very interesting,” she said, noting this field looks at organizational behavior, where and why unconscious biases might exist, and how leadership can affect positive change.

Turner also oversees the Special Observances Program, which recognizes significant dates such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month and Women’s History Month.

“It’s vital that we recognize and educate ourselves about different cultures that might be different than our own,” she said.

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