The Pentagon’s inspector common on Thursday reported {that a} former senior profession Protection Division official, now employed by the Workplace of Personnel Administration, used racial slurs, sexually harassed feminine workers and drank throughout work hours, creating an “offensive work surroundings” for his subordinates.
Douglas Glenn, a profession member of the Senior Govt Service, joined the Protection Division as its assistant deputy chief monetary officer in 2018 earlier than being promoted to deputy chief monetary officer in 2020, and from January till April 2021, he quickly carried out the duties of the undersecretary of Protection (comptroller). In November 2021, he transferred to OPM, the place he serves because the company’s chief monetary officer.
The Protection Division Inspector Basic’s report investigates a number of nameless complaints about Glenn’s conduct within the office, cataloging a laundry record of sexually suggestive feedback made to feminine staffers in addition to two cases the place he was racially insensitive in conferences with subordinates.
The inspector common substantiated a number of cases the place Glenn used phrases like “all balls, no bush,” commented on “how younger” a feminine subordinate seemed and described one other worker as a “sizzling blonde.”
“The fourth subordinate advised us that in November 2021, Mr. Glenn was speaking on a speakerphone telling one other subordinate that Mr. Glenn hoped some studly man can be rubbing oil on her again on the seaside,” the report states.
Glenn denied that he made sexually suggestive feedback and stated that “the feedback didn’t sound like something he would say.”
The report additionally highlights an incident throughout a February 2021 all-hands assembly the place Glenn, towards the recommendation of two subordinates, mentioned a 2013 speech from former President Obama describing experiencing racism listening to folks lock their automobile doorways as he walked previous their autos.
“They stated that Mr. Glenn advised the viewers that the individuals who locked their automobile doorways ‘won’t have been racist’ or had different causes for locking them,” the report states. “Seven of the eight subordinates advised us that Mr. Glenn’s remark about President Obama’s expertise with racism made them and different subordinates really feel appalled, stunned, betrayed, shocked, and really confused, and that it was an inappropriate and insensitive factor to say.”
Glenn argued that he was making an attempt to indicate how “folks can take a look at issues otherwise” on issues of race.
“Who’re the folks within the automobile which are locking their doorways?” Glenn advised the inspector common’s workplace. “Perhaps they’re racists. Perhaps they’re taking a look at a Black man and assuming there’s a excessive potential for being robbed. Or perhaps they’re simply following Nationwide Freeway Administration pointers to lock your doorways while you drive. It may very well be both.”
In that very same all-hands assembly, Glenn known as on an Asian-American subordinate to explain how she felt as an “Asian feminine in a division that considers China its greatest menace.” Glenn advised investigators that though the alternate was “awkward,” he thought he had “OKed” it with the worker forward of time.
“Mr. Glenn stated that he believed the all-hands assembly went ‘nicely sufficient,’ and he didn’t obtain any suggestions from employees voicing considerations concerning the content material of the assembly,” the inspector common wrote. “[He] additionally acknowledged that his efficiency score for that point interval was ‘Exceeds Totally Profitable,’ main him to imagine that no person complained to his supervisor about his all-hands feedback.”
However weeks later, Glenn advised a few of his subordinates that he wished to carry a second all-hands assembly on range and inclusion. Throughout that dialogue, he described an anecdote he would convey up during which he used the N-word.
“[In the story], Mr. Glenn complimented a former colleague on a sweater [they] wore, and the previous colleague replied that [they] wore it to cease the entire damaging feedback,” the report relays. “Nonetheless, Mr. Glenn misheard the colleague and thought [they] stated to cease the entire N-word feedback. [A witness] stated that Mr. Glenn’s colleague corrected him and stated [they] didn’t say the N-word however stated ‘damaging feedback’ as an alternative. [A witness] advised us that Mr. Glenn stated he thought the misunderstanding was humorous as a result of ‘when he relayed that story to a Black particular person, the Black particular person seems at him horrified. However when he relays that story to white pals, the white pals snort and assume it’s hilarious.’”
Glenn confirmed that he used the racial slur, spelling it out when requested to make clear precisely what phrase he used, however stated the story was supposed to “spotlight the totally different reactions he acquired and to elucidate why it’s tough to debate race.”
“Mr. Glenn advised us that he watched every subordinate’s reactions as he advised the story, and he didn’t imagine anybody was offended,” the report states. “He stated {that a} ‘very productive dialog ensued between us all.’ Mr. Glenn advised us that he watched every subordinate’s reactions as he advised the story, and he didn’t imagine anybody was offended.”
The inspector common additionally substantiated two cases the place Glenn had alcoholic drinks throughout work hours and supplied them to subordinates. Glenn acknowledged that he saved alcohol in his workplace and sometimes drank, principally after hours, however that he ceased when he found that workers are required to acquire written authorization to take action.
Since Glenn is now not a Protection Division worker, the inspector common stated it forwarded its findings to OPM Director Kiran Ahuja “to take acceptable motion.” OPM confirmed Thursday that the company has acquired the report.
“We’re conscious of the report and are reviewing the supplies proper now,” OPM stated. “OPM is dedicated to upholding knowledgeable and respectful office.”
