HRDC - Think tank’s focus is people & diversity Published March 2, 2009 By Col. Abel Barrientes 4th Air Force Vice Commander MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- What is the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC)? Established in the early 90's by the Air Force Reserve Command's senior leadership, the HRDC was formed to focus much needed attention on people issues, specifically, diversity. The HRDC quickly grew and transformed into an organization to help create and maintain a fully developed, skilled, motivated, enthusiastic and diverse work force. The bottom line is, the HRDC is a force multiplier for the most powerful weapon system in the Air Force inventory - Airmen. The HDRC is an advocate of opportunity and advancement for all our Airmen. We are here to take care of our Airmen and understand from the core what they need. This mission is supported through a variety of local programs, education, leadership involvement at all levels, and the facilitation of communication within the organization and community. By being a champion for improving our people, the HRDC can unleash the potential of all our Airmen and as a result make our Air Force a better place. The council is all about mentoring, retention, recruiting, community outreach and diversity; anything that grows our troops. The HRDC is also here to ensure that we are mission ready by addressing and resolving personnel issues. Issues can stem from policy changes, operations tempo, morale, rumors or anything that affects our Airmen or their families at any level. One of the goals of the HRDC is to put a finger on the collective pulse of the people in the organization. The council serves as a "think tank," providing the organization's executive leadership with the insight needed to make mission decisions. The quality of life of our Airmen and the safety of their families are critical. The HRDC provides the critical link between those resources that are available and the issues that need attention. However, to have an effective program, it must work both ways. Challenge yourself to meet the HRDC representative from your unit, and give that person some feedback on what you see that is good within your unit and what you see that needs improvement. Working with the HRDC allows the HRDC to work for you. The HRDC is comprised of volunteers from all AFRC career fields.