Cmdr. Roberto Concepcion was presented with the 2024 Blacks in Government Meritorious Service Award today at a ceremony in the Exhibit Hall of the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida.

Concepcion is being honored for his significant and impactful contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the Coast Guard – ranging from mentorship and guidance at the deck level, to routine advice and guidance, to leading initiatives and long-term strategies.

“Commander Concepcion’s exemplary leadership, tireless dedication and strategic vision in promoting an inclusive environment make him an excellent candidate for this prestigious award,” said Captain David O’Connell, Chief of Prevention.

Concepcion currently serves as the Operations Chief for the Maryland National Capital Region Sector and is responsible for coordinating and conducting all search and rescue (SAR) operations within this area of ​​responsibility. This includes marine environmental, law enforcement, port and waterway, and coastal security missions throughout the State of Maryland and the entire National Capital Region. Notably, Concepcion led the recovery efforts following the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March.

Beyond his role as operations chief, Concepcion leverages the relationships with people across the service that he has built in previous roles and as a volunteer. In these capacities, he works to strengthen diversity and inclusion and support the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups across the Coast Guard workforce. Concepcion serves on the Coast Guard Affinity Group Council as well as the board of directors of the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA), which is represented by all naval forces and of which he is a Coast Guard member.

“The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion or advocacy groups cannot possibly do this alone, as it requires a joint effort from everyone,” Concepcion said. “We are something like the

Trinity – recruitment is hiring people from diverse backgrounds, stakeholders are helping to break down barriers to enable them to progress and stay in the organisation, and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is helping to fill policy gaps as we identify the blind spots our service may have.”

Concepcion leveraged his networks to build targeted strategic partnerships with historically black colleges and universities that serve minorities. This single-handedly boosted recruitment for the College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative Program (CSPI). In 2012, Concepcion served as the East Central Regional Leader, Officer Programs Coordinator, and CSPI Program Coordinator at the Recruiting Command in Arlington, Virginia.

Concepcion used this knowledge to implement key strategies and make recommendations that revitalized minority diversity recruitment initiatives across the Coast Guard. This resulted in the creation of more than 50 ambassadors for minority-serving institutions who work to strengthen strategic relationships in underrepresented communities and support minority officer recruitment efforts.

Most recently, through the NNOA, Concepcion organized a joint service-wide professional development symposium for underrepresented minority officers, attended by the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Chief of Naval Operations, and Commandant of the Marine Corps, along with various other senior officers and leaders, and more than 450 members from across the naval services. The event underscored the importance of each member taking concrete action to achieve the shared goal of educating our future leaders and creating a more diverse and inclusive Coast Guard.

Concepcion also advances this common goal as one of the service’s Change Agents, where he serves as a certified Diversity Coach and uses his skills to provide training in units to create a more harmonious work environment through knowledge and awareness. He also regularly mentors junior and senior NCOs and has organized more than 18 professional development trainings, providing career management and mentoring to more than 6,000 junior officers.

His efforts did not stop at the tactical level, but he also made strategic strides. Concepcion spearheaded significant changes to minority recruitment and retention policies and had a significant impact on the Coast Guard’s disciplinary and conduct policies, as well as anti-harassment and hate incident policies, through his work on the Affinity Group Council. His efforts resulted in additional accountability requirements for commanders when handling hazing and bullying investigations. These included new requirements for COs and OICs to inform the next superior in the chain of command of the final decision on such investigations and provide the reasons for their findings.

Concepcion, who recognizes the recognition of his work and volunteerism as a reward, is very humbled by this award and stated, “While I am honored by this recognition, there is still so much work to be done to change our service culture and I hope this inspires someone to believe they can make a positive change. In the military, we focus heavily on operations and accomplishing the challenging missions we are responsible for, but if people are our most valuable asset, we must continue to support them and guide them in the right direction. I have seen many good people leave organizations because of poor leadership. We must show our future leaders through our actions that we value them.”

Outside of the Coast Guard, Concepcion continues to contribute to the community. He volunteers in local youth programs and is a proud member of the Greek fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, one of the oldest Black Greek Letter organizations in the country. His main goal is to “raise them to be honorable young men and better prepare them for college or help them achieve their life goals.”

“He is an exemplary officer committed to building an innovative, inclusive and diverse Coast Guard. His actions and qualities are consistent with the Blacks in Government Military Meritorious Service Award and as such, he is more than deserving of this prestigious award,” O’Connell said.

(Civil Rights Awards help maximize the overall effectiveness of the Coast Guard’s mission by recognizing the achievements and contributions of its members to civil rights and equal opportunity. For more information about the awards and how to nominate deserving individuals, visit the Civil Rights website.)

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