Carolyn H. Becraft
Encyclopedia
Carolyn H. Becraft was United States
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
from 1998 to 2001.
, and attended the University of North Dakota
, receiving a B.A.
She later attended the University of Southern California
, receiving an M.A.
.
She then served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army
, before beginning a career in the civilian branch of the United States Department of Defense
. From 1993 until 1998, she was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military and Community Support. In that capacity, she was the principal deputy of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy
, and was responsible for quality of life
issues for members of the United States Armed Forces
. She was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Outstanding Achievement Award in 1996, and the Quality of Life Award of the National Military Family Association
in 1997.
In October 1998, President of the United States
Bill Clinton
nominated Becraft as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
, and she held this office from October 1998 until January 2001. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), Becraft focused on revitalizing Navy recruiting; initiating workforce planning
for the Department of Navy; developed executive training curricula for Senior Executive Service
members; expanded continuing learning opportunities for military personnel and Department of Navy civilians; and collaborated with Departments of Veterans Affairs
and Labor
to address sensitive issues for military veterans. For her work, she was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal.
She left government service in 2001, forming a consulting
firm, Becraft Associates, focused on strategic planning
, leadership development
, and executive coaching.
Becraft has served on the Board of Directors of Women in Defense, an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy...
from 1998 to 2001.
Biography
Carolyn H. Becraft is a native of North DakotaNorth Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, and attended the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
, receiving a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
She later attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, receiving an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
.
She then served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, before beginning a career in the civilian branch of the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. From 1993 until 1998, she was Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military and Community Support. In that capacity, she was the principal deputy of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy
The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management Policy, or ASD was a high-ranking position in the Defense Department responsible for the policies, plans and programs for military and civilian personnel management, including recruitment, education, career development, equal opportunity,...
, and was responsible for quality of life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
issues for members of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. She was awarded the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
Outstanding Achievement Award in 1996, and the Quality of Life Award of the National Military Family Association
National Military Family Association
The National Military Family Association , headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private non-profit association organized to improve the quality of family life of all military personnel.-History:...
in 1997.
In October 1998, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
nominated Becraft as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy...
, and she held this office from October 1998 until January 2001. As Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs), Becraft focused on revitalizing Navy recruiting; initiating workforce planning
Workforce planning
Workforce Planning is a continual process used to align the needs and priorities of the organisation with those of its workforce to ensure it can meet its legislative, regulatory, service and production requirements and organizational objectives...
for the Department of Navy; developed executive training curricula for Senior Executive Service
Senior Executive Service
The Senior Executive Service is a paygrade in the civil service of the United States federal government, somewhat analogous to the ranks of general or admiral in the U.S. armed forces...
members; expanded continuing learning opportunities for military personnel and Department of Navy civilians; and collaborated with Departments of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is the United States government’s second largest department, after the United States Department of Defense...
and Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
to address sensitive issues for military veterans. For her work, she was awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal.
She left government service in 2001, forming a consulting
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
firm, Becraft Associates, focused on strategic planning
Strategic planning
Strategic planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues...
, leadership development
Leadership development
Leadership development refers to any activity that enhances the quality of leadership within an individual or organization. These activities have ranged from MBA style programs offered at university business schools to action learning, high-ropes courses and executive retreats.- Developing...
, and executive coaching.
Becraft has served on the Board of Directors of Women in Defense, an affiliate of the National Defense Industrial Association
National Defense Industrial Association
The National Defense Industrial Association is an association for the United States government and the defense industry. Based in Arlington, Virginia, NDIA was established in 1919 as a result of the inability of the defense industry to scale up the war effort during World War I...
.