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Winter
2002 Vol. 11 No. 1
ARMED
FORCES
Status
of America's Armed Forces, America's
Diversity
A
diverse cadre of military members stands ready for the
21st century. Men and women from majority and minority
racial and ethnic groups train and perform their duties
within a multitude of occupational specialties so as
to accomplish military missions on land, at sea, and
in the air. People from various social lines and geographic
areas manage, operate, maintain, and coordinate complicated
weapon systems gaining critical experience as they progress
through the ranks. Their contributions to national defense
are even more impressive given the sacrifices they are
called upon to make.
Military life is honorable, but it can
also be arduous. Recruiting and retention success is
often affected by the benefits and burdens of service.
The representation of minority members, women and married
members with dependents is vital to accomplishing today's
war-fighting, peace keeping, humanitarian, and other
missions. Although it may be a departure from the military's
single white male manpower roots, diversity in the forces
is now a fact. The demographic and background characteristics
of modern military personnel are far from novel. Statistics
convey an acceptance for a diverse armed forces.
African Americans maintain a strong military
presence in the enlisted ranks, at levels higher than
population proportions. This minority group has also
achieved representation parallel in the officer corps.
Hispanics and other racial/ethnic minorities remain
under represented but are making gains within the enlisted
ranks and officer corps. Hispanic representation is
important to monitor in light of their increasing population
proportions and related issues of citizenship, english
language proficiency, and high school graduation rates.
Unlike racial and ethnic minorities, the
role of women in the military is still unsettled if
not controversial. Although women comprise half of the
youth population, in 1999, they made up only 18 and
20 percent of enlisted and officer accessions, respectively.
Before the All-Volunteer Force, in 1964, less than 1
percent of enlisted accessions were women. Women climbed
to 5 percent in 1973 and shortly thereafter, they topped
the 10-percent benchmark. Today, that figure has almost
doubled, even in the face of a more streamlined force.
Although much progress has been achieved
with regard to gender equity, much work remains. For
example, gender-integration in basic training remains
contested despite the fact that a 1999 Congressional
Commission ruled favorably on this issue after considering
a multitude of evidence. Although the representation
of women has increased and many previously closed positions
have been opened to women, the military is and must
continue considering current and future roles for women
in uniform. Today, there is discussion of the potential
assignment of women aboard submarines. Such deliberations
are evidence of the significant presence, contributions,
and progress of women in the military.
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EXECUTIVE ORDER 9981 Whereas it is essential
that there be maintained in the armed services
of the United States the highest standards of
democracy, with equality of treatment and opportunity
for all those who served in our country's defense:
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority invested
in me as President of the United States, and as
Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is
hereby ordered as follows:
1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of
the President that there shall be equality of
treatment and opportunity for all persons in the
armed services without regard to race, color,
religion or national origin. This policy shall
be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having
due regard to the time required to effectuate
any necessary changes without impairing efficiency
or morale. 2. There shall be created in the National
Military Establishment an advisory committee to
be known as the President's Committee on Equality
of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services,
which shall be composed of seven members to be
designated by the President. 3. The Committee
is authorized on behalf of the President to examine
into the rules, procedures and practices of the
armed services in order to determine in what respect
such rules, procedures and practices may be altered
or improved with a view to carrying out the policy
of this order. The Committee shall confer and
advise with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary
of the Army, the Secretary of the Navy, and Secretary
of the Air Force, and shall make such recommendations
to the President and to said Secretaries as in
the judgement of the Committee will effectuate
the policy hereof. 4. All executive departments
and agencies of the Federal Government are authorized
and directed to cooperate with the Committee in
its work, and to furnish the Committee such information
or the services of such persons as the Committee
may require in the performance of its duties.
5. When requested by the Committee to do so, persons
in the armed services or in any of the executive
departments and agencies of the Federal Government
shall testify before the Committee and shall make
available for use of the Committee such documents
and other information as the Committee may require.
6. The Committee shall continue to exist until
such time as the President shall terminate its
existence by Executive Order.
Harry
S. Truman, The White House July 26, 1948
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Significant racial/ethnic differences
exist among the Services. Approximately 40 and 41 percent
of Army and Navy accessions, respectively, are minorities,
as compared to 32 percent of Marine Corps recruits and
31 percent of Airforce recruits. The services have maintained
their 37 percent rate of minority recruitment. The proportion
of Hispanics and "Other" minorities increased as the
proportions of African-American and Anglo-American decreased,
generally mirroring the trend in the comparable civilian
population.
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