(Race/Ethnicity + Gender) Perceptions of Social Equality: A Preliminary Analysis of the US Active Duty Force
Abstract
The U.S. Military is a microcosm of the broader society; it reflects Americas pattern of social inequality. Race in America has traditionally been defined in binary terms: black and white. Prior to the advent of the All-Volunteer Force (AVF), race/ethnic relations in the U.S. military was a mirror image of that which existed in the civilian sector. African Americans in racially segregated units and Hispanics were assigned to units in accordance with their skin color. Race relations had become paradigmatic in the U.S. military when the Department of Defense (DoD) took a zero tolerance stance toward racism and enforced compliance to the law through the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). For decades, the American military had been at the forefront in implementing racial/ethnic equality. As we enter the third decade of the Twenty-First Century, race has reemerged as a dominant theme in the United States. The year 2020 has been filled with demonstrations and protest against racial inequality. The state of race/ethnic relations has come under scrutiny both in the civilian sector as well as in the military. The current study is a working paper of perceptions of active-duty Service members of social inequality in the military. It represents the first draft of a work in progress. Multiple regression analyses were used to test demographic effects on Service members perceptions of social inequality. Social inequality has been operationalized by the following seven variables: i) feelings of exclusion because the respondent is different; ii) perceptions that awards, recognition, and training are fairly distributed; iii) feelings that decisions are made fairly; iv) trust that the immediate supervisor is fair; v) feelings that discipline is administered fairly; vi) perception of discrimination occurring in ones unit; and vii) observations of racial slurs and jokes being used in the workplace.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1123598
Entities
People
- Brenda L. Moore
Organizations
- Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute