Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in the Armed Services: Background and Issues for Congress

Abstract

Under Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the authority to raise and support armies; provide and maintain a navy; and provide for organizing, disciplining, and regulating them. Congress has used this authority to establish criteria and standards for individuals to be recruited, to advance through promotion, and to be separated or retired from military service. Throughout the history of the armed services, Congress has established some of these criteria based on demographic characteristics such as race, sex, and sexual orientation. In the past few decades there have been rapid changes to certain laws and policies regarding diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in particular towards women serving in combat arms occupational specialties, and the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. Some of these changes remain contentious and face continuing legal challenges.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 05, 2019
Accession Number
AD1169611

Entities

People

  • Kristy N. Kamarck

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Business Administration
  • Congress
  • Employment
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Families (Human)
  • Gender Discrimination
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Education
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Science
  • Minority Groups
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Prejudice
  • Sociology
  • Students
  • Surgery
  • Transgender Persons
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Government and Public Administration Law.
  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Rehabilitation and Prosthetic Care for Military Service Members and Veterans with Limb Loss or Disability.