United States Army Officer Professional Development: Black Officers' Perspectives.
Abstract
The United States Army was one of the first American institutions to provide opportunities for black Americans in their struggle for equality. Nonetheless, history indisputably documents incidents of segregation, bigotry, and racism against blacks in the Army. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the Army Officer Corps was very reluctant to accept blacks amongst its ranks. Since their inclusion into the service, black officers have made tremendous strides as a group to reach the highest echelons within the Army. Even so, they have not fared statistically as well as their majority contemporaries. These statistics pose interesting questions about black officer professional development and career progress. How has the Army fared with the professional development of blacks within the officer corps? What is the perception of black officers currently serving within the institution regarding the Army's efforts to provide professional development for black officers? Do systemic prejudices toward blacks in the officer corps still exist? What roles have black officers played in the development process? What do the answers to these questions suggest for the Army's officer corps management? Answers to these questions provide valuable insights for strategic leaders responsible for personnel management within the United States Army.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA326649
Entities
People
- Craig T. Johnson
Organizations
- United States Army War College