Wasting Time: Black Participation in the Combat Arms Branches
Abstract
Perception, as senior Army leaders are fond of saying, is reality. African American/Black representation and subsequent advancement in the combat arms branches of the U.S. Army is woefully lacking. Black accessions into the combat arms branches is minuscule, and the numbers of Black combat arms officers who advance in key leadership/command positions at the battalion and brigade command level and higher are token at best. It is a historical fact that those few Blacks selected for senior combat/operational commands at the division level are typically placed out of sight to the American public and African American youth by default. In the past 30 years, only two of the nine Black men selected to command Army Divisions have been slated to do so in CONUS. Young Black men and women can derive inspiration in pursuit of a given vocation by seeing someone of their race in a position of high authority, but Black Division Commanders historically remain persona non grata in the eyes of Black youth. Despite politically correct rhetoric and a plethora of meaningless studies to the contrary, the U.S. Army shows little inclination to address this and many other issues that negatively impact black combat arms candidates or serving officers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 15, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA499283
Entities
People
- Randolph C. White Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army War College