Posted on Sep 11, 2014
Lack of minority officers leading Army combat units? How do you respond to this article?
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WASHINGTON — Command of the Army's main combat units — its pipeline to top leadership — is virtually devoid of black officers, according to interviews, documents and data obtained by USA TODAY.
The lack of black officers who lead infantry, armor and field artillery battalions and brigades — there are no black colonels at the brigade level this year — threatens the Army's effectiveness, disconnects it from American society and deprives black officers of the principal route to top Army posts, according to officers and military sociologists. Fewer than 10 percent of the active-duty Army's officers are black compared with 18 percent of its enlisted men, according to the Army.
The problem is most acute in its main combat units: infantry, armor and artillery. In 2014, there was not a single black colonel among those 25 brigades, the Army's main fighting unit of about 4,000 soldiers. Brigades consist of three to four battalions of 800 to 1,000 soldiers led by lieutenant colonels. Just one of those 78 battalions is scheduled to be led by a black officer in 2015.
Leading combat units is an essential ticket to the Army's brass ring. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army's chief of staff, commanded artillery units; his predecessor, Gen. Martin Dempsey, led armored units, and is now the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"The issue exists. The leadership is aware of it," says Brig. Gen. Ronald Lewis, the Army's chief of public affairs. Lewis is a helicopter pilot who has commanded at the battalion and brigade levels and is African-American. "The leadership does have an action plan in place. And it's complicated."
Among the complications: expanding the pool of minority candidates qualified to be officers, and helping them choose the right military jobs they'll need to climb the ranks, Lewis says.
To be sure, there are black officers who have attained four stars. Gen. Lloyd Austin, an infantry officer, leads Central Command, arguably the military's most critical combatant command as it oversees military operations in the Middle East. Another four-star officer, Gen. Vincent Brooks, leads U.S. Army Pacific, and Gen. Dennis Via runs Army Materiel Command, its logistics operation.
The concern, however, is for Army's seed bed for four-star officers — the combat commands from which two-thirds of its generals are grown. They're unlikely to produce a diverse officer corps if candidates remain mostly white.
"It certainly is a problem for several reasons," says Col. Irving Smith, director of sociology at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Smith is also an African-American infantry officer who has served in Afghanistan. "First we are a public institution. And as a public institution we certainly have more of a responsibility to our nation than a private company to reflect it. In order to maintain their trust and confidence, the people of America need to know that the Army is not only effective but representative of them."
Black officers at the top ranks of the brass show young minority officers what they can achieve. Their presence also signals to allies in emerging democracies like Afghanistan that inclusive leadership is important. Diverse leadership, research shows, is better able to solve complex problems such as those the Army confronted in Iraq and Afghanistan, Smith said.
"It comes down to effectiveness," Smith said. "Diversity and equal opportunity are important, but most people don't point out that it makes the Army more effective."
The Problem
The Army's — and the Pentagon's — main ground fighting force remains the Army's infantry, armor and artillery units, although aviation and engineering units are also considered combat arms. Many of their names have become familiar to the American public after more than a decade of war: The 101st Airborne Division; the 82nd Airborne Division; the 10th Mountain Division.
They share a proud history of tough fights and multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. They also share a lack of black leaders. In all, eight of 10 of the Army's fighting divisions do not have a black battalion commander in their combat units.
(For now, they also lack women. The military plans to open combat roles to women in 2016.)
USA TODAY obtained the Army's list of battalion and brigade commanders. Several officers familiar with the personnel on them identified the black officers, which the Army refused to do. The paper considered officers in infantry, armor and field artillery — the three main combat-arms branches.
The results: In 2014, there is not a single black commander among its 25 brigades; there were three black commanders in its 80 battalion openings.
In 2015, there will be two black commanders of combat brigades; and one black commander among 78 battalions openings.
"It's command. If you don't command at the (lieutenant colonel) level, you're not going to command at (the colonel level)," says Army Col. Ron Clark, an African-American infantry officer who has commanded platoon, company, battalion and brigade level. "If you don't command at the (colonel) level, you're not going to be a general officer."
Capt. Grancis Santana, 33, knows about the long odds he faces as an artillery officer hoping to become a colonel.
He found few black officers in his specialty — about two of 20 when he was a lieutenant, and about three of 30 when he made captain.
"It's not a good feeling when you're one of the few," Santana said. "There was no discrimination; there are just not a lot of people like you."
A key reason is the paucity of black officers graduated by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, its ROTC programs and Officer Candidate School.
For instance, the newly minted officer classes of 2012 and 2013 in combat arms remained mostly white, according to data released by the Army. Of the 238 West Point graduates commissioned to be infantry officers in 2012, 199 were white; seven were black. At Officer Candidate School, which accepts qualified enlisted soldiers and graduates with four-year degrees, 66 received commissions as infantry officers — 55 were white, none was black. The figures remained nearly unchanged for 2013.
The downsizing of the Army is having a disproportional effect on African-American officers. From the pool of officers screened, almost 10 percent of eligible black majors are being dismissed from the Army compared with 5.6 percent of eligible white majors, USA TODAY reported in early August. The Army is cutting 550 majors and about 1,000 captains as the Army seeks to reduce its force to 490,000 soldiers by the end of 2015.
The Causes
Two forces seem to reinforce the lack of black officers in combat command. For decades, young black men have tended to choose other fields, including logistics. With fewer role models and mentors in combat specialties, those fields have been seen as less welcoming to African-American officers.
Irving Smith remembers his parents being "heartbroken" that he chose infantry.
"African Americans have historically used the armed forces as a means of social mobility," says Smith, who joined the infantry, has risen to the rank of colonel and now is professor and director of sociology at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. "That is certainly true for African Americans who have used the armed forces as a bridging opportunity (to new careers)."
Parents, pastors and coaches of young black men and women considering the Army often don't encourage them to join the combat specialties.
"Why would you go in the infantry?" Smith says of a common question. "Why would you want to run around in the woods and jump out of airplanes, things that have no connection to private businesses? Do transportation. Do logistics. That will provide you with transferable skills."
Developing marketable skills has been a key motivation for many African Americans, said David Segal, a military sociologist at the University of Maryland. That has often meant driving a truck, not a tank.
"There has been a trend among African Americans who do come into the military to gravitate to career fields that have transfer value — that pretty much excludes the combat arms," Segal said.
Clark, who now works at the Pentagon, wasn't encouraged initially to join the infantry. His father enlisted in 1964 and had an Army career in food service.
"He grew up in a small town in southern Louisiana in the middle of Jim Crow South," Clark says. "He was tired of having someone telling him where to sit on a bus, which water fountain to drink from and which bathroom he could use."
At age 11, the younger Clark remembers climbing on a tank when the family was stationed in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983 sealed the deal for him: He wanted to be infantryman.
"I wanted to be an Airborne Ranger in a tree," Clark says, "and my dad was not having it. He said, 'Nope, you are not going following my footsteps. I want you to go to college.'"
The compromise, after his father had him speak with an African-American brigade executive officer named Larry Ellis, was to enroll at West Point. Ellis went on to become a four-star general, and Clark graduated from the academy in 1988.
Clark and Irving remain exceptional cases.
The downsizing of the Army is having a disproportional effect on African-American officers. From the pool of officers screened, almost 10 percent of eligible black majors are being dismissed from the Army compared with 5.6 percent of eligible white majors, USA TODAY reported in early August. The Army is cutting 550 majors and about 1,000 captains as the Army seeks to reduce its force to 490,000 soldiers by the end of 2015.
The Army's Response
The problem has attracted attention at the Army's highest ranks. In March, Army Secretary John McHugh and Odierno, the chief of staff, issued a directive aimed at diversifying the leadership of its combat units.
USA TODAY obtained a copy of the memo, which notes that the Army historically has drawn the majority of its generals from combat fields, specifically "Infantry, Armor and Field Artillery." For at least two decades, however, young minority officers have selected those fields in the numbers necessary to produce enough generals.
"African Americans have the most limited preference in combat arms, followed by Hispanic and Asian Pacific officers," the memo states. While black officers make up 12 percent of Army officers in all competitive specialties, they make up just 7 percent of the Army's infantry, armor and artillery officers. For junior officers, that figure is lower, 6 percent.
Minority groups need a "critical mass" of about 15 percent to feel they have a voice, Smith says.
The Army's plan calls for enhanced recruiting and mentoring for minority officers, particularly in combat fields, tracking their progress and encouraging mentorship.
Mentors needn't be of the same race, Clark and Lewis say. Lewis noted that several of his closest mentors were white officers, including retired general Richard Cody, who retired as Army vice chief of staff. Cody advised him to spend time at the Army's National Training Center, in the California desert. It paid off, Lewis says.
"Everyone does not have to look like you," Lewis says. "You have to be able to receive mentorship, leadership. And you have to follow some of that. You may have to spend some time at a really hard place for a bit."
Byron Bagby, a retired African-American two-star artillery officer, applauds the Army for acknowledging the problem and taking steps to address it. He cautions progress will be slow. Bagby retired in 2011 from a top post with NATO in the Netherlands.
"We're not going to solve this tomorrow, or a year from now," Bagby says.
Smith has another suggestion for the Army. Ask an in-house expert: him.
The brass could also stop by his office for a chat, he says.
"I've never had anybody from the Department of the Army come to me. I'm a sociologist. I've studied these issues for six years."
The lack of black officers who lead infantry, armor and field artillery battalions and brigades — there are no black colonels at the brigade level this year — threatens the Army's effectiveness, disconnects it from American society and deprives black officers of the principal route to top Army posts, according to officers and military sociologists. Fewer than 10 percent of the active-duty Army's officers are black compared with 18 percent of its enlisted men, according to the Army.
The problem is most acute in its main combat units: infantry, armor and artillery. In 2014, there was not a single black colonel among those 25 brigades, the Army's main fighting unit of about 4,000 soldiers. Brigades consist of three to four battalions of 800 to 1,000 soldiers led by lieutenant colonels. Just one of those 78 battalions is scheduled to be led by a black officer in 2015.
Leading combat units is an essential ticket to the Army's brass ring. Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army's chief of staff, commanded artillery units; his predecessor, Gen. Martin Dempsey, led armored units, and is now the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"The issue exists. The leadership is aware of it," says Brig. Gen. Ronald Lewis, the Army's chief of public affairs. Lewis is a helicopter pilot who has commanded at the battalion and brigade levels and is African-American. "The leadership does have an action plan in place. And it's complicated."
Among the complications: expanding the pool of minority candidates qualified to be officers, and helping them choose the right military jobs they'll need to climb the ranks, Lewis says.
To be sure, there are black officers who have attained four stars. Gen. Lloyd Austin, an infantry officer, leads Central Command, arguably the military's most critical combatant command as it oversees military operations in the Middle East. Another four-star officer, Gen. Vincent Brooks, leads U.S. Army Pacific, and Gen. Dennis Via runs Army Materiel Command, its logistics operation.
The concern, however, is for Army's seed bed for four-star officers — the combat commands from which two-thirds of its generals are grown. They're unlikely to produce a diverse officer corps if candidates remain mostly white.
"It certainly is a problem for several reasons," says Col. Irving Smith, director of sociology at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Smith is also an African-American infantry officer who has served in Afghanistan. "First we are a public institution. And as a public institution we certainly have more of a responsibility to our nation than a private company to reflect it. In order to maintain their trust and confidence, the people of America need to know that the Army is not only effective but representative of them."
Black officers at the top ranks of the brass show young minority officers what they can achieve. Their presence also signals to allies in emerging democracies like Afghanistan that inclusive leadership is important. Diverse leadership, research shows, is better able to solve complex problems such as those the Army confronted in Iraq and Afghanistan, Smith said.
"It comes down to effectiveness," Smith said. "Diversity and equal opportunity are important, but most people don't point out that it makes the Army more effective."
The Problem
The Army's — and the Pentagon's — main ground fighting force remains the Army's infantry, armor and artillery units, although aviation and engineering units are also considered combat arms. Many of their names have become familiar to the American public after more than a decade of war: The 101st Airborne Division; the 82nd Airborne Division; the 10th Mountain Division.
They share a proud history of tough fights and multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. They also share a lack of black leaders. In all, eight of 10 of the Army's fighting divisions do not have a black battalion commander in their combat units.
(For now, they also lack women. The military plans to open combat roles to women in 2016.)
USA TODAY obtained the Army's list of battalion and brigade commanders. Several officers familiar with the personnel on them identified the black officers, which the Army refused to do. The paper considered officers in infantry, armor and field artillery — the three main combat-arms branches.
The results: In 2014, there is not a single black commander among its 25 brigades; there were three black commanders in its 80 battalion openings.
In 2015, there will be two black commanders of combat brigades; and one black commander among 78 battalions openings.
"It's command. If you don't command at the (lieutenant colonel) level, you're not going to command at (the colonel level)," says Army Col. Ron Clark, an African-American infantry officer who has commanded platoon, company, battalion and brigade level. "If you don't command at the (colonel) level, you're not going to be a general officer."
Capt. Grancis Santana, 33, knows about the long odds he faces as an artillery officer hoping to become a colonel.
He found few black officers in his specialty — about two of 20 when he was a lieutenant, and about three of 30 when he made captain.
"It's not a good feeling when you're one of the few," Santana said. "There was no discrimination; there are just not a lot of people like you."
A key reason is the paucity of black officers graduated by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, its ROTC programs and Officer Candidate School.
For instance, the newly minted officer classes of 2012 and 2013 in combat arms remained mostly white, according to data released by the Army. Of the 238 West Point graduates commissioned to be infantry officers in 2012, 199 were white; seven were black. At Officer Candidate School, which accepts qualified enlisted soldiers and graduates with four-year degrees, 66 received commissions as infantry officers — 55 were white, none was black. The figures remained nearly unchanged for 2013.
The downsizing of the Army is having a disproportional effect on African-American officers. From the pool of officers screened, almost 10 percent of eligible black majors are being dismissed from the Army compared with 5.6 percent of eligible white majors, USA TODAY reported in early August. The Army is cutting 550 majors and about 1,000 captains as the Army seeks to reduce its force to 490,000 soldiers by the end of 2015.
The Causes
Two forces seem to reinforce the lack of black officers in combat command. For decades, young black men have tended to choose other fields, including logistics. With fewer role models and mentors in combat specialties, those fields have been seen as less welcoming to African-American officers.
Irving Smith remembers his parents being "heartbroken" that he chose infantry.
"African Americans have historically used the armed forces as a means of social mobility," says Smith, who joined the infantry, has risen to the rank of colonel and now is professor and director of sociology at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. "That is certainly true for African Americans who have used the armed forces as a bridging opportunity (to new careers)."
Parents, pastors and coaches of young black men and women considering the Army often don't encourage them to join the combat specialties.
"Why would you go in the infantry?" Smith says of a common question. "Why would you want to run around in the woods and jump out of airplanes, things that have no connection to private businesses? Do transportation. Do logistics. That will provide you with transferable skills."
Developing marketable skills has been a key motivation for many African Americans, said David Segal, a military sociologist at the University of Maryland. That has often meant driving a truck, not a tank.
"There has been a trend among African Americans who do come into the military to gravitate to career fields that have transfer value — that pretty much excludes the combat arms," Segal said.
Clark, who now works at the Pentagon, wasn't encouraged initially to join the infantry. His father enlisted in 1964 and had an Army career in food service.
"He grew up in a small town in southern Louisiana in the middle of Jim Crow South," Clark says. "He was tired of having someone telling him where to sit on a bus, which water fountain to drink from and which bathroom he could use."
At age 11, the younger Clark remembers climbing on a tank when the family was stationed in Grafenwoehr, Germany. The U.S. invasion of Grenada in 1983 sealed the deal for him: He wanted to be infantryman.
"I wanted to be an Airborne Ranger in a tree," Clark says, "and my dad was not having it. He said, 'Nope, you are not going following my footsteps. I want you to go to college.'"
The compromise, after his father had him speak with an African-American brigade executive officer named Larry Ellis, was to enroll at West Point. Ellis went on to become a four-star general, and Clark graduated from the academy in 1988.
Clark and Irving remain exceptional cases.
The downsizing of the Army is having a disproportional effect on African-American officers. From the pool of officers screened, almost 10 percent of eligible black majors are being dismissed from the Army compared with 5.6 percent of eligible white majors, USA TODAY reported in early August. The Army is cutting 550 majors and about 1,000 captains as the Army seeks to reduce its force to 490,000 soldiers by the end of 2015.
The Army's Response
The problem has attracted attention at the Army's highest ranks. In March, Army Secretary John McHugh and Odierno, the chief of staff, issued a directive aimed at diversifying the leadership of its combat units.
USA TODAY obtained a copy of the memo, which notes that the Army historically has drawn the majority of its generals from combat fields, specifically "Infantry, Armor and Field Artillery." For at least two decades, however, young minority officers have selected those fields in the numbers necessary to produce enough generals.
"African Americans have the most limited preference in combat arms, followed by Hispanic and Asian Pacific officers," the memo states. While black officers make up 12 percent of Army officers in all competitive specialties, they make up just 7 percent of the Army's infantry, armor and artillery officers. For junior officers, that figure is lower, 6 percent.
Minority groups need a "critical mass" of about 15 percent to feel they have a voice, Smith says.
The Army's plan calls for enhanced recruiting and mentoring for minority officers, particularly in combat fields, tracking their progress and encouraging mentorship.
Mentors needn't be of the same race, Clark and Lewis say. Lewis noted that several of his closest mentors were white officers, including retired general Richard Cody, who retired as Army vice chief of staff. Cody advised him to spend time at the Army's National Training Center, in the California desert. It paid off, Lewis says.
"Everyone does not have to look like you," Lewis says. "You have to be able to receive mentorship, leadership. And you have to follow some of that. You may have to spend some time at a really hard place for a bit."
Byron Bagby, a retired African-American two-star artillery officer, applauds the Army for acknowledging the problem and taking steps to address it. He cautions progress will be slow. Bagby retired in 2011 from a top post with NATO in the Netherlands.
"We're not going to solve this tomorrow, or a year from now," Bagby says.
Smith has another suggestion for the Army. Ask an in-house expert: him.
The brass could also stop by his office for a chat, he says.
"I've never had anybody from the Department of the Army come to me. I'm a sociologist. I've studied these issues for six years."
Officers
Diversity
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 104
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We need to release this obsession with race, gender, sexual orientation and refocus on professionalism, knowledge and the ability to lead, coach teach and mentor soldiers.
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I would have to say, who chose their career field? Did someone make the decision for them? If they want positions, please do like most people do.....gain the information, pursue the correct path and perform better than the current position. Gaining the next position higher, in my opinion is make a name for yourself.
Now, I do have friends that are in and well, they are perfectly happy doing what they want to do. Some don't like going on 25 mi footmarches, or carrying heavy rucks for unknown distances. Some even have a plan....yup a plan, for the future. In logistics, you can get pretty amazing careers; medical positions and so on. I would have to say, in my own opinion, I chose Infantry. Not anyone else, nor was I brainwashed or a gun to my head to make a decision. I also, had a plan for after the military which would be in Law Enforcement. Most departments, will likely hire Combat Arms personnel.
I am not too savvy on how officer roles or positions are attained. I do know they can be switched into a different MOS if not performing, but I am sure there is a process for that; the same goes for enlisted personnel.
Just thoughts of my own. People chose their own paths. If your on the side-lines warming the bench..... that bench will be nice and toasty.
Now, I do have friends that are in and well, they are perfectly happy doing what they want to do. Some don't like going on 25 mi footmarches, or carrying heavy rucks for unknown distances. Some even have a plan....yup a plan, for the future. In logistics, you can get pretty amazing careers; medical positions and so on. I would have to say, in my own opinion, I chose Infantry. Not anyone else, nor was I brainwashed or a gun to my head to make a decision. I also, had a plan for after the military which would be in Law Enforcement. Most departments, will likely hire Combat Arms personnel.
I am not too savvy on how officer roles or positions are attained. I do know they can be switched into a different MOS if not performing, but I am sure there is a process for that; the same goes for enlisted personnel.
Just thoughts of my own. People chose their own paths. If your on the side-lines warming the bench..... that bench will be nice and toasty.
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SFC A.M. Drake
I think you really, really need to read the responses so you can see what the article is talking about, as you say "you not savvy on how officer roles or positions are obtained"...their is a deeper concern here.
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SSG Jason Neumann
Thank you for the follow up SFC Drake. I would love to read each and every response, however, I did come across a couple of responses. In fact, there are Soldiers who have gone and went into MOS's that are predominantly Caucasian Soldiers. Yes, one would have to push hard in order to gain rank, just as anyone would have to.
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SFC Drake, do you seriously think that "threatens the Army's effectiveness, disconnects it from American society and deprives black officers of the principal route to top Army posts?" Did you know that Eisenhower was a MAJ for 16 years, and basically was a logistics man?
It is all about assignments and choices of the officers themselves. American Population has about 13.2% Blacks, the percentage of black officers is not that far off. I don't think that the percentage of blacks in infantry matches their responding military population, they are heavily in the support commands. Why don't you complain about the lack of Hispanics in the military? 13.2% in the military, vs. 17% of the population. Please tell me, which of the 25 BDE commanders (whites) would you replace for incompetence and name me the black officer you think is better?
It is all about assignments and choices of the officers themselves. American Population has about 13.2% Blacks, the percentage of black officers is not that far off. I don't think that the percentage of blacks in infantry matches their responding military population, they are heavily in the support commands. Why don't you complain about the lack of Hispanics in the military? 13.2% in the military, vs. 17% of the population. Please tell me, which of the 25 BDE commanders (whites) would you replace for incompetence and name me the black officer you think is better?
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SFC A.M. Drake
MSG Carmel,
Let me say this one time. Not only for you but others as well. I did not write this article as it states clearly in the first paragraph, so I don't take it personally your comments, I do take offense that if you read the article you would know that it is not from myself. I have been serving for 28yrs in America's Army probably longer than you and many others on this site. So don't assume that I agree or disagree with the article, however I just posted it to get the comments from those a lot more knowledgeable than I. Lastly if you believed that I wrote this article. I would like to sell you a rainbow with the pot of gold at the end, you game?
Let me say this one time. Not only for you but others as well. I did not write this article as it states clearly in the first paragraph, so I don't take it personally your comments, I do take offense that if you read the article you would know that it is not from myself. I have been serving for 28yrs in America's Army probably longer than you and many others on this site. So don't assume that I agree or disagree with the article, however I just posted it to get the comments from those a lot more knowledgeable than I. Lastly if you believed that I wrote this article. I would like to sell you a rainbow with the pot of gold at the end, you game?
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MSG (Join to see)
SFC Drake, obviously I hit a nerve. First, there is NO WHERE in my post that states "you wrote" it says clearly "do you seriously think that...", second of all, you wrote " I have been serving for 28yrs in America's Army probably longer than you and many others on this site" really? again, you really think that? again, you are completely wrong. You posted the article because you have strong feelings or opinions about this subject, I felt that the article was a 'bit' off. I provided numbers and stats. Nothing personal. If you wish to expound on my background, please feel free to do it off line.
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SGT Johnny Owens
If you wish to eliminate racial tension in Uncle Sam's military; you start where you stand, with yourselves. As NCO's it is your responsibility to ensure the cohesiveness of your unit, the communities where you serve, and the military. God bless America, and all of Her defenders!
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SFC Clark Adams
MSG Carmel,
My take on your post WAS that YOU somehow conflated SFC Drake's OP to be his position. I don't know nor will I guess your intent, but that was the message I received by your comments. Just the $.02 from an Old Soldier watching the world go by.
My take on your post WAS that YOU somehow conflated SFC Drake's OP to be his position. I don't know nor will I guess your intent, but that was the message I received by your comments. Just the $.02 from an Old Soldier watching the world go by.
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That is some of the stupidest shit I have ever heard! How does that affect military readiness? Better yet, how does it degrade capability? Just because you say some officers and sociologists said it does, well that doesn't speak truth to nothing. Are you just trolling here, or do you have a valid point that can be substantiated?
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I will tell you this for a fact!! My son Just graduated Basic Training and is off to AIT in FT Lee. He was a Platoon Sgt 1st Class the entire time. He was also a squad leader. When we visited him at Family day at Ft. Jackson. He told me horror Stories about the Chain of Command with in the Army. I was temped to write a letter to the Commander but decided not to make waves. It appears there is NO (ZERO) respect for officers from the NCO ranks within the ARMY. Comments would be made in front of the SITs when a Company commander would walk away. His rank was a Capt. How when they go through training and see this would they want to assume any command when there is a break down in training so egregious like this one. The Army needs to take a close look at its training and the respect its training its recruits to when it comes to CoC. When I served in the Air Force this type of stuff never happened. When I was going through Combat School at Ft. Dix it wasnt like that back then either.
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SFC A.M. Drake
Andrew,
Did the other soldiers experience the same thing while in basic with your son? I don't doubt it that's for sure
Did the other soldiers experience the same thing while in basic with your son? I don't doubt it that's for sure
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MSG Karl Arrington
That's an exception rather than the norm. I've spent eleven years as a Drill Sergeant with two years mobilized at Ft. Leonard Wood and another at Ft. Knox. The other DS's and I wouldn't allow that kind of stuff to go on. We all knew the chances of working with any of the Soldiers in the cadre in the future, so why burn a bridge for the sake of looking cool. Besides, you can't teach Army Values and be professional if you're not going to display them in yourself.
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There is clear and blatant racism in this article...and I think it's funny that they say the Military is a Representation of America and it's values.......That's not true at all. The Military are the people that put differences aside and fight for a common good. That's not the case in America. In fact, they spend all their time identifying themselves on how they are different, and self segregate. And that seems to be what's going on with the Officers.
Part of that started with the repeal of DADT...now people are going around saying they are a Gay-Marine, or Gay-Airman....that opens the gates of self segregation....Now we'll be like the civs...I'm not a Marine, I'm a African-American-MexiCali-Marine.
....give me a break with that nonsense. The PC Liberal and Democrat Weakness Culture is starting to get it's grips on the Military.
It's breaking down the standards...because it's not fair the standards to join are so high (I'm looking at you Females Marines)...and it's making softer minded individuals that start looking at things as "That's Not Fair", or "That hurts my Feelings".
Part of that started with the repeal of DADT...now people are going around saying they are a Gay-Marine, or Gay-Airman....that opens the gates of self segregation....Now we'll be like the civs...I'm not a Marine, I'm a African-American-MexiCali-Marine.
....give me a break with that nonsense. The PC Liberal and Democrat Weakness Culture is starting to get it's grips on the Military.
It's breaking down the standards...because it's not fair the standards to join are so high (I'm looking at you Females Marines)...and it's making softer minded individuals that start looking at things as "That's Not Fair", or "That hurts my Feelings".
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Stop talking about the problems and start talking solutions, I served with some very good soldiers of all racial backgrounds and also served with some Sorry soldiers of all backgrounds, we need to focus on "team" not the army of one, I never had a bad team. I got rid of soldiers that did not want to perform and didn't give a rats a$$ if they were from north south white pink black or anything else. My soldiers worked hard, played hard and were always respected.
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That was an extremely in depth analysis of a complex problem. Actually, maybe it's not so complex. The story made the point and I agree with it: all service members of all branches need mentors. I used to think that was a bunch of corporate bullshit about 15 years ago. I no longer feel that way at all. As it said, your mentor doesn't have to look like you, or you like him or her. As long as you have one, it yields huge dividends whether or not you stay for one enlistment, one tour of duty or make a career of it.
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If it is true that African American Officers are simply choosing branches outside of Combat Arms and it is something that the Army wants to change, the Army should do what the business world do and market Combat Arms jobs to the African American community. There are marketing firms that do this well in the commercial world. There are also probably some Advanced Civil Schooling MBA Graduates kicking around the Army somewhere. Sounds like a good TDY assignment in DC for some lucky individuals to work on.
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1SG Harold Piet
Stop trying to guide people to racially harmonize the Army, I never wanted to be anything but a mechanic, I did not care weather i worked with whites or blacks I wanted to work with a great team on trucks.
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