America Becoming Racial Trends and Their Consequences: Volume II (2001) / Chapter Skim
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8. Labor Force Trends: The Military as Data
8. Labor Force Trends: The Military as Data
Pages 174-189
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From page 174... ...
The military stands at the forefront of organizations representative of Black achievement. It is worthy of note that the disproportionately Black armed forces stand out as the most respected institution in American society.
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From page 175... ...
In spite of the fact that Blacks made up an estimated 20 percent of the 2.5 million colonial population at the start of the "rebellion," the Continental Congress issued four orders forbidding free Blacks and slaves from joining the Army. Recognizing that slavery was a divisive issue for the colonists, the British solicited Black recruits, offering freedom to slaves who would fight for the British crown.
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From page 176... ...
In the war's early stages, the Confederate congress passed an act that guaranteed equal pay for those Blacks who served. The following applied to musicians: The Congress of the Confederate States of America do enact, that whenever colored persons are employed as musicians in any regiment or company, they shall be entitled to the same pay now allowed by law to musicians regularly enlisted; Provided that no such persons shall be so employed except by the consent of the commanding officer of the brigade to which said regiments or companies may belong (Nalty and MacGregor, 1981~.
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From page 177... ...
The war lasted only 10 weeks, and few of these units saw action; but the units of the Buffalo Soldiers were in the heat of the conflict. The Twenty-Fifth Infantry and Tenth Cavalry fought at E1 Caney, and the Tenth received honors; the Twenty-Fourth Infantry helped in the assault on San Juan Hill (U.S.
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From page 178... ...
The change to an all-volunteer force was accompanied by a significant rise in the Black composition of the armed forces, especially the Army, as shown in Table 8-1. The Army has, proportionately, approximately twice as many Black personnel as any of the other three military services.
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From page 179... ...
In all four services, Black women have significantly lower attrition rates than White women. Again, the Army is most notable; whereas 35 percent of Black females fail to complete their enlistments (a figure correspondent to males of any race)
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From page 180... ...
OVERCOMING RACE: ARMY LESSONS FOR CIVILIAN SOCIETY Although Blacks participate in all services, the above analysis clarifies the Army's role as the prototype for Black opportunity. In All That We Can Be: Black Leadership and Integration the Army Way (Moskos and Butler, 1996)
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From page 181... ...
, of military lessons for American society, is expanded. This is done with the understanding that the military has never been perfect, but is an institu
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From page 182... ...
Critics point out that the Army commands methods of surveillance and coercion unavailable to civilian institutions and is, thus, less democratic. They also point to the fact that Army personnel have a degree of economic stability as well as access to both decent housing and medical benefits, unavailable to many in civilian society, where race and poverty (among all groups)
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From page 183... ...
TABLE 8-3 Percentage of Women by Race, Army and U.S. Department of Defense Total, 1980, 1990, 1998 183 Commissioned Officers Enlisted DoD Total Army DoD Total 1980 White 82.4 85.1 56.4 69.9 Black 11.4 9.3 37.5 25.2 Other 6.2 5.6 6.1 5.9 Total 100 100 100 100 1990 White 72.2 80.6 44.2 58.1 Black 21.2 13.2 48.2 33.3 Other 6.6 6.2 7.6 8.6 Total 100 100 100 100 1998 White 69.2 76.6 39.5 52.8 Black 19.9 13.6 47.1 34.9 Other 10.9 9.8 13.4 12.3 Total 100 100 100 100 SOURCE: U.S.
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From page 184... ...
The Army relies more on around-theclock, weekly, and daily accountability than most civilian organizations; but accountability and control in and of themselves cannot force good race relations. The racial situation is far worse in prisons, where coercive authority regulates accountability and control much more heavily than the military.
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From page 185... ...
The core issue is not White racism but Black opportunity. If there must be a trade-off between Black advancement coexisting with White racism on the one hand and fewer Blacks in a presumed nonracial setting on the other, the former situation is preferable.
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From page 186... ...
Spelman College, Dillard University, and Morehouse College, all Black institutions of higher learning located in the South, have concentrated on Black opportunity rather than attitudes of White racism. And these schools have produced some of this country's most celebrated and talented citizens: Martin Luther King, Oprah Winfrey, Spike Lee are among the many Black achievers who graduated from historically Black colleges and universities.
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From page 187... ...
The Army has demonstrated that youths with disadvantaged backgrounds can be trained to meet demanding academic as well as physical standards. The Army has successfully introduced programs to bring young people up to enlistment standards, to raise enlisted soldiers to NCO standards, to bring undergraduates up to officer commissioning standards, and to raise high school graduates to U.S.
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From page 188... ...
The emphasis must be placed on organizational goals and Black opportunity channels rather than racist attitudes. It is in the interests of American business and the country to ensure that all Americans regardless of race or ethnicityhave the foundation and the opportunity to become highly skilled, productive contributors to their communities and the country.
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From page 189... ...
Butler 1996 All That We Can Be: Black Leadership and Racial Integration the Army Way. New York: Basic Books.
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