Competency or Race

[GURPS]

Army is worried too many white men lead combat units
Sociologists worry lack of black officers will have detrimental effect on minorities



U.S. Army sociologists are worried that a lack of black officers leading its combat troops will have detrimental effect on minorities and lead to fewer black officers in top leadership posts.

“The issue exists. The leadership is aware of it,” Brig. Gen. Ronald Lewis toldUSA Today on Thursday. “The leadership does have an action plan in place. And it’s complicated.”

The Army reports that only 10 percent of its active-duty officers are black, which has contributed to its dearth of black officers leading soldiers with occupational specialties in infantry, armor and artillery.

“It certainly is a problem for several reasons,” Col. Irving Smith, director of sociology at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, told USA Today. “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.”

USA Today’s research found that 25 relevant brigades it looked at did not have a single black commander in 2014. For 2015, the paper reported that there will be two black commanders of combat brigades.

Army Sociologists :shrug:


#becausethemilitaryisonebigsocialexperiment

 

[Larry Gude]

The simple fact of the matter is that the leader of damn near anything, in the US, if the standards are fair, WILL be a white male. This has nothing to do with innate supremacy and everything to do with numbers.
We are, by far, still a white majority nation. 3 out of 4 in every branch are white. If you presume pure equality, background, education, ability to learn and get better, out of all white soldiers, of that 100% you've got the worst and the best and all points in between. Same thing for minorities. So, out of the bottom 10% total, 75% of them are going to white. of the middle 50%, 75% of them are going to be white. And of the top 10% 75% are going to be white. That makes it virtually impossible, in a merit based system for there to be ANY minorities when you go up the pyramid to leadership. To be sure, there will be SOME and they will be outstanding but, it's a statistical anomaly in terms of pure merit.

 

[Monello]

The West Point Hockey team is also on the radar.

 

[Monello]

And happy to report the football & basketball programs are not causing any issues.



Go Black Knights!!!

 

[Monello]

in a merit based system for there to be ANY minorities

That is why there is affirmative discrim.... err action. Plus minority set asides. Evening the playing field.

 

[Larry Gude]

That is why there is affirmative discrim.... err action. Plus minority set asides. Evening the playing field.

What? To limit the number of exceptional minorities?

I know what you meant. Just wanted to take the opportunity to spout the OLD conservative line about how aa does more harm than good.

 

[Monello]

What? To limit the number of exceptional minorities?

I know what you meant. Just wanted to take the opportunity to spout the OLD conservative line about how aa does more harm than good.

A true merit based system needs to be blind. Color blind, gender blind, sexual orientation blind, ethnicity blind, religious blind, geographical blind, etc.

But again the underrepresented groups will only be happy when their numbers increase where they are not equal to the national percentage. But if there was an attempt to adjust the racial makeup of the football team to closer reflect the national percentage, the crying would never stop. This is the farcical hypocrisy. You either want fair representation in all fields or you want merit based. You can't have both.

 

[SG_Player1974]

But again the underrepresented groups will only be happy when their numbers increase where they are not equal to the national percentage. But if there was an attempt to adjust the racial makeup of the football team to closer reflect the national percentage, the crying would never stop. This is the farcical hypocrisy. You either want fair representation in all fields or you want merit based. You can't have both.

According to studies in 2010....

The racial makeup in the US was about 65% Caucasian and 13% African American.

Pro Sports Racial Profile that same year:

MLB: 62% Caucasian/9% African American
NBA: 17% Caucasian/78% African American
NFL: 30% Caucasian/67% African American

Looks like, according to those numbers, African Americans dominate 2 of the big 3 sports in this country.

 

[Larry Gude]

Looks like, according to those numbers, African Americans dominate 2 of the big 3 sports in this country.

But, that is merit based.

 

[Larry Gude]

A true merit based system needs to be blind. Color blind, gender blind, sexual orientation blind, ethnicity blind, religious blind, geographical blind, etc.

But again the underrepresented groups will only be happy when their numbers increase where they are not equal to the national percentage. But if there was an attempt to adjust the racial makeup of the football team to closer reflect the national percentage, the crying would never stop. This is the farcical hypocrisy. You either want fair representation in all fields or you want merit based. You can't have both.

Well, even a passing knowledge of the history of generals in the US military show an endless stream of incompetent boobs who knew how to kiss some ass and/or were connected so, is it really any different?

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Well, even a passing knowledge of the history of generals in the US military show an endless stream of incompetent boobs who knew how to kiss some ass and/or were connected so, is it really any different?

Many civil war general were generals because they were rich and wanted to be a general. The British army officer commissions were purchased during revolutionary times.

Lincoln was quoted as saying

“I don’t care so much for brigadiers; I can make them. But horses and mules cost money.”

 

[GURPS]

The British army officer commissions were purchased during revolutionary times.

not just during the Revolution .... but that continued for a long while

while it is a TV Show Sharpe

it has a basis in History

 

[Monello]

But, that is merit based.

As it should be. Nobody worries about those 2 sports.

People do worry about hockey, the racial makeup of army artillery officer corps or public school teacher gender/race make up. Either we keep demographic stats or we base positions on merit. 1 or the other. You can't have it 1 way for a situation that works in your favor then a different set or rules when you are under represented. It's never going to be 100% representative. Some group is going to be the majority. Stop trying to muck things up with artificial manipulations that may create some feel good, but do harm in the end.