Posted on 04/02/2002 4:33:25 PM PST by SBeck
Special forces struggle to find, keep minorities
By RON KAMPEAS ASSOCIATED PRESS
Sentinel Staff Writer
April 2, 2002
WASHINGTON -- The special forces have always prided themselves on how hard it is to become a member. For some black SEALs, Rangers and Green Berets, staying is tougher than getting in.
With special forces having become the face of the U.S. military in the Afghan war, leaders are sensitive to the fact that those faces are overwhelmingly white, and they are recruiting in minority neighborhoods.
The problem, some say, is the attitudes black recruits face once inside.
"It was like being the only black in a Harley-Davidson gang, as out of place as you can be," said retired Lt. Jake Zweig of his short, tumultuous stay in the SEALs. "It was horrendous."
The SEALs have acknowledged "pockets of racial insensitivity" and have appointed a minority-recruitment chief with authority to veto bigoted candidates.
The crux, all agree, is the elitism that defines the "special" in special forces. "SEALs are very sensitive about lowering standards and letting in people who are not up to the standards of what a special-forces warrior should be," said Lt. Cmdr. Darryn James, a spokesman for Navy Special Warfare.
Such talk riles Army Brig. Gen. Remo Butler, a Ranger who is now the highest-ranking black soldier in the special forces.
"That's code for 'You're not quite as smart. You're here because you're getting a break somewhere,' " said Butler, who heads Special Operations Command-South in Puerto Rico.
The armed services are often held out as standard-bearers for integration. Blacks -- 13 percent of the U.S. population -- make up 20 percent of the military. But they are less than 4 percent of special forces.
Army and Navy special-forces recruiters are working in minority neighborhoods with an eye toward racial integration.
The Tampa-based command for all military special operations is publishing recruiting pamphlets that for the first time prominently feature minorities. It also is sending "motivator" teams that include black and Hispanic special-forces success stories into minority neighborhoods.
Navy special warfare, the whitest of special-ops branches -- just 2.5 percent of SEALs are black -- has appointed a black civilian known for diversifying medical schools to head minority recruitment.
Special forces don't sign up civilians themselves. Instead, they are encouraging minorities to join the military with the goal of working their way into the elite ranks.
They can thank affirmative action for that.
That was my first thought too.
Just wait until Pat Ireland finds out about that. She'll positively break a nail.
The military, and society at large, put themselves in this position by doing just that. Lowering standards to bring in more minorities only causes resentment and reinforces prejudice. It is a far better thing in the long run to keep standards high and allow the minorities to rise up to them. Then there will be no possibility of minorities feeling "inferior" for they would have earned it just as much as the next guy.
Looks like we are gonna get a kinder; gentler special ops.
In order to restore racial equality, the NBA needs desperately to start recruiting white basketball players since the NBA is 78% black. The numbers show an obvious pattern of racism. The white players think the situation is horrendous. "It's kind of like being the only white guy in a gangsta rap group that is playing at the Apollo theater," said retired player Joe White of his short NBA career. NBA officials have seriously considered sensitivity training and a zero-tolerance policy.
Several initiatives have been in the works to recruit white kids from the suburbs to come play basketball in the inner-city outdoor courts. So far, the effort has been a dismal failure. "White kids just do not desire to achieve greatness in the NBA," surmised one NBA executive. "They would rather go to college and get a business degree. We're not having much luck changing that attitude. For crying out loud, we've allowed white players to have a lower points-per-game average and lower numbers for stats such as steals and rebounds. What else are we supposed to do?" Plans are currently in the works for initiatives such as more white basketball scholarships on the college level, more aggressive recruiting, a "Whities Can Play Ball Too" self-esteem workshop, and relaxing physical fitness standards.
And I wanna know now!!!!
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