Analysis: Study shows 41% drop in number of black Army recruits since 2000

The Army’s wartime recruiting challenge is aggravated by a sharp drop in black enlistments over the last four years, which internal Army and Defense Department polls trace to an unpopular war in Iraq and concerns among blacks with Bush administration policies.

The Army is straining to meet recruiting goals in part because the number of black volunteers has fallen 41 percent — from 23.5 percent of recruits in fiscal 2000 down steadily to 13.9 percent in the first four months of fiscal 2005.

Thanks for an interesting post. I suspect that this is probably good in the long run. The people who are volunteering now must have a realistic idea about what they are in for, and it will encourage the Defense Department to improve the pay and conditions for the soldiers and marines. In addition, it will encourage the Army and Marine Corps to continue to reduce the number of troops stationed in Europe and East Asia, and to be more efficient in the deployments.

According to Charlie Rangel, "The fact that every member of the Congressional Black Caucus emotionally, politically and vigorously opposes this war is an indication of what black folks think throughout this country."

No, it is an indication of the hostility of the poverty pimps toward positive leadership. Hey Charlie, name one policy of the Bush administration you support. Funny how "progressives" cannot stand change.

Now Rangel should be pleased -- he keptwhining about how there are a disproportionate number of blacks in the military -- ignoring that it's VOLUNTARY. There are also a disproportionate number of blacks in professional basketball too.

And some earlier statistics:

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=465

The American troops likeliest to fight and die in a war against Iraq are disproportionately white, not black, military statistics show contradicting a belief widely held since the early days of the Vietnam War.

In a little-publicized trend, black recruits have gravitated toward non-combat jobs that provide marketable skills for post-military careers, while white soldiers are over-represented in front-line combat forces.

Though Rangel is right that blacks and lower-income Americans still serve in disproportionate numbers, that fact misses another significant trend. While blacks are 20% of the military compared with 12% of the U.S. population they make up a far smaller percentage of troops in combat jobs on the front line.

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I personally think that the enlistment of blacks dropped not because of the war, but because of improving economy and it's easier for them to find good jobs, so they do that, instead of going into the military.

I agree .. we have had Charlie Rangel on the media all the time whining about how more blacks are dying in the war than whites - which is A LIE!!

We have had Charlie Rangel on the media all the time whining about how there are tooooooo many black people in the military being put on the front lines - also A LIE.

No wonder young black people don't want to sign up.

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