Army to stop using photos on officers' records, citing racial bias concerns

Fox News ^ | June 25, 2020 | By Louis Casiano

[A Navy Vet]

So your were a Marine and then a sailor? Why that decision, if I may ask?

[centurion316]

For years, promotion and command selection boards have adjusted the results to meet racial quotas. After the initial results are compiled, they determine the numbers of minority officers that are required to meet the quota. That number of officers are moved from below the cut to above the cut line and they are promoted. An equal number of above the cut line officers who are not a minority are moved below the line and are not promoted. Current practices protect and provide an advantage to minority officers. If they also remove the racial designation from the paper records as well, minority officer will not be recognized by boards and cannot receive favorable treatment as they do now.

[11th_VA]

That’s how my company did it ass well, but they would never admit it in public

[WASCWatch]

Exactly.

[OldGoatCPO]

I lived through the forced draw down during Graham-Rudman 1985/86. I left the Corps and went to work for Lockheed, eventually (after a nearly four years hiatus) went back to the Marine Corps Reserves. In 1993 the Corps courtesy of Clinton started going through a drawn down just like Graham-Rudman but this time it also impacted the Reserves. I was in a leadership role and read the message traffic, I saw the writing on the wall. My MOS was frozen for promotion and they cut the HYT (High Year Tenure) by two years over night. I had two cycles to get promoted in a field that had been frozen for at least one of those cycles and I was not even in the Zone yet. I had two options roll the dice and ride out the Corps budget cuts hoping for a promotion or a waiver, option two was an inter-service transfer. I went to each branch of the reserves and the Army and Navy offered me a position. Army meant a losing a rank but it was a safe position to ride out the budget cuts. As a NAVVET (Marine) the Navy let me keep my rank, gave me a six year enlistment which ensured I could retire, but, I had to accept an admin billet outside aviation. Wisely, I chose the Admin Billet. My WASP work ethic and Marine Corps discipline served me well in the Navy. They say God takes care of fools and children, well ironically the Aviation billet the Navy was considering me for originally saw personnel cuts and promotions frozen as they moved some aircraft out of the Reserves. As a YNC I was brought on active duty for the war and kept there until I retired on a full active duty retirement. It was still always a battle to remain in uniform because of HYT. I tell young Marines in the end, despite the rhetoric, they are really nothing but a line number to the Corps. Before you get out and go Reserve act like a free agent and talk to the other services you may be surprised at what they offer you.

[itsahoot]

This crap is still going on, 3 1/2 years after Obama left office?

You probably though that Trump was in charge of the military huh?

[Pearls Before Swine]

You probably though that Trump was in charge of the military huh?

Somewhat. Is the truth, "Not in the least?"

[itsahoot]

The Pentagon is so infested with lefties I seriously wonder about their willingness to follow presidential orders in times of crisis.

Why wonder they have disobeyed him several times without consequences. Remove Trannies was the order, the result was Trannies can now openly serve. Many have publicly disagreed with his stated policies without consequences.

[Starboard]

I realize that the Pentagon has openly disagreed with the president and generally resisted following his orders with respect to certain issues but the main point of my comment was resistance to orders in a time of crisis. In such an event time is critical; we don’t have the luxury of quibbling over political implications. My concern is that when it really matters the brass may drag its feet thereby endangering us all.

Make no mistake, we are always hours away from a sudden a crisis and one (or more) is sure to pop up before long. Hesitation can exact a dear cost.

That is why Trump needs to have a come to Jesus moment with the brass to reassert civilian control over the military. Anyone in the Pentagon who is no on board with that principle has to go.

[redcatcherb412]

You can be biased if you’re asleep? Wholda thunk it. /S

[redcatcherb412]

we knew the the first thing they did was separate into 2 piles. Mustache and no mustache

Hairy lip bias, one of the worst kind. As long as they were equitable and classed the females with the same standards for mustaches and hairy legs.

[itsahoot]

My concern is that when it really matters the brass may drag its feet thereby endangering us all.

My concern as well and you are correct Trump needs to assert his command authority, question is, why doesn't he?

Everyone is counting on Barr and Durham to reveal all the illegal swamp activity, I don't. I think they are doing exactly what Mueller did and that is to stall long enough to clean up all the evidence of any wrongdoing doing by our politicians of both parties.

Trump still brags about these career politicians like he thinks they are helping him, I don't think that at all.

The quantity and quality of posts here on FreeRepublic should alert us all to what looks likely to happen but it doesn't. I am 82 years old soon so it won't matter much to me either way. I have heard it all before and the same crooks are still making big bucks at taxpayer expense like they always have.

The news is so corrupt I haven't watched it in years but I have logged into FR every day since before I signed up and it is beginning to bore me to tears, so I spend most of my time watching off gridders and assorted skilled craftsmen on YouTube struggle with daily life, sort of relaxing, here not so much.

[A Navy Vet]

Thanks for sharing your history, Chief. What a shame the politicians made it so difficult for you to keep serving your country. Aviation Marine to Navy Yeoman must have been disappointing.

I was aviation Navy, but after shore duty in Rota, I was facing more 0-dark-30 flight deck hours, so I converted to the new rating of Navy Counselor (admin) while in Spain. That rating started closing up and CPO was looking further off. I got an unexpected offer to take over a small company so left after 11 years as an E-6. Just wish the offer was one year later so I could wear a gold Crow and hash marks as an E-6. With that gold on my sleeve, I may have held out for CPO and did my 20. The business offer was just too damn good.

While I proud of my 11 years, I have a problem with my era (75-86) not being able to wear the basic National Defense Service medal that every recruit now gets out of basic. I would think that being chased by Soviet subs and surface just itching to send us to the bottom would justify that medal. Whoa is us Cold War types...ha.

[OldGoatCPO]

I agree as a Cold Warrior we we received no recognition. You are going to love this: everybody gets to wear gold hash marks you no longer have to earn them.