[afraidfortherepublic]

it was difficult for a black man "to make rank" in the military

It is difficult for ANYONE to 'make rank' in the military -- after all they are looking for a FEW good men, the FEW, the STRONG, the BRAVE. This guy doesn't sound like he cuts it in any way.

[dark_lord]

Not really hard to "make it" in the enlisted ranks. You take friggin written exams for gosh sakes. You study up on your specialty areas and take the test. And you can retake the test every 6 months (if you don't pass) once you have reached the number of years at that rank to be eligible. It is true that for certain ratings it is easier to make rank than others. It is also true you can get bonus points for certain hardship positions, also. But there is no race-based weighting (as far as I know.) Just the ability to learn, read, and pass a written test.