Military sees big decline in black enlistees

Boston Globe ^ | October 7, 2007 | Joseph Williams and Kevin Baron

[ConservativeStatement]

WASHINGTON - African-Americans, whose longstanding relationship with the US military helped them prove their abilities and offered a way to get ahead, have turned away from the armed forces in record numbers since 2000, a period covering the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the start of the Iraq war.

Defense Department statistics show the number of young black enlistees has fallen by more than 58 percent since fiscal year 2000. The Army in particular has been hit hard: In fiscal year 2000, according to the Pentagon statistics, more than 42,000 black men and women applied to enlist; in fiscal year 2005, the most recent for which a racial breakdown is available, just over 17,000 signed up.

The unpopular Iraq war is the biggest reason, according to military analysts, Pentagon surveys, and interviews with young African-Americans. But they say mistrust of the Bush administration is adding to the problem - along with the notion that black soldiers are being steered to combat jobs, a lingering perception from the Vietnam War.

The decline in enlistment applications among blacks is by far the fastest of any demographic group. Between fiscal 2000 and 2005, white applicants declined by more than 10 percent. Hispanic applicants dropped by almost 7 percent.

[ConservativeStatement]

I came across this hateful letter to the editor in last week's New York Daily News which may or may not have anything to do with the article:

Manhattan: America is the worst country on this Earth. West Virginia, Louisiana, Chambers St. - I pray some Asian nation buries your white asses. Any black American who defends this nation in the armed services should be kicked.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/09/30/2007-09-30_voice_of_the_people.html

[Khepera]

I hear its because they are all in jail.

[BenLurkin]

According to Senator Edwards.

[MNJohnnie]

Ever notice that it is always the Leftists that are fixated on a person’s skin color, religion, gender, or sexual preference?

I suggest the Left get grip on their transparent habitual bigotry before having the arrogance to lecture anyone else.

[Just A Nobody]

I hear its because they are all in jail.

In my area they told me they could not pass the test...and some tried 3 times!

[Puppage]

African-Americans, whose longstanding relationship with the US military helped them prove their abilities

WTF is that supposed to mean?

[taxcontrol]

LOL - how about a racial quota based draft? Man that would drive the lib bonkers.

[Just A Nobody]

Between fiscal 2000 and 2005, white applicants declined by more than 10 percent. Hispanic applicants dropped by almost 7 percent.

And yet, the military is meeting all their enlistment goals. Go figure!

[CT]

I made this observation a year ago at my son’s graduation from Marine bootcamp in San Diego. Blacks were less than 5% of his company. Maybe just 2%. Others noted this as well.

[Khepera]

“In my area they told me they could not pass the test...and some tried 3 times!”

Which test is that?

[Brilliant]

This should please Charlie Rangel. Actually, if you could get Rangel to tell you the truth for a change, he’d probably tell you that the real reason he opposed the Iraq war is that until then he viewed the military as a giant welfare program, and then the war came in the way.

[ConservativeStatement]

I maintain that if the Witch becomes President, she will have a male only military draft and will blame the policies of the Bush Administration for its need, her liberal women’s agenda will be strengthened through this as they will be exempt from service due to “evil men taking advantage” and then eventually with the Dems controlling DC she will legalize illegals and the Dems will have that vote for decades to come. This is the most important election of our lifetimes. Needless to say here but: Be very aware of this creep.

[Brad from Tennessee]

The liberals claimed blacks were overrepresented in Vietnam and took a disproportionate number of casualties. This was propaganda and a myth the news media chose not to correct. African-American participation in Vietnam was in almost exact proportion to their percentage of the U.S. general population.

Now, if numbers of blacks drop, the Left will say the Pentagon is discouraging their participation in order to build an “Aryan” army.

“. . . (blacks) say mistrust of the Bush administration is adding to the problem. . .”

No American president was ever more mistrusted by the U.S. military—from the Pentagon down to the most junior rifleman—than Bill Clinton.

[Lexington Green]

‘’In fiscal year 2000, according to the Pentagon statistics, more than 42,000 black men and women applied to enlist; in fiscal year 2005, the most recent for which a racial breakdown is available, just over 17,000 signed up. ‘’

Yeah, once the shooting started....

[lapster]

The blacks now serving in our military are among the best and brightest of any race in our nation. If those blacks who adhere to the gangsta rap, illegitimacy, vulgarity, and violence that now rules and ruins America’s dominant black culture don’t care to serve their country, we’re better off for it.

[Nat Turner]

No American president was ever more mistrusted by the U.S. military—from the Pentagon down to the most junior rifleman—than Bill Clinton.

AMEN... thats why I left in 94

[mountn man]

LOL - how about a racial quota based draft? Man that would drive the lib bonkers.

Race baiter Charles Rangel, before the 2000 election claimed the Republicans, ie., George Bush, were going to institute a draft if elected.
He also stated that a disproportionately large amount of blacks were in the military, and that there were a disproportionate few rich white kids. Wrong on both counts.

During the run up to the '04 election, he claimed that there was no way we could sustain our presence in both Afghanistan and Iraq, and that GWB was waiting until after the election to institute a draft.

By the way, its Rangel who has introduced bills for the draft reinstatement, even before the '04 election.

[kabar]

"The Pentagon and military analysts say the downturn in enlistments partly reflects the fact that young African-Americans have broader options, pointing to the growing number of black students in college. But the decrease in enlistment also comes amid high dropout rates among African-American youths and a 7.7 percent unemployment rate in the black community, almost twice that of whites."

It is interesting that the MSM is now decrying the fact that blacks and minorities are becoming less and less overrepresented in the military. They still are despite these declining enlistment rates. "Despite the sharp decline in enlistments, the percentage of blacks in the military still slightly exceeds that of the general population: 14.5 percent in the military, as of 2005, versus 12.8 percent in the US population."

I wonder how much the attitudes of blacks[and others] about the military are affected by people like Rangel and Murtha and Kerry. Who wants to sacrifice their life for a "mistake?" The drumbeat of the Dems and the MSM about the military and their role in Iraq has to have some effect on enlistment. You can't separate the mission from the troops. And then there is the matter of our failing inner city schools.

There is also the perpetuation of the myth that blacks suffered disproportionately higher casualties in Vietnam. The facts say differently. And in Iraq, 9.37% of the military deaths in Iraq have been black or less than their overall percentage of the force.

[Sherman Logan]

No American president was ever more mistrusted by the U.S. military—from the Pentagon down to the most junior rifleman—than Bill Clinton.

No doubt true. However, the article refers to mistrust of the President among blacks, not among the military.

[Gay State Conservative]

The Globe-Democrat,of course,applauds the fact that black kids aren’t joining.”What courage!”....”what wisdom!”.....”what patriotism!” the Globe-Democrat would say.