Posted on 10/07/2007 8:26:55 AM PDT by 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.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
It’s a volunteer military, no one has to serve and I would not want anyone who did not want to. This is a non story as far as I am concerned. Those who choose to serve are the best of the lot and I’m proud of them no matter their color.
I'm sure that had allot to do with it. I don't know of any kid who would sign up for the military during a war.
I used to work with someone, a liberal who is now retired and lives in California. He would send me e-mails about this matter, many e-mails. I asked him to stop since I didn’t send him political messages. He said “The truth hurts!” and “Once you are on my list, you can’t get off.” He was serious. I blocked his account. :-)
You’re right.
Jimmy Carter, though he served with distinction in the Navy, also seemed to loath the military and in four years reduced the military’s effectiveness to a dangerous level.
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
DITTO...I got out in 99 for the same reason. The jets at my unit were falling apart...we couldn’t buy parts, but we had money for sexual harassment training. I always found that ironic given Clinton’s predilection for harassing women. I rejoined again after 9-11. There was a marked increase in morale after Clinton left office.
In fact, Blacks have been over represented in the military until recently. Since 2000, they have gone from 21% of the active duty military, to 13%, which is in line with the 12.8% of the US population that is Black. Hispanics (legal) are slightly over represented. American Indians over represented by the largest margin. Asian Americans are the most under represented.
My personal observation is that recurits today are less likely to see the military as a ‘way out’ and are more likely to see their service as a duty.
Click on my handle and look at my Freeper page. To fly those babies you need 110+. I am so proud of my 17-19 year old 96U’s (soon to be 35U). They are the best and brightest this nation has to offer. I have two (2) black soldiers and they are hard working, speak the “kings english”, go to night school, have at least one (1) job, and don’t wear “colors” or “hang around”.
Your telling me he voted AGAINST the very bill he introduced?
But how can this be? Congressman rangel says blacks are being unfairly and disproportionately “forced” into the military and we must have a draft to restore “balance.”
Where you being sarcastic? I know of 5, and yes they are white, well educated and had a lot of opportunities. In fact one of them completed two years of college, academic scholarship, but could not get over the fact that he really wanted to be a Marine. And that is just within the past year.
Rangel's race-baiting "bring back the draft" comments were pure grandstanding and the Republicans called his bluff.
Shortly after President Bush took office, an old veteran approached the White House from the park across Pennsylvania Ave. where he'd been sitting on a park bench. He spoke to the US Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go in and meet with President Clinton."
The marine looked at the vet and said, "Sir, Mr. Clinton is no longer president and no longer resides here." The old vet said, "Okay," and walked away.
The following day, the same vet approached the White House and said to the same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Clinton."
The marine again told the vet, "Sir, Mr. Clinton is no longer president and no longer resides here." The vet thanked him and, again, just walked away.
The third day, the same vet approached the White House and spoke to the very same Marine saying, "I would like to go in and meet with President Clinton."
The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at the vet and said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row that you have been here asking to speak to Mr. Clinton and I've already told you that Mr. Clinton is no longer the president and no longer resides here. Don't you understand?"
The old vet looked at the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I just love hearing it."
The marine snapped to attention, saluted and said, "See you tomorrow, Sir!"
Wait till Madame Hillary takes over......the prediction here is that enlistments will go way down since the Clintons loathe the military. Remember when Bill was getting serviced in the oval office, it was Hillary who demanded that military personnel serve as waiters and waitresses at White House functions.We have to unite against this future blight on our nation!!!
Jersey City: To Voicer Samuel Hemphill, who says America is the worst country in the world and that all black folks who fight for this country should be kicked: I assume you have already purchased your one-way plane ticket to Europe or Africa, right? Why stay in such a horrible country? Bye! You won’t be missed.
Katrina Simmons
Bronx: The simple fact that Voicer Samuel Hemphill can send a letter filled with ignorant anti-American rantings and not get arrested proves that America is the greatest country on the planet.
Albert Gadry
Well some people serve in the military because they are patriots, some because they have a family history of service, some because they want adventure, and some because it is one way to work your way out of the ghetto into a real job after you leave the service. You can get training, education, and some good character references.
I suspect that blacks were over-represented in the military because they were more disadvantaged and more likely to flunk out of those lousy inner city schools. So they could go on welfare, join a drug gang, or join the military. That becomes less desirable if you have to put your life on the line.
Another reason, surely, is that black leaders have been attacking the military and the war, and maybe local blacks who are influential, like preachers, are doing the same. Earlier, they advised young men to join up and get ahead in the world; now they advise them to keep clear of this “unjust war.”
Too bad. But it’s not a great thing when you have a long period of peace and people joining the military who are not prepared to fight.
Typical that the liberals complain because too many blacks were being sent to Iraq and now they complain because not enough blacks are being sent to Iraq.
“During the ten-year period of the (Vietnam) war, 7,257 African-Americans died in Vietnam, or 12.5 percent of the KIAs, slightly under their proportion in the population of draft-aged males. Eighty-six percent of those killed were Caucasian; 1.5 percent were other races. (’Hispanics’ in those days were classed as either white, black, Native American, or Asian—Brad.)An examination of the casualty records indicates the highest rate for black servicemen was 16 percent in 1965, and almost all of those killed were volunteers in elite units, not reluctant draftees involuntarily assigned to combat units. . .In 1969, the war’s peak, black deaths accounted for 11.4 percent of the total. . .”
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