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Navy Seeking More Minority SEALs
Time Magazine ^ | February 24, 2012 | Mark Thompson

Posted on 02/24/2012 9:15:25 AM PST by lex33

In nature, most seals are black, with relatively few white ones. The Navy's SEALs have exactly the opposite problem -- they're overwhelmingly white, with hardly any blacks. So they're trying to do something about it. It's a fundamental challenge in a democracy with an all-volunteer force: recruits may be drawn from all segments of society, but elite military units -- and none is more elite these days than the SEALs, following their dispatch of Osama bin Laden last May -- tend to draw from small pools of talent. For the SEALs, that includes athletic young men who are smart and good in the water. For whatever reason, that has led to an overwhelmingly white SEAL force. (PHOTOS: Navy SEALs in Action) Say the SEALs: Gaps exist in minority representation in both officer and enlisted ranks for Special Warfare operators. Diverse officers represent only ten percent of the officer pool (for example, African Americans represent less than 2% of SEAL officers). Diverse enlisted SEALs account for less than twenty percent of the total SEAL enlisted population. Naval Special Warfare is committed to fielding a force that represents the demographics of the nation it serves. This contract initiative seeks effective strategies to introduce high potential candidates from diverse backgrounds to the opportunities available in Naval Special Warfare. (PHOTOS: A History of Special Ops) The SEALs are considering hiring help to attract thousands of "minority males in the 16–24 year-old target age range" to become SEALs. "This contract will create a mechanism to enhance Naval Special Warfare's ability to conduct outreach, raise awareness, mentor, and increase self-selection to a career as a SEAL within minority communities," a recently-posted draft contract solicitation says. The Navy isn't seeking only black SEALs: "Challenges for minority recruitment also exist in the Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander (API), Native

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
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To: lex33
I guess Cuba Gooding, Jr. wasn't available.


21 posted on 02/24/2012 9:25:20 AM PST by dfwgator (Don't wake up in a roadside ditch. Get rid of Romney.)
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To: lex33

If they lower the standards far enough they should be able to find enough diversity candidates from Compton!


22 posted on 02/24/2012 9:25:35 AM PST by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: lex33

This is the first step. Second step: Mandate minorities pass BUD/S, resulting in reduced standards from actual reductions to giving them additional tries at passing.

This is exactly why the SEALs needed to remain out of the limelight.


23 posted on 02/24/2012 9:25:40 AM PST by CodeToad (NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!)
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To: lex33

Maybe that guy that quit “Top Shot” last season will re-inlist.


24 posted on 02/24/2012 9:26:14 AM PST by Roccus
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To: treetopsandroofs

Don’t you mean GLBT? Makes it easier to say “gilberts”. (Don’t want to know so don’t tell me.)


25 posted on 02/24/2012 9:26:33 AM PST by rktman
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To: lex33

Ya gotta get ‘em into the Navy for starters. That has always been the branch with the lowest minority enlistment (Army first, then Marines, then A.F., then Navy).


26 posted on 02/24/2012 9:26:50 AM PST by al_c (http://www.blowoutcongress.com)
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To: ken5050

Blacks as a group sink like rocks. I have this from two lifeguards who were constantly pulling blacks fromm the bottom of the pool.


27 posted on 02/24/2012 9:26:54 AM PST by oncebitten (Obama: "A Big Ole’ Hunk of Nothing on Two Thick Slices of Nada.”)
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To: lex33
Challenges for minority recruitment also exist in the Hispanic

Well they could just recruit directly from the Mexican Army, or even the Spanish Army.

After all, why have Americans in the American Army?

It's discrimination, clearly.

28 posted on 02/24/2012 9:27:36 AM PST by Regulator
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To: lex33

Have we ever had a more racist C-in-C?


29 posted on 02/24/2012 9:28:02 AM PST by treetopsandroofs (Had FDR been GOP, there would have been no World Wars, just "The Great War" and "Roosevelt's Wars".)
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To: lex33

Idiots. When the military successfully recruits lots of so-called “minorities” the liberal morons complain that minorities are being disproportionatly “forced” to join the military and risk their lives to earn a living. The horror!


30 posted on 02/24/2012 9:28:02 AM PST by Larry Lucido (My doctor told me to curtail my Walpoling activities.)
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To: lex33

-—...draw from small pools of talent. For the SEALs, that includes athletic young men who are smart and good in the water.-—
And courageous and patriotic.
-—For whatever reason, that has led to an overwhelmingly white SEAL force.-—


31 posted on 02/24/2012 9:29:08 AM PST by running_dog_lackey
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To: supremedoctrine

is he that burnt dude?


32 posted on 02/24/2012 9:29:33 AM PST by ßuddaßudd (7 days - 7 ways a Guero y Guay Lao << >> with a floating, shifting, ever changing persona)
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To: rfreedom4u

Agreed. The entire article is insane. Zero has to directing this.


33 posted on 02/24/2012 9:29:51 AM PST by lex33
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To: Larry Lucido

Dead on. That is what happened in Vietnam. The liberals claimed white kids got college deferments while black kids got drafted, yet, that isn’t what the numbers show. The numbers show blacks were perfectly proportionally drafted as were the whites.


34 posted on 02/24/2012 9:30:08 AM PST by CodeToad (NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!!)
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To: rktman

Putting a G in there anywhere is an insult to the BLT.


35 posted on 02/24/2012 9:30:23 AM PST by treetopsandroofs (Had FDR been GOP, there would have been no World Wars, just "The Great War" and "Roosevelt's Wars".)
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To: lex33

Guess the Navy will be lowering some SEAL entrance standards in order to accommodate certain groups. Perhaps a new and secret force is the answer. The SEAL program, as great as it is, has become too open, and now, commercially exploited.


36 posted on 02/24/2012 9:30:32 AM PST by Jukeman (God help us for we are deep in trouble.)
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To: lex33
A backhanded compliment hitpiece on the US Military by the ever foul traitors at Slime Magazine.
37 posted on 02/24/2012 9:31:10 AM PST by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it. (plagiarized))
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To: lex33
Racial minorities are also under-represented in all the combat arms, and that is where the SEAL and Special Warfare operatives come from. These guys are double, triple-volunteers and they work their butts off just to get selected for the opportunity to become an operator.

This is a bit like NASCAR trying to get black drivers. There are definitely are black men with the innate talent, but you can't ram them through the process without seriously short-circuiting the overall training criteria.

And here's a key difference. SEALs are supposed to be annonymous. What's the difference (to the general public) if there are few minorities? It only matters that they get the job done. Hollywood can put a few black faces in the movie version. Spike will do it.

38 posted on 02/24/2012 9:31:20 AM PST by Tallguy (It's all 'Fun and Games' until somebody loses an eye!)
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To: rfreedom4u

It was the idea of our pResident and his hangers-on. He stands with blacks, although he is half white; he stands (shall) with Muslims (should the sh!t hit the fan); he is committed to increasing the diversity among government employees; and he is determined to debase the capability of our most elite forces. I am not saying blacks per se couldn’t qualify, but the structure and review apparatus is being set up here to allow unqualified candidates to be approved. It will come as sure as the sun rises in the East.


39 posted on 02/24/2012 9:32:46 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: ken5050
"Blacks, as a group, just aren’t into swimming...and to be a SEAL..ya gotta LOVE the ocean"

That's true. Last summer, my local Y launched a program to try and get more black kids swimming. WHY?? Clearly if they wanted to learn to swim---OR be Navy Seals---they would do it! Why the need to try and force the issue?

40 posted on 02/24/2012 9:33:00 AM PST by CatherineofAragon (I can haz Romney's defeat?)
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