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 ...
“Putting a G in there anywhere is an insult to the BLT.”
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Just had a BLT for lunch. Yum !
What stupidity.
If I were classified as "a minority" I would already feel stigmatized as not being as good as "the majority" or as smart as "the majority" or as overall capable as "the majority" which in this case The Times calls "a majority" of white guys in the Seals; so I would need a "hand up" to meet the job requirements.
What if my public school system in the city never had funds for a swim team and we didn't get picked to go to Fresh Air Camp in the summer? Not too many white guys or black guys coming out of that scenario thinking about becoming SEALS. ARMY RANGERS more likely.
“Maybe that guy that quit “Top Shot” last season will re-inlist.”
At first I thought that was Top Chef. I am thinking, well he would be good with knives.
Unless they’re from the West Indies, you just don’t find that many black guys that like the ocean very much.
Cold water is racist.
ROFLAO! Did you really just say that? I hope in real life your name is Chris Rock.
"...constantly pulling from the bottom of the pool."? Who the hell was throwing them in?
Brothers are not noted for their swimming abilities. Fact. Go watch swim qual at Great Lakes or either MCRD.
True. When we were stationed in SC a friend of ours was a black DI at Parris Island, he was a swim instructor/life guard. He said said they wanted black swim instructors to help blacks overcome fear and that blacks didn’t float like white folk. I had never known that.
A lot of powerfully built white guys do too.
I can sit at the bottom of the pool and wave to you with lungs full of air.
Be careful that the government’s racism doesn’t lead us into bigotry -
I’m sure there are plenty of Black guys who can swim just fine.
Maybe the “Black seals” are in the NFL? Because frankly - most Seals I met - were NFL/Div I college calibre athletes (including mental toughness) - if they were one step quicker in the 40. Maybe the Black seals are just too fleet of foot? Maybe they are all playing sports in college?
Let me know when they raise the age limit to 63.;-)
People soon learn performance doesn't matter, only quotas.
People get lazy, people stop caring, things get screwed up and things don't get done.
In this case affirmative action quotas will almost certainly get good men injured and killed.
Depends on where you live. Has nothing to do with ability per "skin color"--it has to do with opportunity in one's own environment.
See Post #64.
When I went through basic they put a black chief in charge of every flight regardless of the ethnic composition.
They were usually fired after the first week.
I appreciate what they were trying to do but essentially they set them up for failure with no coaching.
Quotas over quality. It’s the new American way.
AA applied to the Navy’s SEALs ... LOL... what could go wrong with that?
This AA crap is so sickening and frankly, I think it’s racist..
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