Military Sees Drop in Black Recruits

[NNN0LHI]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MILITARY_RECRUITS_BLACKS?SITE=ILKAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of blacks joining the military has plunged by more than one-third since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars began, as other job prospects soar and relatives of potential recruits increasingly discourage them from signing up.

According to data obtained by The Associated Press, the decline covers all four military services for active duty recruits, and the drop is even more dramatic when National Guard and Reserve recruiting is included.

The findings reflect the growing unpopularity of the wars, particularly among family members and other adults who exert influence over high school and college students considering the military as a place to serve their country, further their education or build a career.

Walking past the Army recruiting station in downtown Washington, D.C., this past week, Sean Glover said he has done all he can to talk black relatives out of joining the military.

"I don't think it's a good time. I don't support the government's efforts here and abroad," said Glover, 36.

[Captain Hilts]

1. And blacks are concentrated in 'support' specialties, not combat ones.

The percentage of black troops being killed in Iraq and those killed in Vietnam seem to be different.

[Solo_in_MD]

4. Indeed, a disproportionate share of the grunts in combat are white males contrary to what some

would have you believe

[Captain Hilts]

9. That's exactly right. Being in the infantry is a 'white' thing. nt

[tabasco]

19. Last time I checked, blacks were about 25% of the infantry.

That was a couple years ago. Do you have a source for the current numbers? Thanks.

[entanglement]

13. And the beneficiaries of the war are disproportionately RICH white males

I wish working class white kids would realize that

[soothsayer]

2. Smart! How much are other recruits down, I wonder?

[Matsubara]

3. Yay people of color!

Good for them. Self-preservation and not wanting to participate in crimes against humanity is to be admired.

Kudos to Mr. Glover.

[Captain Hilts]

11. Kind of a nice turnabout compared to what happened in Vietnam. nt

[BlooInBloo]

5. To paraphrase: Ain't no Iraqi ever call you 'oversensitive'.

[tridim]

6. No need to single out blacks, all recruits are down thanks to Bush's fake war. nt

[NNN0LHI]

7. Disagree

Any time a large group of Americans say no to this odious occupation it is to be admired.

Don

[tridim]

17. Absolutely, but still the backlash against Bush's illegal war spans all races and genders

This article makes it sound like only Blacks are rebelling, and IMO is pointing that out so racist armchair warriors can use it as ammunition against black soldiers.

Wisdom is colorblind, and every anti-war soldier is a hero.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Au contraire. The percentages of blacks enlisting have gone down. Early in the war, actually.nt

[marmar]

12. The drop among African Americans has been more dramatic than among other groups....

and that's significant because the percentage of military members who are African American is about 10 percentage points higher than the percentage of the overall population that is African American. That means when recruits drop, the military is going to feel it.

[schrodinger_I]

8. Kids aren't dumb...

I have met a few high school students that told me they
will never sign up. The general consensus among their friends is that
they would rather go to college and avoid possibly getting killed.
Perhaps high school students are better informed these days with the Internet?

[NoodleyAppendage]

14. The military is just planning on trading one minority for another...hispanics (and illegals).

There's already a plan afoot to grandfather illegals into citizenship in exchange for being IED-fodder in Iraq. As usual, it is the minorities and underclass that fill the ranks of the military while the rich suffer no similar losses.

J

[Captain Hilts]

16. Hispanics have been under represented because of culture and language..

and the high school drop out rate of Hispanics from high school also precluded their joining. The army used to require a high school diploma. That's not necessarily the case now, so the Hispanic numbers might go up.

[NoodleyAppendage]

18. Offering citizenship in exchange for military service won't hurt, either. n/t

J

[Captain Hilts]

20. The military has always done that.

That's how my grandfather and my father became citizens.

[Grandrose]

15. In some ways they are the canary down in the mine!

With this Bush/Cheney cabal things can only get worse! Iran/Syria...anyone?:eyes: