Investigating the Existing Gap between Army Culture and Black American Culture

摘要

The U.S. military is the Nation's most powerful instrument for achieving and defending U.S. national security objectives. The aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks on American soil is a strategic environment that is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. To succeed in achieving and defending national security objectives, the Army must become culturally competent. It must reach across racial and cultural boundaries to recruit and retain the very best people to meet future challenges and sustain the All- Volunteer Force. This requires a willingness on the part of the Army to include, at every level, talented people of color with diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds and linguistic skills. This project identifies three ways in which Army culture can close the existing gap with African-American culture to attract talented people of that race. It is the Army's responsibility to implement diverse initiatives that will address current and future shortfalls in recruiting and retaining talented ethnic minority groups.