Black U.S. Air Force and Space Force service members are much more likely to be investigated, arrested, disciplined and discharged for misconduct, a new report studying racial disparities has found.
Black service members are also less likely to be promoted, the study found, and a third of them feel that their white peers are afforded more opportunities than they are. Empirical evidence backed up the anecdotal findings.
The Department of the U.S. Air Force
The Department of the U.S. Air Force (Michael Sohn/AP)
The review, commissioned in June, examined racial disparities only, the Air Force said. It did not gauge whether or not racial bias or discrimination exists in that branch of the military. In addition, time did not permit a deeper dive into the root causes of racial disparities, though “the intent was that root cause analyses would follow completion of the review, as necessary,” the Department of the Air Force said in a statement upon releasing the report Monday.
What the reviewers found was plentiful enough.
“The IG team conducting the review received a large volume of firsthand accounts of experiences with bias, as well as individual acts of racism,” the Air Force Inspector General’s office said.
The reviewers examined Air Force military justice data dating back to 2012, as well as data on career development and opportunities when it came to civilian, enlisted and officer ranks, and reviewed “all pertinent personnel and legal Air Force instructions and related publications,” the Air Force said.
The Air Force Inspector General office also analyzed more than 123,000 responses elicited by a racial disparity survey throughout the force that included “more than 27,000 single-space pages of feedback from members,” the office said. It also formally interviewed senior leaders, subject matter experts and service members, and held 138 in-person listening sessions with more than 1,300 airmen and space professionals from across all major commands. Researchers also interviewed command teams at 20 installations and reexamined 23 past studies and reports involving race and demographics in the military, the IG’s office said.
There were anecdotes such as one from a Black squadron commander who said other Black leaders were the only ones who had mentored him, and that he had seen Black service members’ careers tank after just one mistake.
“You might get left behind if you don’t have someone that looks like you helping to propel you,” he said, according to The Associated Press. “Black service members need to work twice as hard, and you can’t mess up.”
Air Force officials admitted there is still “a lot of work” to be done, but emphasized that this report is a start.
“Thank you to the tens of thousands of Air and Space Force members who related their personal experiences, both favorable and unfavorable,” Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett said in the statement. “The IG review identified racial disparities within military justice and developmental programs. Now we’re analyzing root causes and taking appropriate actions to address these causes. These actions will include evaluating potential barriers to inclusion, expanding mentorship programs, and exploring ways to inspire and attract diverse youth to join the Air Force and Space Force.”
The report comes as the Pentagon struggles with a broader effort to expand diversity within the ranks, AP noted. The Defense Department last week endorsed a new slate of initiatives to more aggressively recruit, retain and promote a more racially and ethnically diverse force. And it called for a plan to crack down on participation in hate groups by service members and draft proposed changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“Racial disparity isn’t an easy topic and something we don’t traditionally talk about much throughout our levels of command,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown Jr., the first Black man to lead the Air Force, told the AP. “Now we must all move forward with meaningful, lasting, and sustainable change.”
Black U.S. Air Force and Space Force service members are much more likely to be investigated, arrested, disciplined and discharged for misconduct, a new report studying racial disparities has found.
Black service members are also less likely to be promoted, the study found, and a third of them feel that their white peers are afforded more opportunities than they are. Empirical evidence backed up the anecdotal findings. The Department of the U.S. Air Force The Department of the U.S. Air Force (Michael Sohn/AP)
The review, commissioned in June, examined racial disparities only, the Air Force said. It did not gauge whether or not racial bias or discrimination exists in that branch of the military. In addition, time did not permit a deeper dive into the root causes of racial disparities, though “the intent was that root cause analyses would follow completion of the review, as necessary,” the Department of the Air Force said in a statement upon releasing the report Monday.
What the reviewers found was plentiful enough.
“The IG team conducting the review received a large volume of firsthand accounts of experiences with bias, as well as individual acts of racism,” the Air Force Inspector General’s office said.
The reviewers examined Air Force military justice data dating back to 2012, as well as data on career development and opportunities when it came to civilian, enlisted and officer ranks, and reviewed “all pertinent personnel and legal Air Force instructions and related publications,” the Air Force said.
The Air Force Inspector General office also analyzed more than 123,000 responses elicited by a racial disparity survey throughout the force that included “more than 27,000 single-space pages of feedback from members,” the office said. It also formally interviewed senior leaders, subject matter experts and service members, and held 138 in-person listening sessions with more than 1,300 airmen and space professionals from across all major commands. Researchers also interviewed command teams at 20 installations and reexamined 23 past studies and reports involving race and demographics in the military, the IG’s office said.
There were anecdotes such as one from a Black squadron commander who said other Black leaders were the only ones who had mentored him, and that he had seen Black service members’ careers tank after just one mistake.
“You might get left behind if you don’t have someone that looks like you helping to propel you,” he said, according to The Associated Press. “Black service members need to work twice as hard, and you can’t mess up.”
Air Force officials admitted there is still “a lot of work” to be done, but emphasized that this report is a start.
“Thank you to the tens of thousands of Air and Space Force members who related their personal experiences, both favorable and unfavorable,” Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett said in the statement. “The IG review identified racial disparities within military justice and developmental programs. Now we’re analyzing root causes and taking appropriate actions to address these causes. These actions will include evaluating potential barriers to inclusion, expanding mentorship programs, and exploring ways to inspire and attract diverse youth to join the Air Force and Space Force.”
The report comes as the Pentagon struggles with a broader effort to expand diversity within the ranks, AP noted. The Defense Department last week endorsed a new slate of initiatives to more aggressively recruit, retain and promote a more racially and ethnically diverse force. And it called for a plan to crack down on participation in hate groups by service members and draft proposed changes to the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“Racial disparity isn’t an easy topic and something we don’t traditionally talk about much throughout our levels of command,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Brown Jr., the first Black man to lead the Air Force, told the AP. “Now we must all move forward with meaningful, lasting, and sustainable change.”