Black People : Black Recruits Plunging, Latinos Rising

Goddess Auset333

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Feb 9, 2007
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Black Recruits Plunging, Latinos Rising

http://www.maynardije.org/columns/dickprince/070625_prince/


Blacks were among thousands in anti-war marches in 2003, before the war in Iraq began. Since then, black enlistments have declined.
Media Said to Be Part of Pentagon's Strategy
"The number of blacks joining the military has plunged by more than one-third since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars began," Lolita C. Baldor reported on Monday, citing data "obtained by The Associated Press." But, she added, "The decline in black recruits overall has been offset partly by an increase in Hispanic recruits and those who classify themselves as other races or nationalities."

Baldor said of African Americans, "Other job prospects are soaring and relatives of potential recruits increasingly are discouraging them from joining the armed services."

Broadcasters and print outlets are playing a role in the increase in Latino recruits, according to another writer, Roberto Lovato, who often writes for the alternative, ethnic-oriented New American Media.

If one reads Latino-oriented magazines, Lovato asserted, "they're basically cheerleaders for the Pentagon." He said the Defense Department is spending millions in advertising to reach their readers.

Monday's Associated Press story came about after "AP requested the data and the Pentagon provided it," AP spokesman Jack Stokes told Journal-isms. "Recruiting has been a regular part of our military coverage for years."

According to that data, Baldor wrote, there were nearly 51,500 new black recruits for active duty and reserves in 2001," Baldor wrote. "That number fell to less than 32,000 in 2006, a 38 percent decline.

"The decline is particularly stark for the Army. Blacks represented about 23 percent of the active Army's enlisted recruits in 2000, but 12.4 percent in 2006."

"Sgt. Terry Wright, an Army recruiter in Tampa, Fla. said young people in the black community have more education and job opportunities now than when he joined the service 14 years ago.

"But he said the growing dissatisfaction with the war among black political and community leaders, as well as parents and teachers, is a major factor, too.

"The influencers of these youth have a larger effect on African-Americans," Curt Gilroy, the Pentagon's director of accession policy, is quoted telling the AP.

"Some have argued that, because of the makeup of African-American families and the relatively more significant roles (the families) play, moms have a greater influence on their families. And we know that moms, in general, do not support the war," Gilroy said.

Lovato told Journal-isms, "Young black Americans are the most progressive voters in the United States. Blacks are not going to buy it anymore," speaking of the war. "Latinos haven't been paid as much attention to. So you go for the next poor community you can find."

In "The War for Latinos," published in October 2005 in the Nation magazine, Lovato quoted Larry Korb, former assistant secretary of defense for manpower, reserve affairs, installations and logistics in the Reagan administration Defense Department.

"A decrease in Latino enlistment numbers would make things very difficult for the armed forces, because they are the fastest-growing [minority] group in the country and they have a very distinguished record of service in the military," Korb said.

"The Pentagon is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to find out whatever it can about . . . young Latinos: what they wear, where they hang out, what kinds of groups they form, what they read, what they watch on TV, their grades, their dreams," Lovato wrote. "Members of the military's numerous and well-funded recruiting commands use sophisticated Geographic Information Systems maps, souped-up recruiting Hummers and other resources to establish strategic positions in the minds, pocketbooks and neighborhoods of young Latinos."

More Latinos than blacks have died in Iraq, according to Pentagon figures (PDF), but the numbers for both are dwarfed by the number of whites who have died.

Bobbi Bowman, Maynard Institute: Immigrant Paradox

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