Mentorship: Strategically Leveling the Playing Field for African American Officers

摘要

This Strategic Research Paper (SRP) addresses the strategic issues of mentoring African-American officers, fostering more effective mentorship programs, and specifying mentorship responsibilities. It recommends ways to resolve the lack of mentorship for minority Army officers. Lack of proper mentorship could adversely affect our nation's national interests by detracting from our military dominance, reducing our security, and weakening our diplomacy. African-American officers must proactively seek out mentors of any race. Senior military leaders, regardless of race, must welcome the opportunity to mentor African-American officers. Our nation expects its military officers to be competent, technically proficient and highly trained professionals in their various military occupational specialties. Mentorship is vital for all officers, regardless of race. In order to groom future African-American officers, we must implement new and innovative mentoring programs in the 21st century.