Missing in Action: African American Combat Arms Officers in the United States Army; Monograph

摘要

The purpose of this monograph is to examine the subject of African American U.S. Army officers and their underrepresentation in the combat arms branches. This shortage of African American Army officers in the combat arms branches significantly reduces their numbers for selection to the senior ranks. The monograph examines the African American Army officer's service during each period of major conflict over the last 100 years to explain why modern-day African American Army officers are prone to associate with branches outside of the combat arms, such as supply and procurement. African American Army officers were forced to rely upon one another to complete their duties in academic and operational environments; therefore, it was essential that information, institutional wisdom, and guidance were passed along. These efforts resulted in relationships that were based on mentorship. This research determined that mentoring is a key component in reducing the friction created by the diminished presence of African American combat arms officers. Several efforts need to be initiated to mitigate the effects of this complex phenomenon. These efforts include improvements in institutional mentoring practices within the Army, increased networking within the active Army officer corps through organized support organizations partially staffed by retired Army officers, and the leveraging of well-established African American socioeconomic institutions that wield influence in the African American community (e.g., the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Urban League). The ROCKS is an organization whose core missions are to promote mentorship and networking among African American Army officers. The ROCKS is an organization that has the necessary tools to help facilitate the positive growth and development of African American combat arms officers within the United States Army.