Posted on 02/24/2012 9:15:25 AM PST by lex33
In nature, most seals are black, with relatively few white ones. The Navy's SEALs have exactly the opposite problem -- they're overwhelmingly white, with hardly any blacks. So they're trying to do something about it. It's a fundamental challenge in a democracy with an all-volunteer force: recruits may be drawn from all segments of society, but elite military units -- and none is more elite these days than the SEALs, following their dispatch of Osama bin Laden last May -- tend to draw from small pools of talent. For the SEALs, that includes athletic young men who are smart and good in the water. For whatever reason, that has led to an overwhelmingly white SEAL force. (PHOTOS: Navy SEALs in Action) Say the SEALs: Gaps exist in minority representation in both officer and enlisted ranks for Special Warfare operators. Diverse officers represent only ten percent of the officer pool (for example, African Americans represent less than 2% of SEAL officers). Diverse enlisted SEALs account for less than twenty percent of the total SEAL enlisted population. Naval Special Warfare is committed to fielding a force that represents the demographics of the nation it serves. This contract initiative seeks effective strategies to introduce high potential candidates from diverse backgrounds to the opportunities available in Naval Special Warfare. (PHOTOS: A History of Special Ops) The SEALs are considering hiring help to attract thousands of "minority males in the 16–24 year-old target age range" to become SEALs. "This contract will create a mechanism to enhance Naval Special Warfare's ability to conduct outreach, raise awareness, mentor, and increase self-selection to a career as a SEAL within minority communities," a recently-posted draft contract solicitation says. The Navy isn't seeking only black SEALs: "Challenges for minority recruitment also exist in the Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander (API), Native
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
“...Naval Special Warfare is committed to fielding a force that represents the demographics of the nation it serves....”
What, exactly does that mean?
Oh, silly me.
Quotas.
In the Special Ops community it doesn’t matter what race you are. The ONLY thing that matters is can you do the job and do it properly.
Who’s “brilliant” idea was this? Whoever it was should be fired.
The only "problem" is why anybody, anywhere, perceives this as a "problem"!
“In nature, most seals are black, with relatively few white ones. The Navy’s SEALs have exactly the opposite problem — they’re overwhelmingly white, with hardly any blacks. “
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you one of the Top Ten Most Asinine Statements Ever.
I guess we need a quota for brain surgeons as well
quick,someone post a picture of the singer Seal.
Minorities are underreprented for one of two reasons. They choose not to become special operators or they can not meet the requirements. There is no solution to either of those problems without conscription or lowering standards, neither of which should happen. BTW this is not unique to Seal teams, it is common across all infantry MOS’s.
Here's an idea some crazy guy had in the '60s, just go with the best of the best and pay no attention to race, creed or religion.
I’d be willing to bet the LGBT freaks are under-represented in the SEALs as well.....
Hear hear. I was just about to copy that line and comment on it myself.
This is like saying too many women give birth and we need to address this issue....bleeeech
Blacks, as a group, just aren’t into swimming...and to be a SEAL..ya gotta LOVE the ocean
“Naval Special Warfare is committed to fielding a force that represents the demographics of the nation it serves.”
An idiotic reason for hiring people whose mission is mainly to stealthily kill bad guys and break their stuff. My Air Force has the same socially conscious idiots in charge of it. Argh.
Imagine if we applied this same logic to the NFL or NBA. It would be called racist....
Can’t wait for the EEOC to weigh in on this. They are probably already “subjected” to sensitivity training. Worse than cold water conditioning!!!!! Or waterboarding. Using more humane methods to off the baddies. War is......defeating the enemy! What fool doesn’t understand that? There is no reasoning with un-reasonable people.
Right after the post-Ft. Hood idiotic statement, “Diversity is our strength.”
I thought all SEALs were green.
These SEALS don't get clubbed, they kick @$$.
If they lower the standards far enough they should be able to find enough diversity candidates from Compton!
This is the first step. Second step: Mandate minorities pass BUD/S, resulting in reduced standards from actual reductions to giving them additional tries at passing.
This is exactly why the SEALs needed to remain out of the limelight.
Maybe that guy that quit “Top Shot” last season will re-inlist.
Don’t you mean GLBT? Makes it easier to say “gilberts”. (Don’t want to know so don’t tell me.)
Ya gotta get ‘em into the Navy for starters. That has always been the branch with the lowest minority enlistment (Army first, then Marines, then A.F., then Navy).
Blacks as a group sink like rocks. I have this from two lifeguards who were constantly pulling blacks fromm the bottom of the pool.
Well they could just recruit directly from the Mexican Army, or even the Spanish Army.
After all, why have Americans in the American Army?
It's discrimination, clearly.
Have we ever had a more racist C-in-C?
Idiots. When the military successfully recruits lots of so-called “minorities” the liberal morons complain that minorities are being disproportionatly “forced” to join the military and risk their lives to earn a living. The horror!
-—...draw from small pools of talent. For the SEALs, that includes athletic young men who are smart and good in the water.-—
And courageous and patriotic.
-—For whatever reason, that has led to an overwhelmingly white SEAL force.-—
is he that burnt dude?
Agreed. The entire article is insane. Zero has to directing this.
Dead on. That is what happened in Vietnam. The liberals claimed white kids got college deferments while black kids got drafted, yet, that isn’t what the numbers show. The numbers show blacks were perfectly proportionally drafted as were the whites.
Putting a G in there anywhere is an insult to the BLT.
Guess the Navy will be lowering some SEAL entrance standards in order to accommodate certain groups. Perhaps a new and secret force is the answer. The SEAL program, as great as it is, has become too open, and now, commercially exploited.
This is a bit like NASCAR trying to get black drivers. There are definitely are black men with the innate talent, but you can't ram them through the process without seriously short-circuiting the overall training criteria.
And here's a key difference. SEALs are supposed to be annonymous. What's the difference (to the general public) if there are few minorities? It only matters that they get the job done. Hollywood can put a few black faces in the movie version. Spike will do it.
It was the idea of our pResident and his hangers-on. He stands with blacks, although he is half white; he stands (shall) with Muslims (should the sh!t hit the fan); he is committed to increasing the diversity among government employees; and he is determined to debase the capability of our most elite forces. I am not saying blacks per se couldn’t qualify, but the structure and review apparatus is being set up here to allow unqualified candidates to be approved. It will come as sure as the sun rises in the East.
That's true. Last summer, my local Y launched a program to try and get more black kids swimming. WHY?? Clearly if they wanted to learn to swim---OR be Navy Seals---they would do it! Why the need to try and force the issue?
Stop clubbing seals.
They smell like fish and never buy drinks.
I’m going to puke up my lunch.
If there were anything less biased or prejudice that SEAL training, it’s the weather.
In that world, either you are human or you are not. The humans get rotated back into the military from which they came. The rest resume training as SEALs.
Have you ever just come out and said 1+1=2 and then in the very next breath pondered why and/or how adding one thing unto another renders two things?
Any young athletic black man who is smart enough to be a SEAL (I think its 110 ASVAB) can win a full scholarship to practically any university in the country.
“Blacks as a group sink like rocks. ... “
Not sure why they sink, but they do. In my boot camp company, we had about 15 black guys to begin. After the swim test, we had 2. The rest were held back and taught to swim.
And the Harlem Globe trotters need more whites.
I’m surprised nobody has put together some affirmative action study and grievance about the NBA. That group must be prejudice. Just look at the demographic to prove it.
(sarc)
While they are at it, I found that quadriplegics and those with mental disabilities are not properly represented.
yeah, but I think his facial disfigurement was due to childhood disease.
Affirmative action Seals.
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