Blog#18 Why Few Black Green Berets?

Written by Braxton Anderson III for Quora. He is a Senior Decision Review Officer at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2019–present).

I copied his response exactly from Quora regarding the question: “Are U.S. Special Forces units lacking in racial diversity? If so, why?

Yes, but it isn't for reasons with a link to racial discrimination. A previous reply hit the nail on the head. These days African-American Men in America not only enlist in far lower numbers than 20 years ago. But fewer in College take the ROTC Route to a Commission.

There are no concrete answers as to why this is true these days.

Some blame rap culture, some blame systemic poverty, others blame lack of Traditional Americanism within the Black Community as a collective. As an African-American Male honorably retired with 22 years of service in the United States Army. And 8 of those 22 years spent in 10th Special Forces Group (FT. Campbell and Bad Tolz, Germany). I can tell you this Black Men in America are no-longer desiring to sacrifice for an America it feels doesn't give a damn about them.

I am third generation Army Retired. My Grandfather served 30 years (1940 - 1970), my father served 22 years (1956 - 1978), and I served 22 years (1984–2006). I noticed the decline in the Black Ranks of the Army in 1996. And the majority of Black Males in uniform today are generational soldiers where service is family tradition. Those serving not fitting that moniker are there because they want an escape from the urban jungles. And many of those don't feel they had a choice in the matter.

As it goes to SF service. Not many Black Men are partial to the notion more work for same money. With the irony of this problem in 2019 being this. America now needs Black Green Berets for our operations on the African Continent. With the Army having no solutions to date to remedy this.

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