What percentage of the US military are black/african-american?

Question

I have looked on nationmaster.com and statemaster.com but am none the wiser.

A lot of people say that the US/UK Army picks the economically disadvantaged to fights is dirty wars, but is this really the case?

I have just learned that it is 25%. What do people think of this. I would imagine on the ground this figure is much higher...as opposed to the officers sitting behind computers.

Answer 1

Considering that black Americans are about 13 percent of the country, one needs to ask, why do they represent double that amount in the military.
Most of it is economic disadvatage. The options for blacks in the private sector is not as readily available as it is for whites, so blacks are going to join the military in higher numbers to advance themselves.
In regards to fighting America's dirty wars...I disaggree with this. In Vietnam this may have had some merit but every other war besides Nam, you have to say, white kids bore the burden, WW1, WWII, the civil war, American revolution, and even today in Iraq, most of our special service and front line units are predominately crazy white boys, raised on the farm.

Answer 2

the general make up of the army is from middle class families in more rural areas, not urban poor.

statistically, recruits from after 9/11 have been wealthier than before 9/11 (from 1999 - 2003)

less than 5% of recruits came from neighborhoods with less than $20,000 household income

"We find that, on average, recruits tend to be much more highly educated than the general pub­lic and that this education disparity increased after the war on terrorism began. "

"If one single statistic could settle this issue, it is this: 98 percent of all enlisted recruits who enter the military have an education level of high school graduate or higher, compared to the national aver­age of 75 percent."

"We found that whites are one of the most pro­portionally represented groups making up 77.4 percent of the population and 75.8 percent of all recruits"

"The demographic data on race reveal that mili­tary enlistees are not, in fact, more heavily recruited from black neighborhoods. The data also reveal that minorities serve in different proportions, but not because fewer whites are serving. In other words, there is no dispro­portionate share of minor­ities serving in the military, as claimed by edi­torials around the nation in 2003.[6] Some minorities participate more heavily than other minorities."

Answer 3

With it being a volunteer army it doesn't matter so much, we owe them all a debt, which given the performance of veteran affairs and healthcare of elderly vets right now doesn't leave me optimistic. It seems most inexcusable to me that we have vets ending up as homeless, yet turn over billions of dollars worth of closed bases and ports for local politicians to use for pork barrel projects, there are vital roles they could fulfill, employing veterans, like pharmacuetical production, or drilling, refining and distribution/retail of American oil from American oil reserves to American consumers, crazy idea isn't it? Or doing more CCC type work, replacing levees, reforestation, conserving croplands, etc. Between military retirement and pension people some are living under bridges or in cardboard boxes, it's a crime.

Answer 4

i develop right into a volunteer soldier from 1972-1974 .. maximum of my relatives theory i develop into loopy .perhaps i develop into at 20 . in the two yrs. interior the provider ,I observed 2 Armies . the previous college ,gun hollow area ,and the drafted peace & love area .very almost all my companions have been anti-conflict ,anti-military ,and develop right into a balancing rigidity in protesting the conflict from the interior . In 1973 the draft develop into terminated . The all-Volunteer provider develop into began . provided that then ..the anti conflict ,anti military soldier ceased to be interior the fairway device . that is greater handy now ...to start up in no way ending wars ,because of the fact in basic terms a million % of the inhabitants of 303,000,000 ..is a factor of the defense force ..and the protest marches have all yet disappeared . the different ninety 9 % are no longer engaged ??

Answer 5

In the United States very large populations of African Americans live in major cities.

The quality of education is generally lower in large urban centers. At the same time crime rates are higher both aspects dramatically lower a students probability of completing college.

The military is one of the best career opportunities out there for people without a university degree.

Cities would be a logical place for military recruiters to center their activity due to a high number of potential contacts.

By no means is the military racist. Although African Americans represent a disproportion percent of servicemen and women, Caucasian servicemen and women still make up a very high majority of the military ranks.

Answer 6

Very good question! I was wondering the same too. I believe they are much more than 25%. And i am not talking about black/African-American only but poor people as well from other origins.

Answer 7

25% sounds quite high. In all the statistics I've seen, all the different groups are represented almost to the same extent their group is in the general population. That's why 25% sounds rather high.

Answer 8

20 percent

Answer 9

I think about 20 percent is right, but they are underrepresented in the dying department. Wonder why?

http://www.icasualties.org/oif/ETHNICITY.aspx

Answer 10

I would say you are wrong! You cannot just make a judgment like that and think you are right. I say there are more sitting behind computers now what!