Congressional Black Caucus Seeks Military Promotions According to Race

Before the election, the Army Times reported that the Congressional Black Caucus is seeking more minority senior officers among the nation’s military. Translation: We want more black generals and admirals. The Congressional Black Caucus is calling for extensive hearings and the formulation of a 23-member commission to study advancement opportunities for “minorities”. The Congressional Black Caucus doesn’t exist to promote the welfare of whites, Latinos, American Indians or Asian Americans. These members of Congress want the commission to spend about one year looking at current military personnel programs to see if they are working to create a “racially diverse leadership.”

As a Senior Army Reserve Chief Warrant Officer Five, I have twice had the privilege of serving on reserve promotion boards. The mechanics of selecting the highest ranking warrant officers is identical to the selection process the active duty Army uses. Only those best qualified, not fully qualified, for the positions are selected among their peers, and the process is amazingly fair. The race of the candidate is never considered and has absolutely nothing to do with the selection process, and that’s the way it should be. {snip}

When it comes to flag officers, those competing for general officer or admiral ranks, the process must also be free from affirmative action politics or the Congressional Black Caucus wouldn’t be making a fuss. {snip} To give someone an edge simply because he or she is of a certain race dilutes the process, can potentially cost lives and causes immeasurable harm to the military.

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The notion of interjecting race into the selection process is insane. The instructions to the Army promotion board members are that race will not be a factor in the selection process. The Black Caucus members say they are concerned about younger officers seeing few minorities in the top ranks. I see it as confirmation that only the best are selected for these important positions. {snip}

So long as there are affirmative action programs, people will always wonder if someone in a high position came to be there from merit, or by virtue of his or her race. {snip}

Not only will the Black Caucus affirmative action plan be unfair to deserving officers who are passed over because they aren’t the right color, it could discourage outstanding officers from competing for the senior ranks in the first place.

Now that a black man has been elected to be the next president of the United States, shouldn’t all affirmative action programs be a thing of the past?