Institutional Racism and the Effects on the US Military

INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND THE EFFECTS ON THE US MILITARY
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Institutional Affiliation:
Institutional Racism and the Effects on the US Military
Introduction
This paper prompts to analyze the use of institutional racism and its effects on the US military as well as its situation both historically and culturally. The paper provides a brief background of the accepted definitions of the element of institutional racism and draws upon three separate cases presented in this paper on institutional racism in a bid to show a variety of ways this vice affects the US military and those utilizing these services. On the other hand, the paper will disclose the manner in which institutional racism is both indexical and reflexive in the US military, with this revealing the fact that institutional racism is rooted deep in a socially accepted understanding of ethnicity and race that are likely to create misunderstandings in the society. Finally, the paper will suggest approaches that the US army would employ in embracing the diversity of different societies, individuals, and sexes in service.
Racism and its Effects in the US Military
According toAntecol& Cobb-Clark (2011), institutional racism encompasses philosophies of new racism in which the order of racism and power relations becomes more subtle and elusive due to their embedment in institutional practices and policies, rather than explicit expressions over biological judgments. In other words, institutional racism is a systematic set of procedures, patterns, practices, and policies that operate within institutions in a bid to consistently penalize, disadvantage or exploit individuals considered to be members of the non-white groups (Washburn& Skitka, 2015). The United States Army is limited in reflecting the true spirit of the American society as a result of racism. The military of the United States has over time discriminate against a variety of American citizens that are vehemently deemed unfit for military service.
The most prominent cases of those categories considered as unfit for service include the African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, homosexuals, and women who have severally been barred from service or allowed in small insignificant numbers or under special conditions. However, the need for the US army in accommodating a wider variety of different groups of individuals in the society in a bid to reflect the actual service of diversity in the society they serve remains essential (Balduset al 2011). The military additionally needs to take consideration of diversity as a positive element and a goal that should be achieved. Several communities have been immensely involved with the U.S military service in as much as their involvement have been yielded racism, with much of this vice expressed through the military institution. An examination of the history of institutional racism towards the African Americans in the armed forces cannot be separated from the overall history of this population in the military.
Historical Roots of Institutional Racism in the Military
From the colonial times, the predominantly Black and Hispanic societies participated in the military to prove to themselves, and more significantly, to the white institutions that they had the capacity and will to defend their country. This approach was initiated against the overt hostility and opposition of the military and political institutions that excluded the black race from the armed forces (Baldus et al 2011). When the Black and Hispanic populations were allowed to join the military, they were often segregated in different units and kept out of combat until the threats that the U.S defeated required the aid of the Black and Hispanic soldiers. Legal policies and decisions during this period centered on a significant part on limiting the roles of the Black and Hispanic communities in the military, both by setting general policies that denied these races opportunities.
Yellin (2013) alludes to the fact that Virginia passed the first law in 1639 that ensured the Black slaves would not threaten the dominance of the white in the military, an aspect that saw the Black race permitted to engage in military activities but to a limited extent. However, a revolution of the Black military participation occurred in battles that saw the Blacks fight during the Lexington and Concord wars in 1775. Following this period, the Blacks were involved in military activities in as much as racism still existed that limited their full participation in leadership roles and other combat activities (Buehler, 2017). On the other hand, women were not permitted to serve in uniform, with most of them considered as camp followers who nursed, cooked, sewed, and laundered for the soldiers. Following the urge of Congresswomen to allow this gender in the Army for the purpose of National Defence, specialized training, and skills, women were accepted in the military in as much as they were assigned dismal roles, thus depicting inequality.
Summary of Case Studies
An instance of racism in the military as presented in the case study is the requirements for Swim tests for Special Operations training that result in the failure of the Blacks and Hispanics due to limited skills in s...