The Navy SEALs are too white

[Churchill]

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepa...seals_toowhite

http://news.yahoo.com/navy-seeking-m...141500687.html

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 American, and Arab American populations among others," the announcement notes. "Given shifting demographics, these gaps in representation need to be corrected to ensure continued access. There are sustainment, societal, educational, and operational drawbacks to failing to correct this disparity."
Ain't that the truth. U.S. special operators have long acknowledged they face challenges mixing in with foreign populations because they look so American. The SEALs acknowledge as much: "Traditional SEAL Team demographics will not support some of the emerging mission elements that will be required," it says.
Two pictures highlight the challenge:
On the cover of the latest issue of Newsweek are 10 SEALs. All of them appear to be Caucasian. That's the reality.
But when you go to the SEALs' recruiting website, there are only two SEALs. Both of them appear to be African-American. That's the desire.
The basic building block of the SEAL force is the one in four young men who completes Basic Underwater Demolition /SEAL training (BUD/S). The SEAL community has spent a lot of time figuring out a way to predict who can succeed as a SEAL. Research shows that succeeding in the BUD/S course is the key indicator of an "HPC" -- High Potential Candidate. "However, there remains an unfulfilled requirement to find significant numbers of minority HPCs and to arrange the necessary encounters and mentoring with NSW representatives that will lead to self-selection of more of these candidates," the contract solicitation notes. "The intent of this Statement of Work is to facilitate solution to this requirement gap through targeted awareness and mentoring efforts aimed at the minority high potential candidates for Naval Special Warfare."
So the SEALs want a contractor who will work through "athletic, peer group, academic and administrative entities" to inform minority youth about SEAL opportunities.
Suggested places for the SEAL hunt include:
-- Outreach to male athletes and fraternity members at junior colleges, colleges, and universities with high percentages of minority student enrollment.
-- Sponsorship of conferences and events, and engagements recognition of student leadership awards, and outreach to educators in the African American community.
-- Sponsorships and engagement with athletes and coaches of predominantly African American collegiate swim teams.
-- Sponsorships and engagement with football players and coaches in predominantly African American high schools and colleges.
-- Inner-city schools initiative providing mentoring to high school students in a "help those help themselves" program; focused on giving back to America, becoming better citizens, developing skills to become responsible and respectful adults, and developing community leaders.
-- Campus-based student initiatives to market NSW career opportunities to minority junior college, college, and university students.
-- A strategy to deliver NSW presence through outreach to coaches and influencers, awareness among the participants, mental toughness presentations to select audiences, and appropriate fitness events on a not-to-interfere basis at annual athletic competitions.
-- Civilian version of the Physical Screening Test (PST), the required qualification test for SEAL training, conducted at universities, colleges, junior colleges, and high schools with high percentages of minority student enrollment.
The SEALs are seeking a contractor to generate SEAL-related contacts with at least "a thousand (1000) minority males aged 16-24 per metropolitan region" over a 12-month period. At least 100 of those are expected to reach out to the Navy and say they are interested in becoming SEALs or a Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen, who get the SEALs where they need to go, usually via small boats. The contractor is expected to mentor 15 "high potential minority candidates" per region.
The draft solicitation also spells out the richest fishing grounds for SEALs of specific ethnic backgrounds, and encourages bidders to craft marketing campaigns to target them by region. "Regional campaigns will be conducted in metropolitan areas considered centers of diversity for African Americans (AA), Hispanics (H), Arab Americans (AR), and Asian Pacific Islanders (API) and that are of particular interest to the NSW RD [Naval Special Warfare Recruiting Directorate]," the draft solicitation says. "The bidder's solicitation will include an engagement plan and fixed pricing for each region."
It won't be one-size-fits-all. "What may be appropriate messaging for the Southern California water polo and surfer kid," the SEALs explain, "may not resonate with the inner city guy in Baltimore."
The SEALs' proposed hunting map:
2.1.3.1 Western Region:
San Diego Metropolitan to promote awareness to Hispanic, African American, Arab American, Middle Eastern, and Asian-Pacific Islander high potential candidates.
Los Angeles Metropolitan to promote awareness to Hispanic, African American, Arab American, Asian-Pacific Islander, and African and Middle Eastern immigrant high potential candidates.
2.1.3.2 Mid-Atlantic Region:
Norfolk / Tidewater Virginia Metropolitan to promote awareness to African American and Hispanic high potential candidates.
Baltimore / Washington DC Corridor to promote awareness to African American, Hispanic, Arab American, and Asian-Pacific Islander high potential candidates.
2.1.3.3 Northeastern Region:
New York City / Newark NJ Metropolitan to promote awareness to African American, Hispanic, Arab American, Asian-Pacific Islander, and African and Middle Eastern immigrant high potential candidates.
2.1.3.4 Southeastern Region:
Miami Metropolitan to promote awareness to African American and Hispanic high potential candidates.
2.1.3.5 Midwestern Region:
Detroit Metropolitan to promote awareness to African American, Hispanic, and Arab American, and Middle Eastern high potential candidates.
2.1.3.6 Southwestern Region:
Houston Metropolitan to promote awareness to African American, Hispanic, and Asian-Pacific Islander high potential candidates.
The contractor is expected, once a SEAL candidate is identified, to guide him toward SEALdom:
The Contractor will be required to develop and sustain an appropriate level of mentorship for HPCs identified during the specific events and regional campaigns conducted under this contract...Since the waterborne feature of SEAL training is often the most formidable obstacle for many prospective candidates, especially among minorities with little swimming experience, the swim training program is usually the most challenging of the mentoring components and the largest.
Apparently, such training will be no piece of cake: it will involve two-hour water sessions designed to "aggressively and safely enhance each participant's swimming techniques prior to entry into the BUD/S training pipeline."
The contractor will not be responsible for getting such young men into the military, but only to prepare them for that option. "If and when an HPC may be ready to 'sign-up' they will be instructed to contact the NSW RD directly for guidance to recruiters in their respective regions," the solicitation says. "The Contractor is not responsible for these individual decisions and in no way will apply undue pressure to get an individual to 'sign-up'." (MORE: Rescue in Somalia: SEALs Strike Again)
The campaign also calls on "marketing and outreach with a heavy balance of leveraging press pressure (versus buying radio and TV advertising)." Just think of this post as Battleland's contribution to the fight.

[Churchill]

In general, SOF communities are made up of mostly white people. This would apply to 75th Ranger Regiment, SEALs, Delta Force.

The only community with a large amount of minorities would be SF/Green Berets, but their mission is completely different and they aren't the same as the above.

[Fievel]

White people being better at everything isn't news.

[Shuvo]

Well, based on the Olympics I think it's pretty safe to say that for whatever genetic reason, caucasian people better at swimming, while black people are better at running. Navy SEAL entry requirements are heavily based on their ability to do stuff underwater (basing this off a daily show interview I saw last year), so this makes sense.

[mallister]

funny story. in basic, we had this young, high-speed low-drag black drill sergeant. this was in ft. benning, GA, at the infantry school and he kind of stood out as not having a ranger or SF tab. we were puzzled, and while on detail one day a couple of us got the nerve to ask him wtf he didn't go out for the full triple canopy like most of the rest of the drills had. he shrugged and said, 'this nigga don't swim.'

[BaneTheBrawler]

I've always found that stereotype odd. Even more so since there seems to be some truth behind it. Prolly has something to do with major cities not having many swimmer-safe bodies of water. Even so, you'd think the military would attract the kind of people who, when confronted with something they don't know how to do, do it anyway.

[Acturus]

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

elite military units -- and none is more elite these days than the SEALs -- tend to draw from small pools of talent

elite military units tend to draw from small pools of talent

draw from small pools of talent

talent

I see no problem here.

Also, Operation Get Behind the Darkies is in full effect I see.

[shepardG]

I always attributed these statistics to black humans being smarter than white humans

[Lucavi]

So long as they don't lower the barrier of entry to the SEALs (provided the barrier isn't specifically "be white"), I could care less what they do or try to do.

[BadKarma]

I always attributed these statistics to black humans being smarter than white humans

you clearly dont live in New York, Ohio, California, Florida or Louisiana.


Also white people are better at shooting brown people than black people

[Abandon]

the majorities of blacks on my ship don't swim worth a damn; I'm one of the few that enjoys being in the water. /shrug

[Lucavi]

Majority of blacks also never had access to a pool or a river, unless it was a filthy city river that you aren't allowed to swim in. Whites typically either have pools or access to pools in the suburbs, and even in the country, there's a river or stream somewhere to swim in. Plus whites hit the beach in droves while blacks are nowhere near as common. My father didn't learn to swim until he joined the marines, and my mother still can't swim. The only reason I fell in love with swimming is because I live literally right next to a swim club in a white suburb.

Go figure.

[trinironnie]

Majority of blacks also never had access to a pool or a river, unless it was a filthy city river that you aren't allowed to swim in. Whites typically either have pools or access to pools in the suburbs, and even in the country, there's a river or stream somewhere to swim in. Plus whites hit the beach in droves while blacks are nowhere near as common. My father didn't learn to swim until he joined the marines, and my mother still can't swim. The only reason I fell in love with swimming is because I live literally right next to a swim club in a white suburb.

Go figure.

^^ This !! All of the black males i met who wanted to go spec op, dive, etc etc just couldn't join because they couldn't swim. Most of them come from a carribean country surrounded by water yet don't know how to swim how the military want them to swim...all professional and shit. In basic i had to swim for a week cause i couldn't float like a dog for 5min.

[trinironnie]

the majorities of blacks on my ship don't swim worth a damn; I'm one of the few that enjoys being in the water. /shrug

What ship u on?

[Abandon]

USS Taylor, FFG 50

[Siatdiat]

Majority of blacks also never had access to a pool or a river, unless it was a filthy city river that you aren't allowed to swim in. Whites typically either have pools or access to pools in the suburbs, and even in the country, there's a river or stream somewhere to swim in. Plus whites hit the beach in droves while blacks are nowhere near as common. My father didn't learn to swim until he joined the marines, and my mother still can't swim. The only reason I fell in love with swimming is because I live literally right next to a swim club in a white suburb.

Go figure.

Why is there always the assumption that black people all live in the ghetto in a large city? I knew plenty of black Marines from the south who lived in rural communities. I don't think that it is a genetic thing either, though I'm no expert. I just think that the culture they grow up in is a bit different. Maybe it is passed down learned behavior from the times of segregation, when pools had to be seperate, and seperate often meant that there was no option for black Americans to go swimming. In a small town even more than a large one, there would be limitations on available pools.

Although it is a pretty accurate representation that black people generally aren't great swimmers, it isn't a hard fast rule. I knew black rescue swimmers and black swim instructors too. Hell, when I was a kid I went swimming with my friend Reggie at a KOA. We were both like 7 years old. I probably had more of a problem with swimming than he did. There was a scary moment where he went under and my dad had to jump in and pull him up, but after that he went right back to it.

If there is anything they can do to increase the numbers of black special forces members, it should be based on encouraging black servicemen to do what is required to make the cut, because there is nothing stopping anyone from doing it other than what I see as social norms of minority groups making it acceptable to not be able to swim. The military requirements for swimming in the Navy and USMC for basic servicemembers is very easy, laughable even. There is quite an abrupt jump from minimum requirements, to the minimum requirements to even start SEALs training.

[Xno Kappa]

In the Navy!
Yes, You get to sail the seven seas!
In the Navy!
Yes, You get to put your mind at ease!

[Lucavi]

Why is there always the assumption that black people all live in the ghetto in a large city? I knew plenty of black Marines from the south who lived in rural communities. I don't think that it is a genetic thing either, though I'm no expert. I just think that the culture they grow up in is a bit different. Maybe it is passed down learned behavior from the times of segregation, when pools had to be seperate, and seperate often meant that there was no option for black Americans to go swimming. In a small town even more than a large one, there would be limitations on available pools.

Although it is a pretty accurate representation that black people generally aren't great swimmers, it isn't a hard fast rule. I knew black rescue swimmers and black swim instructors too. Hell, when I was a kid I went swimming with my friend Reggie at a KOA. We were both like 7 years old. I probably had more of a problem with swimming than he did. There was a scary moment where he went under and my dad had to jump in and pull him up, but after that he went right back to it.

If there is anything they can do to increase the numbers of black special forces members, it should be based on encouraging black servicemen to do what is required to make the cut, because there is nothing stopping anyone from doing it other than what I see as social norms of minority groups making it acceptable to not be able to swim. The military requirements for swimming in the Navy and USMC for basic servicemembers is very easy, laughable even. There is quite an abrupt jump from minimum requirements, to the minimum requirements to even start SEALs training.

The whole "I know a black guy from XXX who does YYY, therefore its not true" mantra really doesn't work here. There are a shit ton of blacks in the city, and if those blacks aren't swimming - not walking around - in a public pool, they aren't going to learn to swim. You can go south of you want; tons of blacks who grew up in rural southern states don't know how to swim either, especially if their parents never swam, because crowded public pools are more for walking and flopping around in than actual swimming, because nobody pushed them to (or they had no interest to) join a school swim team, if the school even has one. The reasons are wide and varied, but the conclusion is the same: many active blacks grow up on the court or the field, not in the water.

Its not a stereotype, its a stone-cold fact. If the military wants more black seals, they need to make swimming a higher priority during boot camp and teach these new recruits more about the benfits of swimming. My father became a masterful swimmer in the marines on his way to becoming an officer, because they drilled his ass until he got it right. I still remember hearing all the stories of him having to tread water in a pool for hours with full battle gear on and two racks of supplies strapped to his neck. The training paid off, obviously.

[Churchill]

The only problem is, the swimming requirements for 75th Ranger Regiment are pretty laughable, and while there are more black people in the Regiment, their attrition rate for 1 event during RIP/ROP is extremely high.

You guessed it, swimming.

Again though, I want to point out that this "problem", if it even is one, is common among all SOF communities.

[Gwynplaine]

So?