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Barriers to Minority Participation in Special Operations Forces
This report assesses minority representation and recruiting in special operations forces (SOF). It examines the extent of underrepresentation of minorities in SOF and the reasons for it and provides recommendations to help improve such underrepresentation. The authors used personnel data from the U.S. Special Operations Command and the various component commands to portray the racial/ethnic composition of SOF and compared it to the racial/ethnic composition of different comparison groups. The study found that minorities are, indeed, underrepresented in SOF — especially blacks. Barriers to joining SOF consisted of structural barriers such as the ASVAB score cutoffs and the swimming requirement, perceptual barriers such as lack of knowledge and community support and lack of identification with SOF, as well as a possible lack of interest in SOF. The authors offer several recommendations to overcome these barriers.
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Paperback Cover Price: $15.00
Discounted Web Price: $13.50
Pages: 165
ISBN/EAN: 0-8330-2753-0
Contents
Preface PDF
Figures PDF
Tables PDF
Summary PDF
Acknowledgments PDF
Acronyms PDF
Chapter One:
Introduction PDF
Chapter Two:
Are Minorities Underrepresented in SOF? PDF
Chapter Three:
Barriers to Minority Participation in the Assessment and Training Process PDF
Chapter Four:
Qualitative Methodology PDF
Chapter Five:
Perceptions of SOF and a SOF Career As Barriers to Participation PDF
Chapter Six:
Lack of Individual Knowledge and Community Support of SOF As a Barrier to Participation PDF
Chapter Seven:
Lack of Identification As a Barrier to Participation PDF
Chapter Eight:
Swimming Requirement As a Barrier to Participation PDF
Chapter Nine:
Lack of Interest in SOF As a Barrier to Minority Participation PDF
Chapter Ten:
Service Efforts to Increase Minority Representation in SOF PDF
Chapter Eleven:
Conclusions and Recommendations PDF
Appendix A:
SOF: Background and Missions PDF
Appendix B:
SOF Assessment and Training PDF
Appendix C:
Defining Source Populations for SOF PDF
Appendix D:
Comparisons of SOF with Selected Civilian Organizations PDF
Appendix E:
Analysis of Army SFAS Data, FY94-FY97 PDF
Appendix F:
Protocols for Focus Group Discussions PDF
Bibliography PDF
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