Research Brief
Are There Barriers to Minorities Joining Special Operations Forces?
Jan 1, 1999
Barriers to Minority Participation in Special Operations Forces
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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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Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter Two
Are Minorities Underrepresented in SOF?
Chapter Three
Barriers to Minority Participation in the Assessment and Training Process
Chapter Four
Qualitative Methodology
Chapter Five
Perceptions of SOF and a SOF Career As Barriers to Participation
Chapter Six
Lack of Individual Knowledge and Community Support of SOF As a Barrier to Participation
Chapter Seven
Lack of Identification As a Barrier to Participation
Chapter Eight
Swimming Requirement As a Barrier to Participation
Chapter Nine
Lack of Interest in SOF As a Barrier to Minority Participation
Chapter Ten
Service Efforts to Increase Minority Representation in SOF
Chapter Eleven
Conclusions and Recommendations
Appendix A
SOF: Background and Missions
Appendix B
SOF Assessment and Training
Appendix C
Defining Source Populations for SOF
Appendix D
Comparisons of SOF with Selected Civilian Organizations
Appendix E
Analysis of Army SFAS Data, FY94-FY97
Appendix F
Protocols for Focus Group Discussions
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