Diversity in the armed forces of the United States

To describe the United States as a country of diverse ethnic groups is to state the obvious. That the US military has been one of the most successful institutions for black achievement and race relations is also generally acknowledged. More recently, the incorporation of women into non-traditional military roles has also proceeded apace. Gender integration, however, has not been as complete or as smooth as that of race. The differences and similarities between race and gender relations in the US armed forces are our focus here. The plan of the chapter is straightforward. First, we look at race. Second, we examine gender. Third, and finally, we look at race and gender together.