"diversity not only a right but also a strategic military asset—essential to meet today’s security challenges" (medium)

Read about the Tuskegee Airmen and click on links to even more resources. (short)

Though we know about the Tuskegee Airmen and Buffalo Soldiers, most civilians, and even many in the military, do not know the struggles and successes of the Montford Point Marines.(medium)

Blue Star Families was founded in 2009 with the mission to strengthen military  families by building robust communities of support. Through research and data, the organization identifies military families’ greatest needs and creates programs and solutions that empower them to thrive, such as career development tools, local events, and caregiver support.  This report was created to help address gaps in knowledge, and to provide unique insights and empirically driven recommendations that will help raise the nation’s awareness of the challenges military and Veteran families of color face. (long)

This article from May, 2021 by the Associated Press shares stories and information about a number of equity-related issues the military is grappling with. (medium)

"'The vast majority of the women and men in uniform serve their nation with honor and integrity.' Pentagon Spokesperson Maj. César Santiago said since taking office in January, Secretary Lloyd Austin, the first African American to serve as Secretary of Defense, has taken immediate action to address extremism." This article builds off of the AP investigation to the left. (short)

Why there are relatively few African Americans in the senior ranks of the U.S. military and what can be done about it. (long)

In this article from the National Defense University Press, Captain Elizabeth M. Trobaugh shares history, biases, and policies to mitigate gender bias in the Army. (medium)

This article shared on NPR focuses specifically on the Air Force. (short)

At the direction of President Biden, on February 26, 2021, Secretary of Defense Austin established the 90-Day (Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military. The Commission, chaired by Lynn Rosenthal, was charged with conducting "an independent, impartial assessment" of the military's current treatment of sexual assault and sexual harassment. This report is the result of that work. (long)

In January 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) took steps to immediately implement President Biden’s Executive Order (EO) 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, by conducting an equity assessment to identify potential barriers that underserved communities and individuals face regarding Federal programs.  The enclosed responds to EO 13985, which requires Federal agencies to produce an equity action plan. While the Department has historically focused on increasing equity within the DoD community, the collective actions described in this plan represent a shift in the Department’s approach and focus to better ensure that we leverage our capabilities to create opportunities for all Americans. (long)

This research report by the RAND Corporation  documents research and analysis conducted as part of a project entitled Timely Monitoring of Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Within the U.S. Army, sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, U.S. Army. The purpose of the project was to develop and execute a survey infrastructure to ensure ongoing, timely access to data for monitoring and responding to experiences with sexual harassment and gender discrimination by specific subgroups within the U.S. Army, and to provide additional analysis of secondary data to understand the circumstances surrounding sexual assault and sexual harassment. (long and data heavy)

In this first episode our podcast editor Ron Granieri is joined by War College students Joe Buccino, Sam Smith and Vianesa Vargas. In their conversation they try to answer the overarching question, "How does an institution built on uniformity reflect the very diverse society that it defends? And how does the military accomplish diversity and inclusivity while maintaining unit cohesion and readiness?" (36:45)

Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pushed back forcefully on Wednesday to objections raised by Republican lawmakers about the teaching of “critical race theory” at service academies. (2:00)

“Buffalo soldier, dreadlock Rasta,” are the opening lyrics to one of reggae superstar Bob Marley’s biggest hits song, “Buffalo Soldier.” The catchy reggae tune is actually about a decorated soldier in American military history. Buffalo soldiers were African American soldiers who served on the western frontier after the American Civil War. Their main objective was to help control Native Americans in the plains and protect settlers, stagecoaches, wagon trails, and railroad crews in the western front. (16:18)