A Question Of Racism In The Ranks

0.cached.png

By Newsweek Editors

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.

The good news, defense Secretary William Cohen said last week, is that most military men and women think race relations in America's armed forces are better than they were five years ago. The bad news is that there are still sharp differences between whites and minorities on basic issues of fairness, trust and civility along the racial divide. Fully 76 percent of African-American troops reported experiencing racially offensive behavior, and blacks were nearly five times more likely than whites to believe that race affected their chances of promotion.

These findings, from a survey of nearly 41,000 officers in all four service branches, contained no suggestions for bridging the racial gap. But the poll reveals lingering problems--and shows just how far the military has to go.

Read More on News