What Are Australian Army's Cultural Issues

The Armed Services has always been a microcosm of the US people. Nowhere else will you find a more diverse group living and working together in close proximity. It has been seen from history that whatever program and policies that the Army institutes within its ranks, the civilian population eventually follows suit. Racial

Now the military tradition and culture has to adapt to the presence of women and gays. Now masculinity and femininity are both represented in the military. Now the military culture has to inclusive vs. exclusive and it has to be tolerant of a variety of soldiers like never before. Military tradition can no longer cling to the rigid male combat masculine-warrior persona.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is facing an unassailable social expectation of the treatment of disadvantaged groups. Because of this, Defence endeavours to create an organisation that is appealing to, and represents, the whole community of Australia; an equitable notion. Yet, the implementation of workplace practices and policies intended to make a diverse and equitable workforce, is an equally impairing action. The positive treatment of disadvantaged groups can cause favourable conditions, and this a contradiction to the ADF’s aims of equality. So the line is drawn:

The argument that the military recruiters target minorities and the less fortunate is the frame work behind the notation to restrict military recruiting events on school campuses and is far from the truth. According to (Wyant, 2012) there is a history of diversity in the armed forces. A 2008 study from Syracuse University examines the extent to which the poor and minorities are disproportionately selected into the military. The author noted, that the study done in 1980 found that from 1940 to 1973 blacks were less likely to join the military than whites, while in more recent years, a 2006 study concluded that blacks are overrepresented in the military. The same 2006 study found that people who served in the military come from more well-off neighborhoods than those who have not joined the military – although, the economic elite are underrepresented in the armed

Both services seek to ensure that, in terms of race and ethnicity, the group of officers commissioned in the year 2000 roughly reflects the overall population: 12 percent African American, 12 percent Hispanic, and 5 percent Asian. Department of the Navy officials point out that this represents a significantly more aggressive goal than had been the case, when the focus for comparison had been on college graduates; the more aggressive goal implies vigorous outreach and other efforts. Moreover, the Navy and the Marine Corps have set specific year-by-year targets for meeting the 12/12/5 goal.” (1995) When taking affirmative action, one must be careful not to establish quotas. This would start to become the glass ceiling, glass walls, or glass escalator. When a corporation, military, or business starts to promote unqualified minorities to fill a quota, that is just a bad and discriminatory as being racist or profiling.

This paper recalls the military service of my great grandfather PFC Heyward Cuffie, a Buffalo Soldier and World War II veteran. He exemplified the Warrior Ethos: displayed resilience in a time of crisis; challenged social norms; led by example; trained to standard and fought until he couldn’t physically fight anymore. PFC Cuffie’s legacy is a part of a larger legacy of minorities who paved the way for desegregation in the Armed Forces and serves as a testament for future leaders to follow.

During World War II, European immigrants and new Americans of different ethnicities would learn to work together for a common cause, forging a new American identity. The All-Volunteer Army (AVA) has struggled to incorporate two significant immigrant populations into its ranks, the Mexicans and the Chinese, despite their long history of immigration to the United States. This demonstrated that the “golden door” was open for some and closed to others. This monograph argues that the United States should adopt a more open immigration policy, resulting in concomitant changes to Army enlistment policy and greater access to a recruiting pool of new

In conclusion, although the force is diverse, it is not an exact replica of society as a whole. The military quality of life is more eye-catching for some members of society than to others. The percentage of African Americans continues to exceed population representation of the civilian labor force although there are less African Americans enlisting than years before. Hispanics are underrepresented in the military, but their percentages have increased over the years as it has in society. Minorities comprise proportionally less of the officer corps. The minorities in the active and reserve Army Forces representation levels are in line with the statistics among the pool of college graduates from which the second lieutenants and ensigns are drawn. Women continue to be underrepresented in the military in comparison to society although statistics show that women have generally continued to gain in both numerical and proportional

Race continue to be an issue in the United States even in the military. The way people were raised, also affects the judgement and how the person will react in any racial situation. The glass ceiling continues to be an issue in this days because it affects women and all minority groups. For example, in my squadron, if leadership does not look at you as a future leader because the way you speak or accent and because you are outspoken, it can affect you to get promoted. This year was my last chance to get promoted and I got over looked even though I have an Associate’s degree and 4 classes away from my Bachelor’s degree which the other members did not had. One person that got promoted got coin from the Command Chief just because he attend to

“If we understand change better, we will be able to influence (but not control) it for the better” (Fullan, 2014). When change in a culture is in effect, the organizational culture tends to be unsettled. This may seem like an inopportune time for our staff to be unsettled, but this is the best opportunity to identify and create breakthroughs (Fullan, 2014). When analyzing the structure for a change initiative, strategic planning must first take place. What problems are foreseen or obvious? Are there

A by-product of this perspective may be the assumption that those who are not ‘naturally’ suited are not, in fact, capable of doing the job at all.” (Herbert p28). The very nature of the military is so strongly tied to male characteristics that the very presence of women is believed to impede bonding, degrade hierarchical standards, and erode the competitive spirit of men in the Marine Corps (Mitchell p190). This system of anchoring appropriate or natural professions in gender is often so deeply rooted in cultural norms, that it can be difficult to overcome.

Since the beginning, the United States Army has been adapting, reconstructing and evolving into a complete fighting force to protect the people of the United States. Its ability to adjust to change and overcome obstacles has been paramount on the battlefield. Numerous additions to the force aided the success of military operations. A few to name are the integration of Blacks, Native Americans, Hispanic, Homosexuals and Women that helped in the success of countless missions and conflicts. From the foggy skies on Virginia plantations, to the foxholes of France in WW1, to the extreme hot conditions in the deserts of Iraq, the Army diversity has been the deciding factor. It was not a simple transition, but the Army made it work for the

Sheppard AFB takes pride in supporting and recognizing one of the most diverse work forces in the world, The United States Military. People are the greatest asset any organization can possess, especially in the military, because so many lives depend on the success of this organization to be able to accomplish its mission. The term diversity derives from the word “difference”. Sometimes differences can be the root cause of controversy, chaos, and discard. The military has taken the differences in people from all walks of life regardless of race, color, sex, national origin, religion; and age and disability for its civilian employees to become the greatest Military on earth. Not only, does the the military recognize

1. This is a position paper on how the Air Force should not recruit officers with only science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees. First, it will look at why a diverse educational background force is a good idea. Next, it will look at why a 100 percent STEM force would be a good idea. Finally, arguments will be laid out supporting the position that educational diversity should remain a constant in the officer corps.

“We are all equal; it is not birth but virtue alone that makes the difference.” This insightful quote from the famous French philosopher and historian “Voltaire” seems to accurately represent the beliefs of the factions of American citizens pushing to allow women to fight in combat positions within the US Armed Forces. Though the topic has just recently been boosted into the media and congressional politics, it has been long debated. A rather current editorial from USA Today titled: “Open Combat Positions to Women” outlines the recent developments in the status of a much disputed and controversial issue facing the nation today. Though somewhat less in-depth than some opposing opinions, the