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Afghanistan has been in the news quite a bit as of late and for all the wrong reasons. The most recent flap centers around the deliberate killing of civilians by alleged shooter Staff Sgt. Robert Bales week before last. Everyone from the President on down has been constantly apologizing for the soldier’s killing spree.

I think one apology is appropriate, but this constant drumbeat of apologies from the President, the secretary of defense, the commander in Afghanistan… is a bit much. This controversy all comes on the heels of the U.S. military accidentally burning some Qurans last month, which sparked protests by Afghanis in retaliatory attacks that killed more than 30 people, including six U.S. soldiers.

My question(s) is this: Why has there been no demand by our government for an apology from the government of Afghanistan? Why does it seem acceptable for Afghanis to kill Americans (both civilian and military), but it’s a moral outrage when Americans kill Afghanis? While it’s hard to put the value of a life on a moral scale; most of the Afghanis deaths by Americans have been in the heat of military battle, with some civilian casualties. However, most of the American deaths (1,841 soldiers alone) have been by acts of deliberate terrorism. My belief is that Afghanis should not demand from us what they themselves are not willing to give in return!

What I find most amazing about the supposed outrage by the Afghanis over the Quran burning is, Afghanistan has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the world today. According to the National Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (NRVA), the estimated national adult literacy rate (aged 15 and above) is 26 percent, with 12 percent for women and 39 percent for men. In rural areas, where approximately 74 percent of all Afghans reside, the situation is more acute, with an estimated 93 percent of women and 65 percent of men lacking basic reading and writing skills. So, what you have is people protesting over the supposed disrespect of a book that many Afghanis can’t even read! That’s not to diminish anyone’s religious beliefs but most would have to admit the irony there.

This is why religion always presents a problem during times of conflict. Oftentimes your enemies use the emotions of their people to stir opposition against a foreign presence. In the case of the U.S. military we have soldiers dying to uphold freedom and democracy in Afghanistan, but yet the very people we are liberating will not tolerate the free expression of those who have differing religious beliefs. So what exactly is it that we are fighting for in Afghanistan? I thought mission objective was to punish those who were responsible for 9/11? Well, Osama bin Laden is dead and so are most of the other al-Qaeda leaders.

I’m fed up with this obsession over not offending Muslims and Islam, which is supposed to be the religion of peace. Yet, many times it seems more like a religion of violence, due to the actions of more moderate Muslims who seem unwilling to take a strong stand against the more extremist elements of their religion.

If America’s foreign policy is to “democratize” the world, then we must be willing to teach the world that part of being a democracy is hearing and seeing things one may not agree with. But under no circumstances should our foreign policy be dictated by the ideology of being “politically correct.” The way many Muslims in Afghanistan treat their women and rule by fear is antithetical to what democracy is all about.

I think everyone agrees that what this lone U.S. soldier did was tragic and a deplorable act of cowardice; but just like we can’t paint every Muslim as a terrorist, we can’t condemn every U.S. soldier as a murderer. This was the act of one man operating well outside the realm of his patriotic duties. Anger is an understandable response, but not more death. Justice should and will be meted out to this soldier, but the accompanying violence in the aftermath of these senseless killings does a disservice both to the fledgling democracy in Afghanistan and to the U.S. soldiers who helped to create it.

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-public relations/government affairs firm. He is also a contributing editor for ExcellStyle Magazine, Freedom’s Journal Magazine and U.S. Africa Magazine.

• Go Abroad
• Young adults interested in exploring other cultures have the opportunity to do so by going abroad. Whether this once in a lifetime experience happens over the course of a summer, several months or longer than a year, they’re bound to up their international swagger. These young adventurists are in a space to add a variety of credentials, ranging from learning a different language fluently to teaching English at local schools, to their repertoire of skills. Visit AFS-USA to see available programs and to research funding opportunities.

• Join the military
• Although there is an undeniable element of risk associated with day-to-day military duties, it offers individuals considerable opportunities, such as leadership skills, great benefits and a supportive salary. Military officials also receive bonuses and allowances, in addition to their pay. Each active branch of the military—the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard—is different, so investigate, ask questions and consider carefully each before making a decision.

• Take on Vocational Education
• Some students prefer a more hands-on approach to learning. A trade school allows students to focus solely on their intended profession versus taking irrelevant courses. While researching your options, be sure you’re aware of the ramifications of for-profit colleges.

• Apply for the Peace Corps
• The program serves 77 countries and is open to dedicated individuals wanting to make a difference, utilizing their skills in areas of need. Participants must be at least 18 years of age, a US citizen with a high school diploma and have no dependents, to become a Peace Corps volunteer. Note: there are certain programs that require participants to have a four-year degree; however, opportunities exist for these recent high school graduates. The application process, which includes an in-depth application and interviews, is rigorous. Visit the Peace Corps website for more information on how to join.

• Get Your Associates Degree
• If a university education is not on your radar, but you still want that educational component in your life, then research programs available at your local two-year or junior college. Choosing this type of school over a four-year college could allow you some flexibility. You may decide to work in conjunction with attending school and those who are in an interim state and unsure if they want to go back to school can use the time to improve their grades and save money on credits.

• Find yourself through work
• Use this time to test the waters in the job market. According to a study released by the Department of Labor, nearly 77% of recent high school graduates not enrolled in college, as of fall 2010, were in the workforce.
• If you can’t nail a job or have free time, opt to intern in a profession you’ve had an interest in but wanted to try first-hand. Interning early pays off in the long run.

A large number of military personnel retire with a pension after 20 years of service while they are still young enough to start a new career.

While military service is an honorable act of duty and loyalty to one’s country, it can also take a tremendous toll on a soldier’s family life, finances and health. And for many soldiers, it is just one phase of their lives. A large number of  military personnel retire with a pension after 20 years of service while they are still young enough to start a new career, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Servicemen and women have a wide range of benefits and resources at their disposal, however, finding out who to turn to in order to attain these resources can be a challenge. Here are five people all active duty personnel and veterans need to know.

The Facilitator: Making the move from structured military life to unstructured civilian life can be a tremendous adjustment for servicemen and women and their families. But a military transition counselor is there to help every step of the way. Whether you need relocation assistance or financial information, a transition counselor can point you in the right direction. The Transition Assistance Program, which is part of the Department of Defense, has a number of resources on its website TurboTap.org.

The Education Liaison: Tuition assistance programs, such as the G.I. Bill, is one of the most popular programs offered for military service. However, figuring out your eligibility for this and other educational programs is also crucial. An Education Officer’s (or ESO’s) duties include teaching and acting as career consultants and training advisers. Active duty and reserve service members can contact their local education service office for help.

The Advocate: The scandal at Walter Reed, which exposed the maltreatment of returning servicepeople disturbed the nation. It opened up a broader conversation about the challenges active servicepeople and veterans face in obtaining the proper care. The National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) is an independent nonprofit organization that works to ensure that active duty personnel and veterans receive the federal benefits they have earned.

The Coordinator: Moving around the country and around the world is common for military personnel, and getting your loved ones settled when making these moves is crucial. The personal property entitlements counselor is there to assist and advise with relocation. The name of the government office that will handle location varies based on the military branch. Military.com offers extensive information and steps for relocation.

The Financial Protector: Debt collection assistance officers are available to help service people get their medical benefits through TRICARE. TRICARE is a regionally managed healthcare program for active duty, activated guard and reserves, retired members of the uniformed services, and their families and survivors. The debt collection assistance officer program was launched in 2000 as a result of those in the military struggling with reconciling claims. “[Service people]  should not have to worry about negotiations with multiple agencies to settle outstanding claims, stressful notices from bill collectors and, sometimes, adverse ratings in their credit reports,” said Bernard Rostker, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

Related Links:

Military to mainstream: Why our veterans need our support year-round

Veterans who became renowned business leaders

The Business of National Security

Diversity Continues to Challenge the Military

Finding Work That Makes a Difference

They are what Verna Jones, director of the American Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation division, calls “the invisible wounds of war.” Many returning veterans, Jones explained, don’t even understand why they’re having abnormal feelings and reactions to normal situations, while others try to push those feelings aside.

“It sometimes takes a long time for vets to realize they have PSTD or to even realize they need to go to a doctor to seek help for the stress they’re feeling,” says Jones. “Sometimes they’re in denial; they think it couldn’t happen to them because they’re stronger than that.” This sort of attitude is exacerbated by the fact that veterans are not encouraged to seek help for fear of being stigmatized by the military, which received frequent criticism for not providing adequate mental health services. Veterans suffering alone may also succumb to drug or alcohol dependence, and they risk losing everything. Mark Walker, who is deputy director of the economic division, says that some vets end up homeless because they were victimized predatory mortgage lenders. Others find they can no longer afford their mortgage because they’re earnings are significantly lower than they were before deployment.

“The economy’s bad and there’s [scarce] affordable housing and support services,” said Walker. “So many of the folks now are younger. They don’t have a resume and often don’t know how to apply what they did in the military to a civilian job. When you connect all those dots and they don’t have the support systems, they can easily find themselves on the street.”

Family and friends of service people also have their share of challenges, often finding it difficult to adjust and relate to a soldier who has returned home. “There’s no way to go into combat, see the things you see and do the things you do, and come back normal,” said Iraq war veteran Joe Sharpe, who heads the legion’s economic division. “It’s going to take a while for you to get back into a regular routine; but a lot of friends and family members expect you to start where you left off and don’t understand why you’re seeing things differently or not fitting in as you did before.”

Another hurdle for our veterans? Reentering the workforce. Veterans often find themselves less competitive than they were before deployment because they’ve been unable to keep up with the new skills or technological or other advances that may have taken place in their field. They feel as though the world has moved on without them, says Sharpe, and the current economic downturn has only made matters worse.

The mission of Sharpe’s division is to help vets find employment opportunities. It works with veteran assistance programs around the nation and hosts job fairs nationwide in partnership with the Department of Labor. The division also conducts small business development workshops for veterans who want to become entrepreneurs and teaches them how to navigate the federal marketplace.

Like the American Legion, there are sources available to help you or the people you love if you are in the military, making your way back into the mainstream, or already home. This week, in honor of Veteran’s Day, Blackenteprise.com features content that not only celebrates our military, but supports you by giving you resources you can use to forge ahead. Be sure to check back each day!

Read more…

5 people you need to know if you’re in the military

Military veterans who went on to establish successful businesses

The “fight” Patterson speaks of is the DIA’s core mission: providing military intelligence to those who are fighting wars and defense policymakers. In September of 2008, Patterson accepted the position of deputy director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Human Intelligence (also known as HUMINT) Center. “Counterintelligence professionals look for people who are trying to steal our secrets and harm our nation,” says Patterson. “Every time you read about a terror suspect being caught, quite often it’s not by accident. We look for indicators and as we see them, we pass the information on to the FBI or civilian law enforcement.”

While the DIA has been around since 1961, “it has been a closed community for a long time,” says Patterson. Most people had no idea what the organization did “unless you see Jack Bauer on [the television show] 24, but then you’ve got to figure out where to go to become that Jack Bauer kind of guy.” But the DIA has opened its doors to newcomers partly because the nation now faces threats that require new technologies and skill sets. Opportunities exist, but knowing national security trends and possessing valued proficiencies can make all the difference in securing a position at the DIA.

Finding the Opportunities
Positions at the DIA fall into three main categories. The vast majority are intelligence analyst positions since they represent the agency’s core mission. The next largest category is information technology, which reflects the growing impact technology is having on intelligence gathering. Administrative positions, which support the day-to-day functioning of the agency, encompass areas such as human capital, financial services, and acquisitions.

The agency posts vacancies on its Website and advertises on the federal government’s official jobs website. “Sometimes the window [of opportunity] is very short. There may be an ideal job for you but if you don’t check the sites every day, you can miss

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opportunities,” says Denise Byrd Carter, the agency’s senior diversity expert. The agency, which has employees across the country and around the world, has also increased its recruitment efforts. Job fairs and recruitment events featuring the federal government not only put candidates in a position to learn about vacancies, they also provide a forum for networking. The odds of securing a position in intelligence increase if you “make it a point to meet people who work in these agencies,” Byrd Carter adds.

College students should look for opportunities through the Intelligence Community Centers of Academic Excellence Program, in which intelligence agencies work with partner colleges such as North Carolina A&T State University and Florida A&M University to create a curriculum that prepares students for careers in national security. The DIA’s Undergraduate Training Assistance Program also provides scholarships and internships to high-achieving students of certain foreign languages, international studies, and/or political science.

Education and Training
The level of education and professional experience needed to pursue a career at the DIA varies depending on the position, but typically an undergraduate or graduate degree is required. For those seeking intelligence-related positions, “we want those that have degrees in international studies, foreign language, research and development, or some of the hard sciences,” Byrd Carter says.

Fluency in foreign languages, especially Arabic, is preferable. Currently there’s a need for applicants who know Pashto, Urdu, and Dari, three languages spoken in middle-Eastern countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.

All intelligence professionals will also need to submit a writing sample as part of their application process since they must be able to communicate their findings about potential threats. “You have to be able to write reports in a coherent and cogent manner so anyone can understand them,” Byrd Carter explains. “You have to be an excellent writer.”

Security Matters
DIA employees are dealing with matters of national security. Byrd Carter says every job applicant must receive top-secret security clearance, a process that can take anywhere from two to nine months.

During this time, investigators will verify an applicant’s previous experiences through interviews and research. Nothing is off-limits, including social networking sites. “With Facebook and Twitter, you have to be careful about what you’re putting out there because it will be scrutinized,” Byrd Carter advises.

To expedite the clearance process, applicants should include multiple references for various periods in their lives, says William H. Henderson, author of Security Clearance Manual: How to Reduce the Time It Takes to Get Your Government Clearance (Last Post Publishing; $19.95). “Investigators want peer references like college roommates or fraternity brothers,” Henderson says. “They want peers who can truly talk about your behavior.” Some applicants may also have to submit to a polygraph test.

Once you’ve secured a position, security concerns dictate that you keep classified information secret and that your personal life be reviewed every five years to make sure nothing has compromised the security clearance. “You have to be committed,” offers Byrd Carter, “and understand that if you don’t follow through with these regulations, you compromise the national security of the United States.”

Tamara E. Holmes is a regular contributor to Black Enterprise.

Frank Martin took on this project, which morphed into a 10-year journey to direct, co-write, and produce this documentary, while running up against barriers of network resistance and financial problems–all with a total staff of four. However, this film relives accurate accounts of the black soldier’s (male & female) experience, that as director Martin says, “is a part of American story.”

From the early struggles before the Revolution to the U.S.’s current battles against global terrorism, African Americans have risked their lives in defense of this nation. Their struggle has been as painful as it was heroic — their sacrifices profound and their enormous contributions largely ignored, according to the producers of the film.

While it would be easy to use historical facts to tell this tale, “For Love of Liberty” takes the narrative a step further and makes it about the heroes who defended the nation. The film is another account of the role that African Americans played and how much they truly make up the fabric of American culture.

To narrate the film, Martin gathered a star-studded line-up of orators, with actress Halle Berry as the primary lead. There are dramatic readings by several African American performers including Morgan Freeman, Ossie Davis, Jeffrey Wright, Angela Bassett, executive producer Louis Gossett Jr., and Isaac Hayes. The documentary also includes an introduction by Gen. Colin L. Powell and is narrated by Avery Brooks.

“I decided on Halle Berry because I felt she would soften the story and engage the audience, and the move was different and unexpected,” says Martin. “We wrote a lot of letters and Halle Berry was the first person we wrote too.”

The choice of Berry also highlights the important role that women had throughout the history of war in America. Martin draws attention to a group of women that had a vital function in regards to the state of morale of the American soldier. “The 6888th Postal Battalion — better known as the Six-Triple Eight — job was to make sure soldiers received their mail, the slogan was, ‘No mail, no morale.’ ” Comprised of nearly 1,000 women based in England and France, the black women in this Army battalion made sure millions of soldiers received their mail. In February of 2009 individuals like Mary Crawford Ragland and Alyce Dixon were finally honored by the Army Chief of Staff and Secretary of the Army.

Rudy Poe, James L. Crite, and Martin along with writer Jeff Stetson completed the research, compiled the data, and assembled the content for the film. That part was the easy part, says Martin. When he received the film it was 85% done. The issues arose on the backend during the editing, scoring, and marketing of the project which caused Martin to make sacrifices, including taking out a second mortgage out on his home.

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Funding was hard to come by in completing the film. The Showtime channel initially financed it, but when they learned the film would be four hours instead of 90 minutes — as they preferred — the company pulled out. The company allowed Martin to keep initial investment funds and told him to pay them back when he could. “That was really nice of them,” Martin says.

When asked about why other networks didn’t back the film, he recounted his meeting with the History Channel, saying, “The History Channel told me, black people don’t watch the History Channel.” Shocked and confused, Martin kept proceeding with the production of the film determined that this story would be heard. “I don’t know why networks don’t support stories like this. I just don’t get it,” he says. He would finally receive huge backing from the U.S. Bank and the U.S. Army.

In the end, Martin was left with a myriad of soldier’s stories that will stick with him for the rest of his career and personal life. He elaborated on Staff Sgt. Ruben Rivers, a soldier in the 761st Tank Battalion who would repeatedly get pushed to the back of the line but would always fight to get back to the front. Rivers would receive the Medal of Honor 50 years later. Stories like this are now a part of Martin’s DNA, and he’s realized how fortunate he was to tell the stories of Rivers and others like him. “The biggest highlight for me was being able to go to the grave sites of these individuals who were fighting two wars, the war abroad and at home.”

Click here for more information on “For the Love of Liberty,” as well as show times in your area.

Further Reading
African Americans in the Army

Tuskegee Airmen Honored in Off Broadway Play

Along with the friendships and sense of adventure, Battles, now 45, misses the military’s financial perks—like the tax-free cost of living allowance. While in the Navy, Battles, who is single, received an annual base salary of $29,000, plus $16,000 in tax-free cost of living allowances.

Battles had a rude awakening when he retired and began working in the private sector. “I was making the same amount of money,” he says, “but I was being taxed more.” He bought a three-bedroom, two-bath home in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1996 for $86,700. Retiring from the military was a turning point for Battles. The change in his finances prompted him to take out a home equity line of credit so he could pay off his four credit cards, which had a total balance of $11,000.

“I wasn’t bringing home as much as I was used to,” says Battles, who now earns $56,200 as a senior investigator, conducting background investigations for a government contractor. Battles’ primary complaint is taxes. “I’m single, with no children, so I get hit hard.” For the last couple of years he has paid $2,000 after filing his federal and state taxes. “I’m being taxed on my take-home pay and my retirement check. When I was in the military, I owed maybe $20 or $30.”

Battles refinanced his home earlier this year, going from a 6% fixed interest to a 5/1 adjustable rate mortgage at 5.125%. When he refinanced, he separated the payments for homeowners insurance and property taxes, so that he pays them directly himself, rather than paying via an escrow account set up by the mortgage servicer. Battles says he got rid of the escrow so the money could sit in his account, earning interest.

Battles is looking for a way for Uncle Sam to take less of a bite. He is making $480 in extra payments monthly on his mortgage and hopes to pay off the 30-year loan in the next three to five years.

Helping him reach this goal faster is the fact that he recently took in a roommate, a friend whose rent pays half of his $430 monthly mortgage. Battles has no auto insurance or auto loan because he drives a company car.

The Advice
Kathy Williams, a certified financial planner with Williams Financial Services Group in Oklahoma City, assessed Battles’ situation.

Create a protection plan. Assuming his continued saving strategies and growth of his assets, if something were to happen to him he could be wiped out financially. It would be wise to see if his job offers discounted long-term care insurance,” says Williams. At 45, Battles can buy a policy at a cheaper price than he’ll be able to in his 60s. She suggests that Battles use the $2,000 contest winnings to pay the annual premium for a long-term care or disability insurance policy.

Battles should also get term life insurance. As a nonsmoker he might qualify for coverage as low as $10 to $20 a month. In addition, he needs disability insurance to replace lost income in the event that he is unable to work. And he needs to increase the liability limits on his homeowners insurance, specifically because he has a roommate.

Build retirement funds.  Battles should continue to invest 8% of his gross income so that he can get the match from his employer in his 401(k). Assuming an 8% projection and continued investing of at least 8% to 10% with employer matching, he could have an additional $500,000 or more in his 401(k) by age 62, particularly if he increases his contribution by 1% every year. His IRA would add another $165,000 or more assuming an 8% projection to his retirement savings.

Tackle taxes. Battles’ income range, $50,000 to $70,000, can be a tough tax zone when there aren’t a lot of deductions. He could consider increasing his 401(k) contribution to 10% to reduce his overall taxes and lessen the amount he’s putting into his brokerage account. He recently changed his Federal W-4 withholding status to single and zero, which Williams said should help alleviate some of the tax burden as well. Williams also advises Battles to be careful about selling stocks since he could incur a capital gains tax.

Learn from refinancing mistake. Battles’ 5-year ARM will reset in February 2014, at which point his interest rate will be adjusted higher each year. Battles says he wanted to refinance to get rid of escrow, which he couldn’t do with his previous lender. He was determined to be in charge of paying his own property taxes and insurance.

Williams says Battles should try to refinance his home to a fixed mortgage as soon as possible. “Refinancing to get rid of escrow is not a good reason to refinance. Refinancing is usually best if you can shave two percentage points off your interest rate, otherwise you’re really not coming out ahead, and he only went from a fixed 6% rate to an adjustable 5.175% rate. In five years the ARM rates could be sky high. He has a goal to pay off the mortgage in three to five years but if he can’t pay his mortgage off in five years, he’s going to be vulnerable. And if he does, he will lose the tax benefits from the mortgage, further adding to his tax bill.”

Be a strategic saver. Williams says it’s not wise to keep more than $30,000 in a checking account. You want your emergency fund to be accessible should you need it, but you don’t want a mountain of cash lying around. Williams recommends leaving one month’s worth of expenses in a checking account. For emergencies, Williams suggests placing six months of expenses in a money market account. He should also have another account for short-term goals.

This article originally appeared in the November 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

There are career opportunities in roughly 23 categories that range from accounting and design to healthcare and information technology, for qualified individuals in all branches of the military. Job prospects are projected to be strong through 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For all branches, there are specific promotional steps available for enlisted personnel, warrant, and commissioned officers.

Despite the broad range of career opportunities available through the armed forces, for African American personnel advancement starts to waiver at the more senior levels. Currently, blacks represent a total of 17% in the military, including enlistment, officers, and general (senior) officers. African Americans make up just 9% of the officer core and 5.4% of general officers. According to Clarence “C.J.” Johnson, principal director and director of civilian equal employment opportunity with the Department of Defense, it takes at least 25 years to train and develop a service person into a senior position. So aside from focusing on a career in tactical operations, a leadership track that pertains to combat arms and pilots, one must start this career path early—upon enlistment or graduation from a service academy or officer training program.

We talked to military representatives about those challenges to offer insight on opportunities and retention concerns.

Army

According to Brig. Gen. Arnold N. Gordon-Bray, deputy commander for cadet command, there are 170 different career occupations available. He believes the primary skill one develops from serving in the Army is leadership, as well as the values of a soldier: loyalty, duty, respect, self-service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. In fiscal year 2008, out of 452,065 enlisted members, 21.1% were African American. The total number of commissioned officers was 72,928, of which 12.4% were black.

Gordon-Bray says that although retention rates are “very good,” approximately 91%, African Americans are overrepresented in enlistment ranks and underrepresented in officer ranks. Of the most senior level positions African Americans have attained in the Army, there have only been five four-star generals. Only one, Gen. Kip Ward, is still on active duty.

“We have a tendency to join those branches of the Army that have a direct correlation to civilian jobs like engineers, logistics (maintenance, supply, administration), and transportation,” explains Gordon-Bray. “Those jobs do not necessarily prepare you to be the top leaders in the Army.” Additionally, numbers in advance positions have thinned as a result of some potential leaders finding opportunities in civilian industries.

Navy

Aside from the general categories of opportunities, the Navy also boasts stronger openings in healthcare careers for degree-holding service members. And Capt. Ken Barrett, director of diversity for the chief of naval personnel, explains that retention has been equal between races and ethnicities, with African Americans at approximately 40% of the enlisted force and 20% of the officer force. There are currently four African American three-star admirals in the Navy.

The focus of the Navy’s retention efforts, however, has been on keeping women past their service obligation years. This has led to the development of the Task Force Life Work Initiative, which allows a service member to take a three-year sabbatical without being penalized for lost time. The career intermission pilot program allows enlisted members and officers a year off, with medical and dental insurance benefits, to pursue personal obligations. Women are also allotted extended maternal leave time of 12 months up from four to enable positive family development.

Air Force

There are more than 140 career specialties in this branch, with an emphasis on engineering, security forces, dentistry, nursing, medicine and linguistics.

According to Capt. Amy Bartholomew, chief of media, the Air Force is currently seeing its highest levels of a diverse workforce. In fiscal year 2008, of the 27,800 who enlisted, 22.6% are women, 18% are African American, and 13.8% are Hispanic.

Retention efforts revolve around programs such as bonuses, special pay, and tuition assistance. These programs target highly skilled airmen with specific, difficult-to-replace specialties. Like their sister branches, the Air Force acknowledges that their officer rates are parallel with their enlisted ranks.

Coast Guard

A wide range of technical skills including those in electronics, information technology, computer systems, aviation, administration, finance, contracting, mechanics, security, and maritime industry can be developed by serving in the Coast Guard.

Although retention rates are high: 89% for black enlisted members; 91% for officers, according to Capt. Robert Stohlman, chief of the office of diversity, the challenge in reaching senior levels in the organization is directly related to the lack of role models and mentors currently in those positions.

“The number of minorities who graduate from the [Coast Guard] Academy are statistically low, but we’re working hard to increase the diversity of the corps of cadets to allow them opportunities to advance to senior officer levels including captains and admirals,” says Stohlman. For this year’s 2013 academy class, 16% of minorities were accepted, 2% of which were African American.

To improve retention and develop staff for higher levels of responsibility, the Coast Guard is emphasizing a mentoring network to help guide personnel in navigating their careers. Service people are also offered tuition assistance and the ability to pursue master’s degrees while on-duty.

Marines

As of July, of a total number of 203,768 Marines who are on active duty, 20,958 are African Americans. The result of no special retention programs is evident. Since the late 1990s, the number of black officers has declined. According to a report conducted in late 2007, black enlisted Marines were overrepresented in occupations such as food service, traffic management, supply administration, and operations. Black officers were also highly concentrated in aviation ordnance, financial management, electronics, maintenance, and ground electric maintenance, but underrepresented in tank and pilot occupations. Young black Marines are less likely to choose infantry occupations and more likely to choose careers in the area of support.

But black Marines were found to re-enlist in high percentages: in 2006, first-term enlistment for blacks was 40.4% in comparison to 23.8% for whites; second-term enlistment was 75.2% for blacks and 64.8% for whites; and third-term enlistment was 86.7% for blacks and 86.6% for whites.

Compensation

Salary listings are similar across branches—a full-time, entry-level (E-1) enlisted member can earn $15,000 to $17,000 for their first year of service. A full-time, entry-level (O-1) commissioned officer can earn approximately $40,000, given that they come on board with four years of training. In correlation with the salary, service members are allotted certain allowances, which may vary depending on the branch. The general allowances include housing, family separation, clothing, and personal. But there are also incentives and special pay for specific career tracks, such as aviation career incentive pay, career enlisted flyer incentive pay, and hazardous duty incentive pay.

This article originally appeared in the October 2009 issue of Black Enterprise magazine.

Army Gen. William "Kip" Ward (right) accepts a lifetime leadership award from Albert E. Dotson Jr., chairman of the 100 Black Men of America Inc. (Source: Zef Nikolla)

BlackEnterprise.com: What do you think Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) can do to assist young African American men and women who are interested in achieving a career in the military?

Gen. William “Kip” Ward: First and foremost, they can provide a quality education. That obviously will set our youngsters up for a career in the military or any other endeavor. I think the educational background is the basic ingredient, and it is certainly something that I was very blessed to receive from Morgan State University. HBCUs provide an atmosphere that nurtures and cares, but doesn’t cajole or coddle the student either. That supportive environment says you can be anything you want to be. Those qualities give HBCUs great merit.

What programs has the Army implemented to encourage African Americans to rise through the ranks the way that you did?

The Junior ROTC program on high school campuses does not presuppose a commitment to the military. It provides a structured environment that allows men and women to be responsible, display initiative, and take responsibility for their actions. Clearly those who continue to pursue that in a military career are well served by those experiences, but those life skills are also applicable and transferrable in many fields of endeavor.

Gen. Ward greets former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder during the awards banquet. (Source: Zef Nikolla)

My goal is that at AFRICOM we listen to the things that Africans say are important to them, and understand where those lines of consistency lie with our security objectives. The goal is to see increasingly more stable nations on the continent, contributing to the care of their people and to global security in substantial ways. When you have a stable continent of Africa that affects our stability, because in the days of a mobilized environment what happens in one part of the world, clearly affects all of us.

How has your command developed a strategy to try to reduce the threat of piracy?

It is an international concern, and it is not something that my command will do as an independent activity. We want to work with the international community and the African Union as they develop their programs. We need to address the ability of the nations to control their territorial waters and have the ability to police those waters in effective ways. Our strategy is to support Africa’s efforts, not to develop stand alone activities. Our instruction to their security organizations will provide additional capabilities to protect their territorial waters from illegal fishing and trafficking.

What advice would you give and what skills do you suggest one should try to acquire if they are interested in achieving the status of a four-star general?

I think being a four-star general is nice, but it is not something that everyone should try to achieve. You can’t be focused on yourself. Focus on doing the things that cause your teammates to be better. By doing so, you elevate the activities and achievements of the entire team. And if you are recognized and elevated, then that is great, but more importantly we elevate our fellow human beings and we elevate our organizations so that we are all in a better position to achieve things that will make a difference for all of us.