It is harder to get into the military
than to get into a lot of colleges; so, why are African
Americans and Hispanics better represented in the military
than they are in higher education? Why has the military been
more successful with equal opportunity than most other
American institutions? What can corporate America learn from
the military's approach? These thought-provoking questions shaped
the program of a major symposium sponsored by the LBJ School
in April. Entitled "The Military, Equal Opportunity, and
America's Promise," the event commemorated the 50th
anniversary of Executive Order 9981, signed by President
Harry S. Truman to desegregate the country's armed forces.
The event also brought together military, corporate, and
educational leaders together to discuss the military's
relative success at recruiting and promoting ethnic
minorities and women. LBJ School Dean Edwin Dorn, who
spearheaded the event, described the military as a "fast
runner in a slow race" and said that it was not perfect in
its recruitment and promotion practices. However, he pointed
out, the armed forces have provided opportunities for
minorities that should be a model for the nation. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense John
Hamre was one of the symposium's distinguished speakers.
Calling the event "an important milestone in the integration
of our armed forces," Hamre noted that the symposium gave
participants a chance to focus on "the sacrifices and
contributions of all Americans, especially those too long
ignored by a system that struggled to see the greatness in
people of color." In tracing the military contributions of
ethnic minorities and women throughout the nation's history,
Hamre said that at each step of the way the military has
always reflected the larger tensions in the civilian society
but that the military is different because it has been
forced to confront the "painful issues of discrimination"
first. "The combined weight of pragmatism and
principles accomplished what neither could alone," he said.
"When we look at each other for help in the heat of battle,
suddenly the color of skin does not matter that much.
Survival matters." Hamre labeled death as "the great
equalizer" and said that "when we face it together and
prevail, we find that our victory is one of
solidarity." Admiral J. Paul Reason, Commander in
Chief of the Atlantic Fleet and one of three active black
four-star officers in the country, was another keynote
speaker at the symposium. He described Executive Order 9981
as a "leveling blow to inequality in America" and noted that
the decision raised the civil rights movement in this
country to new heights and set the stage for the nation's
desegregation. "As with any change, leadership is an
absolute requirement. People can hear about change but to
effect change, leaders must stand up and take people through
the evolution of making a difference," Reason
said.
Other speakers and panelists included
General Lloyd Newton, another active black four-star
officer; Vice Admiral Patricia Tracey, the nation's first
female three-star officer; Gil Casellas, former head of the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; William
Leftwich, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense; Rudy
de Leon, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and
Readiness; Gil Coronado, Director, Selective Service System;
Major General Hugh Robinson, member, Lyndon Baines Johnson
Foundation Board of Directors; Dana Mead, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer of Tenneco; Paula Boggs, Vice President
and Deputy General Counsel, Dell Computer Corporation; Gary
Valdez, Chairman, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce; and UT
Austin Sociology Professor John Butler. The event was videotaped by C-Span and
portions will be broadcast during the Memorial Day week-end.
Plans are underway to publish the proceedings of the
symposium, which was organized by the LBJ School Office of
Conferences and Training and the Dean's Office.
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11 May 98
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