By NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 17, 2021 WASHINGTON – Members of Congress nominate white students to military service academies at disproportionately high rates, leading to an underrepresentation of minorities there and among the military’s pool of general officers. The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center explained the discrepancy Wednesday in a report titled, “Gatekeepers to Opportunity.” Researchers analyzed data from 1994 to 2020 using congressional nominations to the country’s three largest service academies: U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy at West Point. White students received 74% of nominations from lawmakers, despite comprising only 54% of the total U.S. population age 18 to 24, researchers found. Only 6% of the nominations went to Black students, and 8% went to Hispanic students.
Report reveals which Members of Congress nominated most, least students of color
Credit: AP
In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force Academy, academy cadets start the school year with a mix of reduced class sizes and remote learning on Aug. 12, 2020, at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Under the siege of the coronavirus pandemic, classes have begun at the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. But unlike at many colleges around the country, most students are on campus and many will attend classes in person. (Trevor Cokley/U.S. Air Force Academy via AP)
Minorities shorthchanged in military academy nominations, study finds Follow Us
Question of the Day In this Dec. 12, 2020, photo, Navy midshipmen cheer during the first half of an NCAA college football game between Navy and Army, in West Point, N.Y. Minority students are significantly underrepresented when it comes to getting nominations from members . more > By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times - Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Minority applicants are nominated for coveted slots at prestigious service academies such West Point and Annapolis at rates far below those of White students, according to a new long-range study. That disparity affects diversity in the academies themselves as well as in the military’s officer ranks.
Lawmakers Academy Nominations Favor White Students, Report Finds military.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from military.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.