Document created: 24 March 04
Air University Review, September-October 1972

The Air Force and Equal Opportunity

Honorable Robert C. Seamans, Jr.
Secretary of the Air Force

Late in April, a predominantly white crowd of 400 high school girls gathered around the charred ruins of a house on Staten Island. It had taken them about an hour and a half to walk from their school to this quiet white suburban neighborhood. The girls were demonstrating their sympathy and concern for a classmate who is black. Her father, a native of the West Indies, recently had purchased this house and would have been the first black man to move into the neighborhood.

Neighbors who watched as the girls gathered around the ruins openly displayed their racial feelings toward them through bitter ridicule of the protestors. Such incidents are obvious evidence that much more needs to be done toward eliminating prejudice among our citizens.

Unfortunately, attitudes that harbor racial discrimination can be found in the Air Force as well as in civilian society. About a year ago at Travis AFB, near San Francisco, a series of incidents occurred which increased racial tensions and polarized attitudes. Groups of black airmen charged that policies and conditions were discriminatory, and these airmen engaged in protest gatherings. Violence ensued, and the potential existed for many serious injuries and loss of life. Finally emotions were contained. The point is that we must move toward an environment where such episodes will not recur.

Most of us are quick to react to racial insult or slight, whether intended or not. But more is needed than simply avoiding negative reactions. We must assure that equal treatment exists for all of our people, whether this relates to job assignments, to matters of food, style of haircuts, or music in recreation centers.

Our goal is an Air Force in which racial differences are respected and all men and women are, in fact, given equal opportunity. This requires equal consideration in assignments and promotions, effective communication between the races regarding all aspects of the service environment, and improved education of all Air Force people in the area of human relations. In all areas, innovative and responsible leadership will be needed if we are to realize our goals.

We must be committed to the goal of real equal opportunity. We must insure that minority officers and airmen have ready access to the demanding, responsible jobs that are necessary for a successful career. The Air Force has tried to provide appropriate assignments for all its people, but the question is sometimes raised as to whether members of minority groups receive fair treatment.

We have heard such phrases as “We do not practice discrimination in assignments” and “The needs of the service come first.” We cannot allow such statements to be misused and serve as a smoke screen to hide injustice.  We must continue to see that members of minority groups are being given the same honest opportunities for important assignments as everyone else by insuring that we allow no artificial barriers to equality. Unless we maintain a positive attitude in this regard, we will fail in our obligation to both the Air Force and our society.

To assure greater progress, we need common standards. We must be sure that the entire Air Force is going in the same direction, so that policies at every level are reinforcing. What is more, as with any resource management program, we need to know the status on which to base further actions. It should be clear, then, that well-understood standards and quality controls are essential.

For this reason, the Social Actions Division at Headquarters Air Force has reviewed the Air Force Personnel Plan in light of equal opportunity goals. From this review specific guidelines have been developed and issued to agencies and commands responsible for their implementation. Included is the requirement for detailed progress reports at specified intervals.

Minorities account for some 13.3 percent of airmen and 2.2 percent of the present officer force. The enlisted strengths are representative of the civilian population, but the Air Force objective will be to achieve a 5.6 percent proportion of officers at least by 1980. This represents the anticipated minority percentage among college graduates age 21–29, who form the manpower pool from which all officers are drawn. Production from Officer Training School will be tripled immediately to reach 6 percent, and ROTC will be producing more minority officers by 1974.

This summer more than fifty minority candidates entered a new two-month course which will augment the current nine-month curriculum at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado. This course will help them qualify for the Air Force Academy.

On the job, officer and NCO supervisors may well find that lack of job satisfaction is major contributor to frustration and potential charges of discrimination. Unequal workload changed requirements that have made a position essentially surplus, responsibility that actually far less than an inflated job description indicates—all of these can contribute to dissatisfaction and unrest.

Good management and meaningful career opportunity require a thorough review of job requirements, responsibilities, and the appropriate grade level. If a man does not have a challenging job to do, he is not motivated to demonstrate his real ability, whether he is black or white, and consequently his potential for future advancement is not realized. This situation is undesirable in any circumstance but a minority group member when denied such opportunity is likely to view it as a manifestation of racial bias.

Fortunately, progress has been made in assuring equal opportunity in promotions. Analysis of our airman promotion programs in the mid-1960s indicated an atmosphere that could allow inequitable factors—including racial prejudice—to hinder advancement. Since that time the Air Force has adopted the Weighted Airman Promotion System (WAPS). The effects, verified by analysis of the FY 72 cycle, are that white and black airmen receive equal treatment—and achieve essentially equal results—under this new system. Therefore, although racial prejudice was not necessarily a direct cause, it would appear that WAPS will serve to preclude discrimination in airman promotions.

In addition to standards for job assignment and promotions, we still need to work on such areas as off-base housing. As of December 31, 98.8 percent of all surveyed housing having five units or more and located near a USAF base had given us nondiscrimination assurances. The 1.2 percent that failed to do so—some 145 multiple-dwelling units—were placed on the USAF sanction list. This removes all military people from the potential rental market for these units.

Closely related to Air Force efforts to set standards is the need for accountability. The performance of our supervisors and commanders at every level must be evaluated in terms of policy support. Thus, the ability of our commanders and supervisors to promote equal opportunity will be indicated on their efficiency reports. Those whose performance fails to meet the established equal opportunity standards will not continue in leadership positions, and their promotion potential will suffer accordingly. The task of achieving equal opportunity cannot be handed to someone else; it takes personal involvement by those who lead the Air Force at all levels.

Our experience has shown that progress in promoting racial equality and harmony depends in large measure on effective communication, both formal and informal. This means that our commanders and supervisors at every level must seek frequent opportunities to talk with, listen to, and get to know their people, on duty and off duty.

Perhaps we need to recall that old truism: “The Open Door policy works best when it is the commander who walks through the door.” Although a fundamental of management, it bears repeating that far more can be accomplished by visiting the men than by sitting in an office—whether the door is open or closed. Then too, the NCO supervisor cannot push aside his responsibility by saying, “Someone above has to give me guidance in each situation—it’s just too sensitive.” Commanders must look to the NCO, who is closer to the daily situation, but the NCO should not become a buffer between the commander and his men. By working together closely, we can indeed get to know our people and, together, lead them. Only in this way can we create a climate in which our people can live and work harmoniously and effectively.

In such an environment, those with grievances, large or small, can discuss them easily with commanders and supervisors and thereby gain respect for their leaders and confidence in the Air Force. Prompt examination of complaints to determine their validity and seek remedies can preclude disproportionate expansion of minor gripes simply because of frustration with the “system.” Moreover, an open system is much more likely to identify the occasional attempts to stimulate unrest or unwarranted charges, and people will dismiss them as unworthy of support.

Several beneficial initiatives have been taken to assist in improving communication between the races. As a start, the Air Force has an Equal Opportunity Officer assigned to every major base. These officers are there to assist the commanders and are selected in large measure for their commitment and their ability to understand and communicate with minority members. Each Equal Opportunity Officer has direct access to the commander and participates in staff consideration of all major programs. A related effort to stimulate the flow of information involves informal sessions in which the commander meets with Airman, Noncommissioned Officer, and Junior Officer Councils, and these sessions have proven very useful. Also, the direct-access telephone call or hot line, available to anyone who seeks direct communication with the commander, has been of considerable help.

Another approach, taken by the cadets at the Air Force Academy, may have constructive application for other organizations as a means of improving communication and mutual understanding. A “Cadet Way of Life Committee” was established last year, as a result of concern about racial misunderstandings. One early recommendation was to hold a series of information seminars led by cadets in each of the squadrons. Candid exchanges between these groups of white and black cadets of similar age and experience demonstrated an effective way to improve understanding and reduce potential aggravations.

The cadets also planned and carried out a four-day festival of black culture this spring. Ranging from soul food to music and lectures, this impressive program was one example of the effort to achieve mutual understanding that we should encourage throughout the Air Force.

As a basis for all our equal opportunity efforts, we must emphasize education in human relations. Human relations skills are now taught in basic military training, our Air Force technical schools, undergraduate pilot and navigator training, academic instructor training, Officer Training School, ROTC, and at the Air Force Academy. Moreover, professional military courses, such as Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, and Squadron Officer School, include instruction in human relations.

A wing/base commanders’ seminar is being conducted repeatedly at Air University to provide information and stimulate discussion on a variety of contemporary social issues, such as race, drugs, and changing youth values.

The Air Force also participates in the joint services Defense Race Relations Institute at Patrick AFB, Florida, which began training instructors last fall. This seven-week course is designed to give selected officers and noncommissioned officers the background and practical experience necessary to teach others the techniques of approaching race relations with open minds and principles of fairness to all.

In teaching these concepts at the local level, everyone in the Air Force will participate in small seminar-size classes for as much as eighteen hours annually. These classes will consider means to improve all human relationships and examine the background of racial prejudice in our society. As a practical exercise, they will view and discuss special films depicting racial and ethnic conflict in typical work situations. The result should be not just semantic generalities but lifelike experiences in recognizing and understanding racial problems.

In summary, we have many good programs under way that will help us achieve our equal opportunity goals. As one important step, career opportunities must be equitable and appropriate for everyone. All our men and women must have the opportunity to contribute to the best of their individual abilities.

The Air Force has specific standards by which to judge its progress in providing opportunities for minority group members, and unit commanders will be held responsible for progress toward these standards. But success will depend to a great extent on the degree of mutual respect and understanding that we are able to develop among our people. This will require closer relationships between each supervisor and the members of his organization, new and imaginative educational projects at all our bases, and, especially, better communication between the races at all levels of command.

I am confident that the Air Force can maintain the positive attitude and continuing initiatives necessary for still greater progress toward our equal opportunity goals.

Office of the Secretary of the Air Force

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