African American Soldiers and the Afghanistan War

One of the best measurements of war’s impact is the casualty rate, American forces suffered a casualty rate which exceeded 2500 soldiers and 23,000 wounded.  Afghan casualties were 150,000.  Of the soldiers killed in the conflict, African Americans accounted for a substantial number. Blacks comprise 43% of the enlisted personnel, 19.1 percent of the active-duty force and 24 percent of the army. African American participation in the army pales in comparison to their percentage of the general population, which is 13 percent.

Systematic discrimination against African Americans is rampant in US society, similar problems exist in the armed forces.  While overly represented in the enlisted ranks, African Americans make up only 2 of 41 senior ranking military officers. Black soldiers are likely to be reprimanded harshly and more frequently than soldiers of other races. An Air Force report showed that Black personnel were 71% more likely to face court martial and non-judicial punishment. The mistreatment of Black soldiers is the result of an old military mantra that Black soldiers are not capable of leadership and require sterner treatment.

Source:

The Good Men Project

by Stephen G. Hall, PhD; November 14, 2021

https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/african-american-soldiers-and-the-afghanistan-war/

‘White man’s war, Black man’s fight’:

Black soldiers paid heavy price in Afghanistan

The parallels between America’s entanglements in Vietnam and Afghanistan are clear, especially as far as Black people are concerned. While the war in Vietnam was promoted during the Cold War era as a fight for democracy and against Communism, that war was more about war profiteering than extending rights to Brown people thousands of miles away. 

Fast-forward to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the wars that followed in Iraq and Afghanistan, and once again, we saw Black people and the poor serving their country, sustaining injuries and dying at disproportionate levels to fight for “democracy” when they are hard-pressed to find democracy at home.

Source:

The Grio online / Opinion

David A. Love; Aug 18, 2021

https://thegrio.com/2021/08/18/black-soldiers-paid-heavy-price-in-afghanistan/