Black Service Members Warn Military Is Moving Backward

Brandon Tensley, Capital B

Military service has long been seen as a means of upward mobility for Black Americans, but recent actions raise questions about inclusion.

A troubling notion has gripped some Black current and former service members: The U.S. military — long seen as a pathway to opportunity in Black communities — seems to be drifting backward, toward a more segregated time.

“[Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth] came into office promising to turn the military into a color-blind meritocracy — it is neither color-blind nor a meritocracy,” Theodore Johnson, a former U.S. Navy commander, told Capital B. “In fact, it is demonstrably less of both, as recent firings and denied promotions attest to.”

These actions, he and others maintain, continue a pattern of targeting Black contributions to the military, and raise fresh concerns about the future of diversity in the ranks. Black Americans make up some 17% of active-duty military personnel, compared with 14% of the U.S. population.

The highest levels of military leadership, Johnson added, “appear more like country-club nepotism” than selection of the best woman or man for the job regardless of race or ethnicity. He was referring to NBC News’ recent reporting that Hegseth has “taken steps” to block or stall the promotions of at least a dozen Black and female senior officers across the four branches of the military.

In response to this reporting, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, who sits on the committee with legislative oversight of the Pentagon, has called for more information about the claims that have been made about Hegseth.

The New York Times also has reported that Hegseth blocked two Black and two female officers from being promoted to one-star generals.

In a statement, members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus called the decision “outrageous and wrong,” saying that the officers had “decades of exemplary service” and warning that the move reflects a broader effort to undermine women and people of color in the military.

Learn how some in Trump’s administration call this fake news.

College has similarly offered upward mobility but has faced funding cuts under Donald Trump.

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