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As a naval officer, I have been encouraged by military leadership this past month, as they have embraced the Black Lives Matter movement and are actively seeking solutions to end systemic racism in the armed services.
It feels different this time. It doesn't just feel like empty platitudes as a result of another annual survey from the command managed equal opportunity program. From the secretary of defense down to tactical-level unit commanders, I am hearing calls for change and seeing solutions being offered and implemented.
For the first time in my career, I am hearing general officers and flag officers acknowledge the existence of white privilege and systemic racism. Just the other day, I listened to a four-star admiral on a video conference call explicitly state, "There is racism among our ranks." The call, a virtual town hall held for active-duty military and civilian employees to discuss current events and challenges facing the Navy, allowed me to listen to one of the most senior military officers in our military openly discuss racism and acknowledge the existence of his own privilege as a white male. This topic has been taboo for way too long, and we can only eradicate it if we acknowledge its existence and confront it head-on.
Black, brown and other sailors, soldiers, airmen, guardsmen and Marines of color have been fighting two wars their entire military career—one against the enemies of the United States and another against the disadvantages of racism—both systemic and direct.
In my 16-year career, I have never once had a Black commanding officer. During the majority of those years, when I walked into the entrance of a squadron's hangar or headquarters building, the photos of the chain of command featured entirely all white men. I'll never forget the moment in 2009 when the chain of command photo wall for my unit at the time finally displayed a Black man, the new commander-in-chief.
Our senior officers and enlisted leaders continue to say that "diversity is our strength," but if that were to be truthfully embraced, we would have already seen many more promotions and milestone assignments filled by Black and other service members of color, but these positions have continuously been filled by a majority of white men. About 43 percent of the 1.3 million people on active duty in the U.S. military are people of color, according to a recent report by The New York Times, yet only two of the 41 most senior commanders are Black.
Tangible actions are underway. The Army announced it will remove photographs of candidates in promotion board hearings to reduce the potential for racial bias. And Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced they are open to the possibility of renaming military installations named after Confederate leaders, as Confederate statues and monuments have come down in several states, and the display of the Confederate flag has been banned by the Marine Corps on its military facilities.
Yet much more must be done. We must break down the processes and systems that place certain service members at a disadvantage based on race. We must end systems that continue to place a knee on the necks of those with skin darker than my own.
It is unfortunate the tragic death of George Floyd was the catalyst to bring us to this moment of historical reckoning, but we cannot allow his death to be in vain. "I can't breathe" were not just the final words of a Black man killed by police. They were symbolic of life and air being choked from communities of color in a system designed to perpetuate white privilege.
The military has often been a leader in societal change—from desegregation to protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation, we have proudly led the way. The call is upon us to once again lead our nation with change.
We have an opportunity right now to be who we were destined to be, not only as a military, but as a nation. One whose foundations claimed equality. We have not yet fully realized those claims, but we can, and I believe we will.
Let us rise to this occasion and be remembered as the generation of warriors who defeated racism once and for all and ushered in a new era of equality and equity in the United States.
We still have a long way to go in the military—and certainly in our country, but I believe we are on the right track to victory.
Travis Akers is a veterans and gun reform advocate, and a naval intelligence officer who served in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. He formerly served on the board of directors of DemCast USA and resides in Jacksonville, Florida. This article does not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Defense.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
