Politics & Government
SEALs Struggle to Diversify Ranks
A report says that most members of the elite group, despite years of effort to attract more minorities, are white.
About 85 percent of Navy SEALs are white, despite the Navy's efforts to diversify the ranks, according to a report in the Navy Times.
Caucasians make up 64 percent of Navy personnel overall, said the Navy Times, which explained the challenge facing the command:
That gap remains despite concerted efforts by Naval Special Warfare Command to seek more minority candidates and expand its overall recruiting pitch to get more SEALs and SWCCs to fill the larger force mandated by Congress. But as the community grew in size, the command also beefed up standards and requirements during the 26-week SEAL Qualification Training, causing graduation rates to drop across all ethnicities.
Find out what's happening in Coronadowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“Where we stand today is, we have more work to do,” said Capt. Duncan Smith, a SEAL who heads Naval Special Warfare Command’s recruiting directorate.
The publication reports that the Navy is working with outside contractors to help expand minority recruitment and is widening its net to include Latinos, Arabs and Asians.
Find out what's happening in Coronadowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
For more on the story, see the Navy Times.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
