Mark Esper rolls out plan to increase diversity in military

The Defense Department on Thursday rolled out a new initiative to end discrimination and promote equality in the military, pledging to take tangible steps to ensure all men and women in the armed forces are given a fair shot to succeed and climb the ranks.

In a video message to Pentagon personnel, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he’s establishing a new review board that over the next six months will develop “concrete, actionable recommendations” to increase racial diversity.

It’s the latest in a host of recent steps the Pentagon has taken to address racial disparities in the armed forces, which include the fact that black service members are woefully underrepresented in high-ranking positions across all military services.

Like the rest of society, the Defense Department was spurred to action by the death last month of George Floyd, a black man, during a confrontation with Minneapolis police.

Top military officials have been unusually blunt in talking about how the incident, along with the protests and unrest it sparked across the country, have caused them to reflect on whether the military is doing enough.

“More often than not, we have led on these issues. However, we are not immune to the forces of bias and prejudice – whether visible or invisible, conscious or unconscious,” Mr. Esper said. “We know this bias burdens many of our service members, and has direct and indirect impact on the experiences of our minority members, the cultural and ethnic diversity of the force, and representation in our officer ranks. These things have no place in our military. They have no place in our country.”

In addition to the review board and its six-month plan, Mr. Esper also said the Pentagon will form an external advisory committee to provide long-term recommendations on racial issues.

He also directed civilian and uniformed leadership inside the Pentagon to present other ideas that can be put into practice immediately.

The Navy, Marine Corps and several other arms of the military also have banned all use of the Confederate flag, and Army officials say they’re open to stripping the names of Confederate generals off of 10 military bases. President Trump, however, opposes that idea.