O
ne of the U.S. Army’s top personnel goals, set
forth in The Army People Strategy, issued in early
fiscal year (FY) 2020, is to recruit and retain a
force that reflects the diversity of the U.S. popu-
lation. Achieving these aims means not only bringing a
diverse group of individuals into the Army but also retain-
ing and promoting them into leadership positions as their
careers progress.
To help accomplish these goals, the Army asked
RAND Arroyo Center to analyze retention of racial and
ethnic minorities in the Army to better understand how
the diversity of the force changes as cohorts progress
through the ranks. This research brief focuses on diversity
and career progression of commissioned officers.
Racial and Ethnic Composition of
Junior Officers
The racial and ethnic composition of junior entrants into
the Army sets the stage for who the Army can ultimately
retain and, in turn, promote to senior officer positions.
The racial and ethnic diversity of the Army’s junior offi-
cers has increased over the past 15 years, with the propor-
tion who were racial and ethnic minorities increasing from
29percent in FY 2005 to 33percent in FY 2020 (Figure 1).
Of that 33percent, 11percent were Black, 10percent
Hispanic, 9percent Asian American and Pacific Islander
KEY FINDINGS
■ Racial and ethnic minority offi-
cers are more likely to choose to
remain in the Army than their White
counterparts.
■ However, promotion rates for offi-
cers in racial and ethnic minority
groups are lower than their White
counterparts.
■ If historical differences persist, the
net effect would be a senior offi-
cer cohort that is less diverse than
today’s junior officers.
■ To the extent that promotion dif-
ferences by race and ethnicity can
be reduced, the diversity of senior
officer cohorts would improve.
■ Preliminary evidence suggests that
removing the official photograph and
other racial and ethnic identifiers
from promotion packets reviewed by
officer selection boards is associ-
ated with higher promotion rates for
racial and ethnic minority officers.
RESEARCH
BRIEF
Striving for Diversity
Observations on Racial and Ethnic Talent in the
Regular Army’s Senior Officer Corps
C O R P O R A T I O N
