BARF ALERT: Navy Seeking More Minority SEALs

In nature, most seals are black, with relatively few white ones. The Navy's SEALs have exactly the opposite problem - they're overwhelmingly white, with hardly any blacks. So they're trying to do something about it.

It's a fundamental challenge in a democracy with an all-volunteer force: recruits may be drawn from all segments of society, but elite military units -- and none is more elite these days than the SEALs, following their dispatch of Osama bin Laden last May - tend to draw from small pools of talent. For the SEALs, that includes athletic young men who are smart and good in the water. For whatever reason, that has led to an overwhelmingly white SEAL force.


Say the SEALs:

Gaps exist in minority representation in both officer and enlisted ranks for Special Warfare operators. Diverse officers represent only ten percent of the officer pool (for example, African Americans represent less than 2% of SEAL officers). Diverse enlisted SEALs account for less than twenty percent of the total SEAL enlisted population. Naval Special Warfare is committed to fielding a force that represents the demographics of the nation it serves. This contract initiative seeks effective strategies to introduce high potential candidates from diverse backgrounds to the opportunities available in Naval Special Warfare.

The SEALs are considering hiring help to attract thousands of "minority males in the 16–24 year-old target age range" to become SEALs. "This contract will create a mechanism to enhance Naval Special Warfare's ability to conduct outreach, raise awareness, mentor, and increase self-selection to a career as a SEAL within minority communities," a recently-posted draft contract solicitation says.

The Navy isn't seeking only black SEALs: "Challenges for minority recruitment also exist in the Hispanic, Asian Pacific Islander, Native American, and Arab American populations among others," the announcement notes. "Given shifting demographics, these gaps in representation need to be corrected to ensure continued access. There are sustainment, societal, educational, and operational drawbacks to failing to correct this disparity."

Ain't that the truth. US special operators have long acknowledged they face challenges mixing in with foreign populations because they look so American. The SEALs acknowledge as much: "Traditional SEAL Team demographics will not support some of the emerging mission elements that will be required," it says.


Are the Navy SEALs Too . . . WHITE?

I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty sick of this war on the white male. According to TIME, the Navy SEALs are too white and don't resemble real seals. Seriously.

In nature, most seals are black, with relatively few white ones. The Navy's SEALs have exactly the opposite problem - they're overwhelmingly white, with hardly any blacks. So they're trying to do something about it.

What? I don't even know where to start on this one. Great, racist analogy TIME. The real question is: Why does it matter what color the skin of a Navy SEAL is so long as they complete the training to become a Navy SEAL in the first place? TIME wonders how in the world an elite volunteer force could ever be made of up mostly white males.

It's a fundamental challenge in a democracy with an all-volunteer force: recruits may be drawn from all segments of society, but elite military units - and none is more elite these days than the SEALs, following their dispatch of Osama bin Laden last May - tend to draw from small pools of talent. For the SEALs, that includes athletic young men who are smart and good in the water. For whatever reason, that has led to an overwhelmingly white SEAL force.

Answer? Because they qualified to be Navy SEALs by completing the most rigorous training program in the world. If you don't know the details of the training, I suggest you read Marcus Luttrell's Lone Survivor. SEAL training is hell on earth and you don't get through it to become one of the most elite fighting machines the world has ever known by skipping the line because you happen to be a minority. It doesn't work that way. It's simple: If you qualify, you qualify, regardless of skin color.

The worst part? The Navy seems to be falling into the political correctness trap and entertaining the idea of recruiting based on skin color first, skill second.

The SEALs are considering hiring help to attract thousands of "minority males in the 16–24 year-old target age range" to become SEALs. "This contract will create a mechanism to enhance Naval Special Warfare's ability to conduct outreach, raise awareness, mentor, and increase self-selection to a career as a SEAL within minority communities," a recently-posted draft contract solicitation says.

At best, the TIME article is racist in two ways: 1) saying current Navy SEALs are too white 2) implying that minorities aren't good enough on their merits and hard to work to become a SEAL so they should be let in based on their skin color instead.

Regardless, there is one nugget of sense in the piece:

U.S. special operators have long acknowledged they face challenges mixing in with foreign populations because they look so American. The SEALs acknowledge as much: "Traditional SEAL Team demographics will not support some of the emerging mission elements that will be required," it says.

Good point, however the argument should have been framed as, "The Navy needs more minority candidates in order to complete missions in the Middle East and Africa more effectively." Instead, the current argument that the Navy is "too white" makes the recruitment of minority candidates look like affirmative action rather than a strategic move.

When I go see Act of Valor tomorrow, I'll be sure to count the number of white guys vs. minorities in the film and document the blatant discrimination. Not.

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So . . . it seems ever year or two, some liberal johnny-come-lately "enlightened" and cutting edge rookie reporter trots out this old horse.

The reason we do not have more black SOF Operators is simply this- the majority of them are not interested in completing the lengthy and rigorous training/education "pipeline" we all have to navigate in order to come out the other end of the pipe as a mere "rookie." This qualification merely allows you to join your unit and begin what will become a lifelong journey.

The military has looked into this subject with GREAT interest. Of course the pressure form all the "do-gooder's" think we are somehow doing something to "root out" minorities or discriminate against them, but the truth is, when you come for assessment/selection, you are competing against YOURSELF. The goal of the process is to find out what you are made of, not how adept you are at knocking down your fellow teammate.

Now, for the minorities who make it through assessment and their subsequent qualification courses, I can attest there are no better operators in the ranks. However, you'd never know they were anything but a stellar individual. Calling or referring to them as a minority might end up getting you hurt. In fact, if you want to hear an honest, and critical assessment of the so called "societal ills" which plaque our minority communities, ask one of them their opinion on the issue- they'll give you a comprehensive rundown of personal responsibility, one's sense of self, and a citizens responsibility to our Nation- all that victimization BS is just that.

The bottom line is we lack minority operators because they simply are not applying for the job, and thus far, we've prevented the corrosive "dumbing down" of our force despite the best efforts of these well-meaning but clueless libs.


Few people realize that US Army Special Forces has a small force of Combat Divers with similar capabilities to the much more well-publicized US Navy SEALS. I am a member of that community, and as long as I have been going subsurface it has always been obvious that the Club of Black Combat Divers and Navy SEALS is a VERY small and exclusive organization indeed. Why? Nobody knows why - it certainly hasn't got anything to do with athletic ability although there is an empirical observation which may disturb some when I share it: black people - for whatever reason - are negative floaters. Don't ask me to explain it because I can't; there isn't even a direct corelation to the significantly lower subcutaneous body fat of the average black individual, because I've even seen "well-covered" blacks sink like a rock. Its just one of those things that is. All I've got to say is probably the stupidest place to try to introduce an Equal Opportunity program I can imagine is in the environment where we earn our Dive Pay - S.L.


STORMBRINGER SENDS