Story by BG Arnold Bray
Inspired by U.S.
Army leadership
I often ask, “What do Michael Jordan, Tiger
Woods, Shaquille O’Neal, Tavis Smiley, Angela
Burke-Murray and me have in common? We
were are all inspired by Army leadership and
imbued with Army values and exposed to
success by caring and discipline our Dad’s
learned in the Army (or was reinforced by the
Army system).
often ask, “What do Michael Jordan,
I Tiger Woods, Shaquille O’Neal, Tavis
Smiley, Angela Burke-Murray and me
have in common? We were are all inspired
by Army leadership and imbued with Army
values and exposed to success by caring and
discipline our Dad’s learned in the Army (or
was reinforced by the Army system). In my
case I was doubly exposed. My real-father
served in the Navy in WWII (for what it’s
worth my father never abandoned me even
after divorce and remained actively in my
life). We were all encouraged to go to school
and taught to be the best version of ourselves.
These leaders were combat soldiers by
choice who advanced their sons’ potential
and communities by their actions and proud
service.
There are many opportunities to serve in
America’s Army as Soldiers and Officers.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of historical
understanding and misperception about the
McFarlane Ford Reader
military, and the Army in particular, we are
forfeiting our hard-fought positions within
this great organization. Yes! I said great.
However, before you blast me for patriotism,
please read on. (Warning it will take you a
few minutes).
From the late 1770s until the Korean War,
really the Vietnam War, African Americans
fought to be in and lead the front-line units.
Even though African Americans actually
fought in every war with distinction,
contributions were minimized or relegated to
footnotes. Even when units like: the 1st
Rhode Island Regiment, Revolutionary War;
1st South Carolina Regiment; 54th
Massachusetts Regiment, Civil War; 24/25
Infantry and 9/10 Cavalry, post Civil War; or
Harlem Hellcats of WWI all fought well; we
recognized the face of the unit—the senior
officers who were all white. Black officers
only led Black troops (legally) before 1948.
Historically African Americans were rarely
BG Arnold Bray
denied positions as noncommissioned
officers (NCO) or sergeants (pay was another
issue). African American NCOs really set
the stage for African American possibilities.
To date African Americans have held every
NCO position within the Army and they, in-
turn, have changed communities by their
examples. While tremendous strides in
education and home ownership were
achieved for African Americans by NCOs
who returned home from the Army,
leadership and decision-making was still
questioned until the Vietnam era officer. In
our hunger to be warriors and leaders, we
aspired to not only be the sergeants but also
officers (commanders) in combat units. This
collective view of combat leadership and
pride in the military inspired African
American communities. When someone
achieved high levels of leadership especially
in the front-line units everyone knew and
shared in what appeared to be a right of
passage.
January 25, 2010

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So What? The African American desire to
lead combat Soldiers and wear the uniform
created a respect among most African
Americans for her Soldiers (This feeling is
accurately captured in A Soldiers Story and
from talking with WWII era survivors
personally). The higher authority they held,
the more prestigious he/she was (comparable
to teachers, pastors, lawyers, doctors, and
bankers). Our pride and patriotism was best
exemplified in 1944 when 2,500 AAs (5,000
volunteered) were assigned to white units as
an experiment to reinforce front line white
units. This experiment was a great success
but the results were questioned because they
were all volunteers of “above average
intelligence.” On July 26, 1948, the
segregation of forces ended with Executive
Order 9981. The Korean War saw integrated
forces in the early 50s but they didn’t really
impact the whole of the Nation and,
therefore, didn’t challenge or showcase
African American leadership of Integrated
forces. Soldiers, NCOs and officers of the
early wars increased African American
participation in every facet of American
life...and many became the foot soldiers and
examples behind the Civil rights movement
(Jackie Robinson, Joe Louis etc). They
brought leadership that openly challenged
America with a discipline, dignity and
resolve that was commensurate with military
leadership and defied stereotypes.
The big switch of support occurred subtlety:
Vietnam enabled African Americans to fight
in every role from Special Forces’ Soldiers to
Brigade Commanders. AAs were involved
so much in the military that some Americans
found ways to avoid participation, discipline,
values and opportunities that the military
afforded. The good news is that by the end
of Vietnam most of the Nation was
Page 2
“The Army—the most diverse and inclusive of
all services—and indeed the military
(Department of Defense), the Nation’s largest
corporation, is losing African American
leadership.”
convinced of African Americans
capabilities...but it seemed that many AAs
had also satisfied their own curiosity and
sometime in the late 60s and early 70s
participation and support for African
Americans in combat became questionable
for America and African Americans.
The fruition of service and fighting to fight:
This swell of Soldiers of WWII through
Vietnam and especially the front-line leaders
produced our first African American 4-star
general, Roscoe Robinson, and enabled our
Army to boast almost 10 percent of the
Army’s generals as African Americans by
1978. Additionally many of our
Congressional leaders also started with
military training in combat units: Sen. Ed
Brooke (Army), Congressman Charles
Rangel (Army) and Congressman Ronald
Dellums (USMC)).
The senior leaders and generals of today are
remnants of the pride of the pre 70s. In the
late 70s, 80s, and 90s, African Americans
continued to join, but mostly focused on
joining the Army only as a place to get a
trade or network for advancement in our
civilian equivalent degrees (mostly in the
logistics and communications fields).
African Americans that joined the service for
combat units leveled off and dropped
significantly. As a result, today our General
Officer Corps is still around 10 percent even
though our enlisted ranks are above 20%
African Americans; but more importantly,
the available officers for selection have
declined.
The final so what: The Army—the most
diverse and inclusive of all services—and
indeed the military (Department of Defense),
the Nation’s largest corporation, is losing
African American leadership. It has been the
impetus for change in so many ways. The
leaders of the 2030s and 2040s are in high
school now, and if we don’t renew our
commitment, willingness to shed our blood,
we may not be able to enjoy its treasure as
equal partners. The respect is still there, but
the collective desire to serve needs an
overhaul or there won’t be another GEN
Roscoe Robinson, Commander, Europe, and
first African American Commander of the
82nd Airborne; Colin Powell, the first
African American Commander, Joint Chiefs;
Johnnie Wilson, Commander, Material
Command—the Nation’s largest Command;
Larry Ellis, first African American
Commander of Forces Command; or Kip
Ward, Commander, AFRICOM, and the only
African American 4-star general left on duty
among all services.
I know this was a bit lengthy but it is
important and if you survived all that
discussion share it. HBCUs account for over
50% of our Nation’s African American
officers and a significant number of General
Officers to include General Kip Ward our
Nation’s highest ranking African American
officer. Most all HBCUs have officer
training programs (ROTC or Officer
Recruiters) and scholarships to help you
fulfill your college commitment to become
part of a legacy of service. We need to
discuss all of the opportunities that are
available and I hope this helps. If you are on
this HBCU bus tour, remember “your” Army
matters to African Americans communities
more than “we” talk about.