The effectiveness of Diversity and Cultural Competence.
Western culture is usually referred to when talking about the culture of the United States. Our culture began its development with the first English settlers in the early 1600’s and continued to evolve from influences from Native Americans and the arrival of immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This created a melting pot of cultures which has turned into one of the most influential forces on Earth. Today, with a population exceeding 300 million people, the United States continues to be a place for immigrants, by immigrants, whether as a place of refuge or for those seeking the American dream. With the continuous influx of immigrants into the United States, there has been
…show more content…
After the Executive Order 9981 was established the successful integration of minorities has continued to this day. The U.S. military is the largest employer of minorities. With a total workforce of over 1.4 million people, the demographics of this organization is a bit surprising. 71 percent of the total force is white and the remaining 29 percent accounting for minority populations. However, Leadership positions average 35 percent for minorities for lower level positions, to 38 percent for top leadership positions. These numbers are reflected in the enlisted side of military personnel. On the other end of the spectrum, officer appointed positions seem to lack the diversity apparent in their enlisted counterparts. For lower level officer positions, minorities only contribute 22 percent of the personnel. For the highest level of leadership within the officer ranks, only 10 percent of those are minorities (Demographics, 2014). Despite the lack of diversity within the highest levels of leadership, the vast diversity within the enlisted ranks of leadership has been successful in establishing and conducting cultural awareness and diversity training. Some argue the reasons behind why the military has developed training for cultural diversity. The answer is really simple. It’s for both internal and external …show more content…
Soldiers are encouraged to come forward to openly discuss the things they feel negatively affect the cohesion of their unit. Teams of dedicated professionals are given extensive training so they can further educate and provide resources for those that require it. Training is mandated on a quarterly basis, and teams are constantly being introduced to new settings to help diversify their experiences. Overall, the program has worked. It all begins with the leadership willing to accept new ideas on how to keep morale and acceptance of all individuals at an all-time