Staying Fit
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Three in ten service members identify as a racial or ethnic minority, a figure that is expected to grow in the coming years. A new report from Blue Star Families, “The Diverse Experiences of Military & Veteran Families of Color,” suggests that addressing existing disparities faced by military families of color will improve national security and ensure long-term military readiness as those ranks grow.
Safety concerns
By 2027, most recruitable adults will be people of color. Yet, active-duty family respondents of color make decisions about military life based on perceptions of racism and fear for their family’s safety in communities: 46 percent of active-duty respondents of color reported that they have considered discrimination in their installation ranking decisions, and 42 percent consider concerns about their safety due to their racial identity. One in three active-duty family respondents of color said they experienced at least one incident of being threatened or harassed in their civilian (33 percent) or military (29 percent) community since January 2020.
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Jobs and finances
Military service provides some financial advantages to active-duty and veteran families of color. For instance, 51 percent of active-duty family respondents of color report that their family’s financial stability is better than that of friends and family of the same race or ethnic background who are not serving in the military. And 41 percent of veterans of color said they are better able to find jobs compared to their non-white, non-military peers. However, they lag behind their white counterparts when it comes to unemployment rates and earnings.
Military spouses of color report a greater need for two household incomes than their white peers. Additionally, they experience substantially higher unemployment rates and lower earnings than their civilian counterparts.
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