There are more Latinos who are joining the U.S. military but research reveals that higher ranks still remain out of reach, according to a recently published article.

Latinos and Hispanics in the U.S. Military

Latinos and Hispanics are the fastest-growing community in the U.S. military. The U.S. Department of Defense said that they are comprised of about 16 percent of all active-duty military. However, in a Congressional Research Service report in 2019, only eight percent of the Latinos are in the officer corps while 2 percent is in the general or flag officers. Veterans and researchers say that the small number of Latinos in the U.S. military is not a surprise anymore. They believed that this is because the U.S. military is known for its long history of racism and gender discrimination along with education and language barriers that keep the group away from advancement.

Statistics of White, Black, and Latinos in the U.S. Military

Of the total active duty in the U.S. military, White Americans are composed of 69.1 percent, 16.8 percent are Black or African-Americans, while Latinos and Hispanics are only 15.8 percent. In the Senior enlisted or E-7 and above, White Americans are composed of 63.1 percent, 18.5 percent are Black or African-Americans, while Latinos are just 14.3 percent.

White Americans still lead the numbers under the Warrant Officer. They are comprised of 69 percent, African-Americans are 16 percent, while Latinos are 11.6 percent. 77.3 percent of White Americans are in the officer rank while the African-Americans are 8.1 percent. Meanwhile, only 7.6 percent of Latinos are in the officer rank.

Additionally, Latinos in the General or Flag Officer remains to be at the lowest percentage. They are only comprised of 2.1 percent while White Americans are comprised of 87.5 percent. Moreover, African-Americans are just 8.1 percent.

Other Information About People of Color in the U.S. Military

In a 2004 report by the Pew Research Center, around 36 percent of active members of the U.S. military were from people of color, and the census during that time showed that 80 percent were White Americans.

In the recent report of the research center, it was found out that 43 percent of the active-duty military personnel are coming from different racial and ethnic groups.

Moreover, a recent census shows that 60 percent in the U.S. military are White Americans, African-Americans are 13 percent, Latinos are 18 percent, and Asians are nearly six percent.

Luis Fraga, a professor of political science and director for the Institute of Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, said: "As the military has become more diverse, it's even more important for the officer corps to reflect the nation's shifting population."

He also said: "So that enlisted personnel sees themselves in the officer corps, too. The more people can see themselves in high-ranking positions, the more they might be empowered to pursue a career as a commissioned officer."

Nikki Wooten, associate professor at the University of South Carolina College of Social Work and a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, said: "diversity in the officer corps can help improve policy for service members in the enlisted ranks."

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