From representation to inclusion

This report represents the findings and recommendations of the Military Leadership Diversity Commission. Congress asked the commission to "conduct a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of policies that provide opportunities for the promotion and advancement of minority members of the armed forces, including minority members who are senior officers." The commission's recommendations support two overriding and related objectives: (1) that the armed forces systematically develop a demographically diverse leadership that reflects the public it serves and the forces it leads and (2) that the services pursue a broader approach to diversity that includes the range of backgrounds, skill sets, and personal attributes that are necessary to enhancing military performance. The commission finds several tacit barriers to advancement throughout a service member's career, such as a lack of clarity regarding promotion opportunities, and also one overt barrier: the policy excluding women from combat. The commission proposes changes which would start at the moment of recruiting, and proposes allowing women to serve in combat.