Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Military: Racial Disparity in the Services (Webinar)

  • 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Eastern Time (US & Canada)
  • By: ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, ABA Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law
  • Map:
    Online Webinar, United States
  • Source: Pennsylvania > PA Pro Bono
Topics:
  • Civil Rights
  • Veterans/Military
  • Training
  • Access to Justice


A free non-CLE webinar entitled Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Military: Racial Disparity in the Services will be held on June 8, 2021 from 1:00 PM-2:30 PM Eastern. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. The first part is scheduled for June 3, 2021.

Joint Sponsors: ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, ABA Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law

Co-Sponsors: ABA Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice, ABA Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights & Responsibilities, ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, ABA Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline

This panel will provide an educational discussion of racial disparities in the Military Justice System and its impacts on mission effectiveness and readiness. The 1972 “Report of the DOD Task Force on the Administration of Military Justice in the Armed Forces” talked about the lack of minority officers as a factor contributing to ineffectiveness and diminished readiness. Notably, there was a recent investigation at Fort Hood, TX into racial discrimination and sexual harassment of minority service members. The results of that investigation are pertinent to this discussion.

The discussion will include a review of the 1972 DOD Task Force Report and other relevant publications. It will highlight several seminal and historic cases relevant to this discussion on the disparity in military justice by commanders when determining the level of nonjudicial punishment or military justice action taken against a minority service member in comparison with a Caucasian service member.

Finally, the discussion will include recommendations and initiatives towards correcting these disparities.

Speakers:
  • Colonel Will Gunn (ret.) – Principal, W. Gunn Consulting Services
  • Rachel E. VanLandingham – Professor of Law, Southwestern Law School
  • Colonel Christopher Shaw – Staff Judge Advocate, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, United States Marine Corps
Moderator:
  • Patricia Harris – Member, ABA Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law

Program Flyer