Reach Multicultural U.S. Military - Diversity is Strength

Who is the largest employer in the World? Who is the largest employer in the United States? Spoiler alert, it is the same organization. The U.S. military / Department of Defense has been the world’s largest employer consistently. A global organization that is as diverse as it is large continues to adapt to changing demographics. Not only is the make up of the military changing, but this also changes the diversity of the Veteran population.

Profile of America’s Veterans: Following in the changing demographics as well as the size of the military there are some major changes.

Female Veteran’s share expected to double to 18%
Share of Hispanic Veterans to nearly double to 13%
The share of Black Veterans to grow from 12% – 16%
Share of Asian Veterans to grow from 2%-3%
Overall an expected 40% decrease in the total number of veterans by 2045

Diversity in Today’s Military

The makeup of the United States military just like the country is multicultural. While the overall size may be smaller than in the past, the military is diverse. That diversity, may not be exactly equal to the population, but has certainly continued to become more representative. Whether, tradition, recruiting, or marketing, the military has taken notice.

The U.S. military actively markets to many multicultural communities, especially the Hispanic community. Hispanic participation in the military has continued to grow along with population trends. African American participation which has historically been very strong has been more challenging since the Gulf War. While Hispanic and African American participation is expected to continue being a large portion of the military. But what about some other multicultural groups such as, Arab, Asian or Native American?

Example of Hispanic (Spanish) focused Marketing Campaign

Other Multicultural Segments

While there is less information available regarding these groups, many represent an interesting heritage that associates them with the military. While none of these groups may represent a major percentage, there is an interesting story to all. From the diversity within the Asian community, to military traditions associated with the Native American community to the challenges or finding information regarding Arab-American participations, there are stories in each. Here are some quick links to resources.

Multicultural Leadership

As one of the largest organizations in the world, the U.S. Military is not only responsible for safety, security and innovations, but offers growth opportunities to men and women across all demographic categories. Offering education assistance and job opportunities to those who choose to join military service, the military will continue to be one of the largest and most diverse global entities.