Petition: Demand Hispanic parity in the DoD

I am extremely concerned with the profound lack of Hispanic diversity and inclusion in the Armed Forces, especially in the senior ranks. As you know, Hispanics have an undeniable and proud legacy of military service dating back to the Civil War and make up more than one in six military members today. So why are they virtually excluded from the most senior ranks, such as General/Admiral and the Senior Executive Service? Why are we enabling the Department of Defense to exclude the dynamic and rapidly growing Hispanic community, a community which also represents the backbone of our workforce for decades to come?

I fully support the initiatives recommended by the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance (hvlavets.net), including funding for a dedicated mentoring and leadership development program for Latinas/Latinos and an executive-level defense committee driving change throughout the DoD. We must take concrete actions to hold our military leaders accountable, increase transparency, and ensure measurable progress. The time is long past for parity, at every level, military and civilian.