A two-part ABA webinar on diversity, equity and inclusion in the military

Valuable webinars from the ABA on June 3 and 8:

PART 1 - A Historical Review of Seminal Cases and Disparate Treatment of Minority Service Members

Date: Thursday, June 3, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EDT
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DESCRIPTION:
This panel will provide an educational review from a historical perspective of discrimination and the lack of diversity and equity in the military, including historical changes in military justice designed to remove these disparities. It will also discuss the status of these matters in today?s Armed Services.

The discussion will include a review of several historic/seminal courts-martials where minority Soldiers were convicted of crimes without adequate legal defense. It will include a brief discussion of the current findings related to disparity in military justice for minority service members. We will review several of the Defense Department?s initiatives related to diversity and inclusion. Finally, the discussion will include any current initiatives/measures to counter this historically inequitable treatment in each of the services.

This panel includes senior military veterans and retirees who have an interest and desire to help further the dialogue, understanding, and education of all legal professionals in these areas. The death of George Floyd has highlighted the fact that change is still needed.

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PART 2 - Racial Disparity in the Services

Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Time: 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EDT
Register Here ?

DESCRIPTION:
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 in each of the services towards correcting these disparities.

These webinars are jointly sponsored by the ABA Standing Committee on Armed Forces Law; co-sponsors include the ABA Coalition on Racial and Ethnic Justice, ABA Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights & Responsibilities, ABA Commission on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, and ABA Council for Diversity in the Educational Pipeline