Military Service and Racial Attitudes of White Veterans

Abstract

Data from the General Social Survey were analyzed to test the hypotheses that white veterans would express more positive attitudes toward blacks than nonveterans, and that attitudes of white veterans whose military service was in an equal opportunity (post-1975) military would be more positive toward blacks than veterans whose service occurred earlier. Racial attitudes of white veterans and nonveterans differed relatively little after controlling for effects of age, education, and year of survey response. While veterans were slightly more likely to be against special governmental obligation or assistance to black citizens, they were also slightly more apt to say they had recently entertained a black in their homes for dinner. For a limited set of variables white veterans who served after 1975 expressed slightly more negative attitudes toward blacks than did white nonveteran controls. Methodological constraints are discussed and alternative interpretations of the data are offered. The conclusion suggested is that there is no simple way to translate the relative racial harmony which exists within the military to civilian contexts.