Equal opportunity climate in the United States military: Are differences in the eye of the beholder?

Abstract: Two questions that have risen out of equal opportunity research are whether the level of harassment and discrimination differs for racial and ethnic groups and whether the concept of harassment and discrimination differs for these groups. The responses of 1000 randomly selected American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, and White United States military personnel to three scales from the Military Equal Opportunity Climate Survey were examined. Results confirmed results from previous studies that Whites viewed equal opportunity in the military more favourably than other ethnic/racial groups. Item response theory analyses suggested that the concept of harassment and discrimination is similar for all groups. The implications for equal opportunity in the military and in the larger American society are discussed.