Transformation in the US Military Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transformation in the US Military - Essay Example Transformation of US military Introduction Since the 9/11 attacks, the US military has taken an active part in the political and global military activities for the US and for the international community. Inasmuch as it is considered one of the most powerful and advanced military units in the world, its vulnerabilities have been manifest in recent years. With the trends in globalization taking the spotlight, the need to introduce changes and to transform the military has been a growing concern. Efforts to transform the military have been seen in the past years and these efforts have had various effects in the way that the US military has implemented these changes. This paper shall now consider two of these efforts to transform the US military. One of these efforts is the effort to improve diversity and multiculturalism in the military. Another effort is on improvements in the coordination and cooperation with other countries in terms of military operations and issues of unrest. This a nalysis will compare and contrast these efforts and will identify two or three key factors that led to the perceived or actual need to transform, two of three key policies enacted to effect desired transformation, and the leading forces that shaped policies pursued in order to achieve the transformation. Discussion Efforts to increase diversity and multiculturalism in the US military have been implemented by the government.... This segregation created different issues, including racial confrontations within the military between 1942 and 1945 (Canaday, 2001). Despite passage of policies against segregation after WWII, this practice was still seen during the Korean War; however gradual integration was seen towards the end of the Korean War. Through this practice, the US army saw that combat effectiveness became more effective when racial integration was applied. The Secretary of War in 1963 set forth command responsibility for civil rights issues and in order to address racial tension, the military conceptualized the Defense Race Relations Institute (Canaday, 2001). This institute performed educational, training, and research functions. This institute was renamed Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute and it broadened the readiness of military readiness in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, and religion (Canaday, 2001). Colin Powell’s rise as the premier first African-American Secretary of Stat e and his rise to his current status is a testament to effective solid efforts towards diversity within the military. A major factor affecting transformation of the US military in terms of diversity is the fact that the US military has made an effort towards integrating racial, ethnic, religious, and national groups into the military practice (Canaday, 2001). Many leaders recognized the fact that with more contact between whites and blacks, the better it was for racial integration. Moreover, the military has â€Å"a bureaucratic ethos and formality†¦that mitigated tensions arising from individual or personal feelings† (Canaday, 2001). The military was also able to hold the commanders responsible for equal

The Influence Of Mass Media On Drug Abuse In The Society Essay

The Influence Of Mass Media On Drug Abuse In The Society - Essay Example The internet is also a mass media channel that includes e-mails, websites, blogs and social networking sites (Armstrong 34). Mass media messages especially advertisements of entertainment video clips contain drug abuse messages that influence the attitudes of the youth towards consumption of illicit drugs (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 27). The teenagers lack the cognitive capabilities to understand the dangers of drug abuse and imitate the lifestyles of entertainment celebrities thus leading to high drug abuse in the society. Thesis statement: the mass media has fuelled drug abuse among teenagers in the society. The influence of mass media in drug abuse among the teenagers cannot be underestimated. The mass media has created a new drug abuse culture among the teenagers Wagner 67). The mass media advertising contains drug abuse messages that create wrong perceptions of prosperity by showing images of drug abusers enjoying material things like luxury cars and expensive jewelry (Pr imack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 35). The mass media has created numerous stereotypes about drug abuse, fashion and violence thus leading to a sensation of drug abuse and sex among teenagers in the United States. ... The teenagers mainly rely on the mass media for entertainment and connecting with their peers (Wagner 81). Currently, the mass media contains a lot of information, images and audio-video clips that depict drug abuse as something rewarding and cool. Although there is controversial debate surrounding the impact of mass media on drug abuse among the youth, it is true that mass media messages affect the perceptions of youth towards drugs (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 19). The mass media is increasingly being used to advertise tobacco related products, alcohol and other prescription drugs. Accordingly, teenagers who smoke tobacco and take alcohol have higher chances of engaging in illicit drug abuse. Cigarette advertising messages glamorize smokers and smoking through depicting the smokers as young, cool, adventurous, independent and healthy (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 31). Accordingly, teen-oriented television programs and magazines have tobacco-related advertising that conta ins images that are tailor-made in order to appeal to the youths. The audio-clips use images that show young people as fun-loving and enjoying consumption of illicit drugs. The internet is contains massive videos and messages related to drug abuse and often portray positive consequences of drug abuse and desirable attributes like feelings of relaxation or greatness (Primack, Kraemer, Fine and Dalton 12). Some of the factors that expose teenagers to unrestricted drug related advertising and violent movies that contain images of drug abuse include poor parenting, aggressive tobacco related advertising and peer pressure (Brown, Steele and Walsh-Childers 44). A majority of the