Military downsizing and its potential implications for Hispanic, black, and white soldiers

Current military downsizing efforts may pose a significant stressor event for service members who face involuntary separation. This may be especially the case for those who face poor prospects for employment in the civilian labor market. Focusing on male, married junior- and mid-enlisted soldiers, this article examines potential implications of involuntary separation for Hispanic, black, and white soldiers by exploring variations in their level of institutional integration and satisfaction with the Army as a way of life for families. Only partial support is found for the research hypotheses. In all cases in which significant differences are found, Hispanics report a more favorable organizational attitude than either blacks or whites. A socio-cultural and historical perspective is offered in examining these findings, and implications from the analysis are discussed for targeting soldiers for preventive intervention.