An Exploratory Study of Hispanic Officer Recruiting in the Mexican-American Community of South-Central Los Angeles: Implications for the Officer Corps of the Future
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Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive DSpace Repository Theses and Dissertations 1. Thesis and Dissertation Collection, all items 2003-06 An exploratory study of Hispanic officer recruiting in the Mexican-American community of South-Central Los Angeles: implications for the officer corps of the future Hernandez, Javier Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/974 Downloaded from NPS Archive: Calhoun NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF HISPANIC OFFICER RECRUITING IN THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE OFFICER CORPS OF THE FUTURE by Javier Hernandez June 2003 Thesis Co-Advisor: Alice M. Crawford Thesis Co-Advisor: Mark J. Eitelberg Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704- 0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED June 2003 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: An Exploratory Study of Hispanic Officer Recruiting 5. FUNDING NUMBERS in the Mexican-American Community of South-Central Los Angeles: Implications for the Officer Corps of the Future 6. AUTHOR(S) Hernandez, Javier 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING / MONITORING N/A AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) This thesis examines factors relating to youth interest in joining the Navy among the Hispanic population in South-Central Los Angeles, California. The study begins with a comprehensive review of literature on Hispanics of Mexican origin. Informatio on youth interest in the Navy is gleaned from personal interviews with teachers, counselors, JROTC instructors, military recruiters, and local clergy. The results suggest that Hispanic youths are limited from pursuing higher education because of poor academic preparation, underdeveloped English-language skills, poverty, and crime. The population also faces unique cultural and regional challenges that stem from historical influences and the close proximity of Mexico to the U.S. Additionally, evidence suggests that high school teachers and administrators are often barriers to youth awareness of military service. It is recommended that the Navy or Department of Defense form partnerships with schools and community organizations in largely Hispanic regions to identify and overcome the various obstacles that limit youth from pursuing higher education, learning about opportunities for military service, and qualifying for the Navy’s officer programs. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF Mexican-Americans, Hispanics, Recruiting PAGES 143 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICA- 18. SECURITY CLASSIFI- 19. SECURITY CLASSIFIC- 20. LIMITATION TION OF REPORT CATION OF THIS PAGE ATION OF ABSTRACT OF ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UL NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF HISPANIC OFFICER RECRUITING IN THE MEXICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE OFFICER CORPS OF THE FUTURE Javier Hernandez Lieutenant, United States Navy B.S., United States Naval Academy, 1995 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE IN LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL June 2003 Author: Javier Hernandez Approved by: Alice M. Crawford Thesis Co-Advisor Mark J. Eitelberg Thesis Co-Advisor Douglas A. Brook, Dean Graduate School of Business and Public Policy iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT This thesis examines factors relating to youth interest in joining the Navy among the Hispanic population in South-Central Los Angeles, California. The study begins with a comprehensive review of literature on Hispanics of Mexican origin. Information on youth interest in the Navy is gleaned from personal interviews with teachers, counselors, JROTC instructors, military recruiters, and local clergy. The results suggest that Hispanic youths are limited from pursuing higher education because of poor academic preparation, underdeveloped English-language skills, poverty, and crime. The population also faces unique cultural and regional challenges that stem from historical influences and the close proximity of Mexico to the US. Additionally, evidence suggests that high school teachers and administrators are often barriers to youth awareness of military service. It is recommended that the Navy or Department of Defense form partnerships with schools and community organizations in largely Hispanic regions to identify and overcome the various obstacles that limit youth from pursuing higher education, learning about opportunities for military service, and qualifying for the Navy’s officer programs. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. HISPANICS IN THE OFFICER CORPS ...........................................................1 A. BACKGROUND ........................................................................................1 B. PURPOSE OF STUDY.............................................................................2 C. RESEARCH QUESTIONS, SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY............2 D. POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE STUDY...........................................3 E. THESIS ORGANIZATION......................................................................3 II. HISPANICS OF MEXICAN ORIGIN IN THE U.S. .........................................5 A. OVERVIEW...............................................................................................5 B. HISPANIC DEFINED...............................................................................5 C. A REGIONAL FOCUS .............................................................................8 D. ASSIMILATION........................................................................................9 E. BIRTH OF THE MEXICAN PEOPLE .................................................12 F. EXPLAINING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GUADALUPE .................16 G. SETTLING OF CALIFORNIA..............................................................18 1. Mexican California ......................................................................19 2. Birth of Mexican-Americans.......................................................20 H. THE CENTURY OF MIGRATION ......................................................21 1. The Great Migration 1900-1930 .................................................21 2. 1930s..............................................................................................22 3. 1940s..............................................................................................23 a. Sleepy Lagoon and the Zoot Suit Riots ............................24 4. 1950s..............................................................................................26 5. 1960-1970s.....................................................................................26 6. 1980-1990s.....................................................................................28 I. PRESENT-DAY MEXICANIZATION .................................................28 1. Population Explosion...................................................................30 2. Poverty ..........................................................................................30 3. Education......................................................................................32 4. Acculturation................................................................................36 5. Challenge of Diversity..................................................................36 6. Religion and Popular Religiosity ................................................37 7. Hispanics in the Media ................................................................39 8. Voting and Politics .......................................................................39 J. STATUS OF HISPANICS AND THE NAVAL SERVICES ...............40 K. SUMMARY ..............................................................................................43 III. METHODOLOGY ..............................................................................................45 A. INTRODUCTION....................................................................................45 B. DATA