RACIAL-DIFFERENCES IN MALE NAVY OFFICER FITNESS REPORTS

The perception of racial bias in performance evaluation is widespread among Black male Navy officers. In this article, we discuss an analysi s of the quantitative marks and written comments in the fitness report s of matched pairs of 582 officers. Ninety-nine percent of the White o fficers and 96% of the Black officers were rated in the highest block on overall performance. Some racial differences were found in the writ ten comments, however. White officers were described as outstanding le aders more often than Black officers. Most important, White officers w ere given significantly more promotion-related recommendations than we re Black officers, who received more assignment-related recommendation s. There were virtually no racial differences in the evaluations of pi lots and naval flight officers. Black officers in the surface warfare community and medical service corps, the communities having the highes t population of Black officers, were apt to receive less career-enhanc ing ratings than their White peers. The analysis by military rank reve aled that most of the racial differences occurred in the evaluations o f lieutenants. Because information concerning actual level of performa nce was unavailable, it was not possible to conclude that racial bias was operating.