The Multicultural Military

Military Service and the Acculturation of Latinos and Anglos

Bibliographic Data

ID2340302
AuthorsDavid L Leal (0000-0002-3909-4193, The University of Texas at Austin, corresponding author)
Year2003
Volume29
Issue2
Pages205-226
Publication date2003-01-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArmed Forces & Society (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0095-327X • E-ISSN: 1556-0848
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0095327x0302900204
OpenAlexW2135842289
LanguageEN
Citations received13

Using the Latino National Political Survey, this article examines whether military service helps explain the responses given by Latinos to questions on acculturation. The data show that Latino veterans (and particularly draft-era veterans) had more friendships with Anglos (non-Hispanic whites), spoke more English at home, were more likely to experience discrimination, and were also more likely to correctly identify Cesar Chavez. Service in the volunteer military, however, was related only to the first two questions. In addition, there is evidence that Anglo veterans were more familiar with Latino culture. The article concludes that the end of the draft may have eliminated a useful forum for intercultural and intracultural learning for both groups, although the volunteer military does have an impact on Latino acculturation

Acculturation · Ethnic group · Immigration · Military personnel · Military psychology · Military service · Multiculturalism · Pedagogy · Political science · Service (business · Sociology · Canadian Identity and History · Gender Studies · Law · Medicine · Military, Security, and Education Studies · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Social Psychology · Gerontology