New Policy Could Jeopardize Diverse Recruiting for the Minnesota National Guard
http://kstp.com/news/new-policy-could-jeopardize-diverse-recruiting-for-the-minnesota-national-guard/4678541/?cat=5
December 08, 2017 04:35 PM
The Minnesota National Guard is nationally recognized as the most diverse guard force in the country. Just under 2,000 of its 13,000 soldiers are men and women of color.
However, new Department of Defense policies that call for stricter background checks could make it harder for the Minnesota National Guard to continue to diversify.
In October, the defense department ended a recruiting program called Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest, or MAVNI. President George W. Bush created MAVNI is 2001 in hopes to attract foreign language speakers.
New Policy Could Jeopardize Diverse Recruiting for the Minnesota National Guard
Because of MAVNI, the Minnesota National Guard has been able to recruit people like Samia Mousa. Mousa is one of the few women in the Minnesota National Guard who wears a hijab with her uniform.
"I remember growing up and people would say, 'you're not American', and I'd say, 'I am American, I was born here,'" she said.
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