4 - The Black Vault

THE BDM CORPORATION
strategy of political behavior of social olitýs (including
the military) has been criticized by a number or writeis..
Putting it in a slightly different way, it is not sufficient
to determine the "Who's Who" of officer corps; one should
also investigate what Lasswell referred to as "the what, how
and why?" of differential distribution of scarce resources
of class, status, and power within and across national
societies..95/
This conclusion is supported by a more limited, personal study
done by Sanford M. Dornbusch after a ten-month period spent at the US Coast
Guard Academy.96/ Dornbusch observes that there are powerful forces at
work that minimize the importance of social background. Swabs are not
permitted to discuss family background. A two-month isolation helps reinforce
a break with the past. No money may be sent from home. Practices,
official and otherwise, emphasize the low status of the swab and thus
encourage a desire and respect for high status as defined by the service.
Hazing tends to cause a cadet to identify first and foremost with his
class. As Dornbusch recalls, "As a consequence of undergoing this very
unpleasant experience together the swab class develops remarkable unity.
For example, if a cadet cannot answer an oral question addressed to him by
his teacher, the other members of his class will not answer."97/ Even
socializing gives no key to background:
The next week end finds the swab compelled to invite an
acceptable girl to a formal reception. He must necessarily
choose from the only girls in the area whom he knows, those
he met during the recent hours of [controlled] social intercourse.
98/
In short, "There are few clues left which reveal social status in the outside
world. "99/
Peter Karsten concurs on the relative importance of socio-economic
background in a study on Service Academy and ROTC officer candidates.
He writes:
Differences in social origins are not relevant to the
differences we found in the attitudes of members of our
three groups--that is, there was no difference in the
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