19
Lincoln University, Pa. 19 14 16 19
Morgan State College, Md. 21 27 12 16
Prairie View A&M College, Tex. 20 27 31 38
South Carolina State College 16 23 24 24
Southern University, La. 23 37 19 21
Tuskegee Institute, Ala. 14 14 20 26
Virginia State College 21 14 18 21
West Virginia State College 22 19 15 14
Howard University, Washington, D.C. 19 37 30 23
Total 286 297 264 278
Percentage of total such commissions
granted 2.4 2.7 2.5 2.6

Air Force Commissions

Class of Class of Class of
School 1964 | 1965 | 1966
A&T College, N.C. 12 10 33
Howard University, Washington, D.C. 24 31 23
Maryland State College 2 4 4
Tennessee A&I University 13 26 32
Tuskegee Institute, Ala. 14 33 41
Total 65 104 133

_Source_: Office, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Civil
Rights).

Chance of promotion for officers and men was one factor in judging
equal treatment and opportunity in the services. A statistical
comparison of the ranks of enlisted black servicemen between 1964 and
1966 reveals a steady advance (_Table 28_). With the exception of the
Air Force, the percentage of Negroes in the higher enlisted ranks
compared favorably with the total black percentage in each service.
The advance was less marked for officers, but here too the black share
of the O-4 grade (major or lieutenant commander) was comparable with
the black percentage of the service's total strength. The services
could declare with considerable justification that reform in this area
was necessarily a drawn-out affair; promotion to the senior ranks must
be won against strong competition.

Table 28--Percentage of Negroes in Certain Military Ranks, 1964-1966

E-6 (Staff Sergeant or Petty Officer, First Class)

_1964_ _1965_ _1966_
Army 13.9 15.5 18.