Mentoring African American Soldiers: A Phenomenological Examination Linking Mentoring With Ignatian Values

Abstract

Mentorship is the process by which experienced individuals guide novices using experience and expertise. African American service members are at a significant disadvantage in advancing in rank compared to their Caucasian counterparts due to a lack of mentorship. African American soldiers earn promotions, yet their advancement rate is significantly slower than that of their Caucasian counterparts. The aim of this phenomenological study was to determine what aspects of mentoring programs African American soldiers believe drive success. The source of data was semistructured interviews with 12 participants. Male and female African Americans who were former soldiers participated in the study. The study findings include several emerging themes concerning mentoring African American soldiers. One central theme identified through data analysis was mentors should be African American. Another theme was African American soldiers need more assistance adjusting to the Army’s cultural climate. The implications of this study entailed establishing a mentoring program based on the mentoring road map and network model with the following principles forming the core philosophy: seeking excellence, caring for others, developing the whole person, caring for the community, and helping the marginalized find justice. The recommendations from this study might drive professional development and create mentoring initiatives and policy changes for African American soldiers. Keywords: African American soldiers, mentorship, mentoring program, Ignatian values.