(Columbia-AP) June 5, 2005 - Black former Army Guardsmen in South Carolina allege blacks face impediments to promotion while a good old boy network protects and promotes white soldiers.

An examination of statistics provided to "The State" by the South Carolina Army National Guard shows that its enlisted ranks are racially diverse but that most of its black officers are junior officers. And a strikingly small number of black officers have positions in a special program that helps run the Guard on a full-time, day-to-day basis.

Of the 87 officers in that program, six are black. None are ranked higher than major.

The Guard's leadership in South Carolina denies that discrimination is a problem, pointing to unit surveys that do not indicate that black soldiers think they face barriers because of race. In at least one survey, a majority of the guardsmen responding identified themselves as black.

Less than half of those responding in that survey said they were satisfied with their service in the Guard. About 20 percent said a lack of promotion opportunities is their biggest trouble with the Guard and 41 percent said a clique runs their unit.

Posted 3:40pm by Chantelle Janelle