On Wednesday, it was reported that the US Army is investigating claims that a platoon of soldiers was encouraged to use racial slurs against each other once a week during so-called "Racial Thursdays."
"Commanders and leaders at all levels are required to conduct organizational climate assessments… Part of the assessments includes an assessment of racial discrimination," Army Media relations told the news agency.
The division added that the US Army carries out annual Equal Opportunity training, aimed at preventing racial abuse. Particular attention is paid to hazing prevention and equality of treatment for all persons.
The "Racial Thursdays" allegedly took place in the Alaska-based unit where 19-year-old soldier Danny Chen, who killed himself while in Afghanistan in 2011 following harassment over his Chinese ancestry, served.
The incident brought up the issue of racial abuse in the US Army, which, according to the data, provided by the US Army Media Relations division, is most critical for the African American population, with 71 percent of all racial abuse-related complaints in the US Army filed by this group of the population.