In 1986, when enlistments were flush, Washington cut back retirement benefits for new personnel.

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"Cutting of bonuses would have a more negative effect on black enlistments, " Asch said.

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"Army recruiting increased by 8% during the last financial year, with infantry enlistments up by 25%, " he added.

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It was a basic humanity and a largeness of vision that Inouye extended to individuals from all backgrounds, born not only out of his experiences seeing his own people -- Japanese-Americans -- vilified and interned during World War II (Inouye himself signed up as soon as the U.S. government lifted its ban on American-born Japanese enlistments), but from his own crucibles in the war.

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