The Army is making gains in leadership diversity, with the number of female cadets increasing in the ROTC and at the U.S. Military Academy.

“The Army is committed to manning a force that reflects the diversity of the nation,” Lt. Gen. James C. McConville, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for personnel, told a House subcommittee. “We have made improvements in representing the diversity of America’s talent in our officer corps.”

Women made up 17 percent of the Class of 2017 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., but make up to 22 percent of the Class of 2020, said McConville, who has been nominated to be the next Army vice chief of staff. In the ROTC, women made up 22 percent of the Class of 2017 and are projected to make up 28 percent of the Class of 2020, he said.

Additionally, African-American representation has increased, he said. At the U.S. Military Academy, 10 percent of the Class of 2017 was African-American. That increases to 14 percent in the Class of 2020, he said. In ROTC, an average of 11 percent of commissioned officers were African-American for the past five years. In the Class of 2020, 14 percent are African-American, McConville said.