Would it "help?"
It won't get you any favors over anyone else that's more qualified, if that's what you mean.
Yes, the SA's "look for diversity candidates." Diversity does NOT mean simply "minority members." There's a LOT more to it than that. What the SA's DO want to see is a larger minority/diversity pool of candidates to better represent the "spread" that we have in the services as the "normal" distribution.
Example: if the AF has a 59% caucasian, 21% latin, 13% african, 7% asian/native/pacific islander, etc., then the SA would "ideally" like to mirror that. And yes, they're going to try to find those candidates.
But being a diversity member or a minority is NOT going to give you an advantage in obtaining a direct appointment.
Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83