Published January 13, 2023
Topic: Dangers of the Progressives’ “Equity” Program to the U.S. Military
Executive Summary
Progressives in the Biden Administration believe that society is divided into various sects and that all are either oppressor or oppressed. This ideology is toxic to a multicultural, multi-ethnic citizen’s military, such as the U.S. military, which relies on unity of purpose and ideals to succeed.
The Biden Administration is attempting to change the culture of the U.S. military by imposing its sectarian ideologies on our Armed Forces. This dangerously weakens an institution critical to the survival of the United States.
Congress must exercise its oversight role to stop this process and restore an orientation to the U.S. military that focuses on the values of American unity, liberty, and equal justice that are so well articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Issue: The Biden Administration, following a precedent established by the Obama Administration, is under-mining the viability of the U.S. military by trying to force it to adopt divisive, sectarian policies and structures in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Background
The Progressive policy makers in the Biden Administration believe that our society is divided into various sects and that all are either oppressor or oppressed. This ideology is toxic to a multicultural, multi-ethnic citizen’s military, such as the U.S. military, which relies on unity of purpose and ideals to succeed. Congress must exercise its oversight role, stop this process, and restore an orientation to the U.S. military that focuses on the values of American unity, liberty, and equal justice that are so well articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Three characteristics define the U.S. military. First, its personnel are drawn from every ethnic, racial, and religious group in the U.S. Second, it adheres to the principle of civilian control of the military and is apolitical. Finally, it requires that its members follow an ideal of service to the nation above self, sometimes including at the cost of risking one’s own life. Because of these traits, the U.S. military is closely linked to the U.S. people and is widely respected and trusted by Americans.
Progressive policy makers of the Biden Administration are attempting to change the culture of the U.S. military by imposing their sectarian ideologies on it. This dangerously weakens an institution critical to the survival of the United States.
Cultural change is not new to the U.S. military. Sometimes, the change has been the result of changing attitudes of our society. At other times, the change has been directed from our top elected leadership. In best cases, the top-directed change caused the U.S. military to better reflect core American values as articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the institutions established in our Constitution. President Truman’s order to de-segregate the U.S. armed forces is one example; expanding combat roles open to women is another.
But, what happens when our political leadership decides to implement ideologies at odds with America’s founding values, that “all are created equal” and are equal before the law? In the past two decades, we have seen progressive politicians put forth such questionable gender, race, and climate change policies. And, since, per Von Clausewitz, war is an extension of politics, what does it do to our national defense strategy when the President says that our main national security threat is climate change, not China or terrorism, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says that it is white supremacy?
While the U.S. military is no stranger to cultural change, what is new is that no President before Barack Obama attempted to force divisive, potentially anti-American ideologies on the U.S. military. In Obama’s case, the ill-considered changes centered mostly on gender equality. (See Tab A for examples.) For his part, Biden’s theme has been that the U.S. is based on systemic racism and white privilege, which must be eradicated. (See Tab B for examples.)
Unfortunately, their solutions run counter to mainstream American beliefs. After centuries of pursuing inclusiveness, equality, and merit-based promotions, the Biden Administration is now telling the armed forces that, in the name of equity, they must divide themselves into favored and non-favored castes. This perspective is even seeping into the U.S. Military academies and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), the Department of Defense agency that runs all DoD K-12 schools, world wide. (See Tab C for examples.) And, it is not just rhetoric – in June 2021, Biden issued an Executive Order directing every DoD organization to establish a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office, thus institutionalizing in the military command structure an office dedicated to enforcing discriminatory practices and sectarian rules.
The acquiescence by Congress to Biden’s DEI Directive is allowing sectarian division to be cemented into the miliary hierarchy. Biden’s Executive Order creates a position in the chain of command whose occupant is graded on the amount of racism they can uncover – which they will find regardless of whether it exists, since their promotion depends on it. And, it defines anyone who questions them as a sexist or a racist; to resist these bad ideas costs careers. Just ask Space Force Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier, who was relieved of command in May 2021 for publicly describing the role of Critical Race Theory in indoctrinating service members on his base.
Attacking a revered institution like our military creates profound risks to the nation. In the near term, spending billions of dollars on these divisive sectarian programs diverts badly needed resources from military readiness, weapons procurement, and operations. More broadly, it calls into question why anyone would join the U.S. military. Who enlists to hear lectures on white privilege? Finally, and most profoundly, it undercuts the military’s moral standing in America. These attacks are having an effect. In 2012, 75% of Americans expressed confidence in the U.S. military. In 2021, it was 69%. In 2022, it was 64%.
Does the U.S. military have concerns with racial issues, sexual assaults, and gender issues in the Military? Yes, absolutely. And, we must fight inequality and discrimination in our ranks if for no other reason than to ensure that the Armed Forces have the broadest possible pool of talent available to them. But, treat these issues as the ethical issues that they are, do not favor on group over another. And, the leadership of the Department of Defense and the Armed Forces need to recommit to fostering an institution that serves the nation, honors service above self, and uses the values in the Declaration of Independence and the institutions established in our Constitution as their lode stone.
Congress must exercise its oversight role to stop this process and restore an orientation to the U.S. military that focuses on the values of American unity, liberty, and equal justice that are so well articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
Policy Recommendations
1. Prohibit the Department of Defense from diverting funds to DEI initiatives or creating dedicated DEI positions. Place inclusion and equality oversight with Inspectors General already in the chain of command.
2. Prohibit racially or ethnically divisive educational programs in the service academies and DoDEA schools.
3. Use Congressional oversight to task Major Commands, Service Academies, and DoDEA Schools to survey and report the Constitutional knowledge of their members on the principles in the Declaration of Independence and the structures establish in the Constitution. Based on the results, construct a Civics course to be taught Service- and Support Institution-wide in the Department of Defense.
AVV, Inc POC: Michael H. Schoelwer
mhschoelwer@gmail.com
Tab A: Questionable Policies Forced on the U.S. Military during the Obama Administration
A. In 2015, then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’ ordered the U.S. Marine Corps to create mixed gender recruit training, despite strong evidence that – as it did in the other services – it would result in higher rates of sexual assaults.
B. In 2015, then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus’ ordered the U.S. Marine Corps to create mixed gender combat arms units, despite studies showing that reduce combat effectiveness and likely lead to an increase of combat deaths.
C. In 2016, Mabus decreed that centuries-old job title with the word “man” would be replaced with gender-neutral titles. The blowback from sailors who cherished those traditional titles forced him to relent.
D. In 2015, Mabus directed that Navy uniforms be made more “gender-neutral”, which meant tailoring men’s uniforms to fit women. The message received by many female offices was that, to be taken serious, they needed to dress like men. After loud complaints by female officers, Congress, in 2017, forced the Navy to stop the uniform changes.
E. In 2020, Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the U.S. military to retain on active-duty members with gender dystopia, despite evidence that they attempt suicide at 9 times the rate of the general population. (This policy was revered by President Trump before it could be put into effect.)
Tab B: Questionable Policies Forced on the U.S. Military during the Biden Administration
A. In June 2021, Biden issued an Executive Order directing every organization in the military to establish a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office, thus cementing into each organization an office dedicated to enforcing discriminatory practices. This followed EO 13985, which Biden signed on 21 January 2021. DoD issued its counterpart order, the Equity Action Plan in April 2022.
B. The Biden Administration issued an Executive Order that active-duty service members can take time off from their jobs to receive sex-change surgeries and all related hormone treatments and drugs at tax-payer expense.
C. The Biden Administration has approved deployment of HIV-infected personnel to combat zones, despite the danger of infecting from shared blood.
E. As exposed in Congressional testimony in 2021, West Point cadets are taught to understand “Whiteness” and “White rage”.
F. In February 2021, SecDef Llyod Austin ordered a DoD-wide stand down to discuss white supremacists inside the military, despite the absence of any evidence that such a problem existed.
G. In October 2021, the U.S. Army stood up its Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Workforce Development. It, “Seeks to implement diversity training that develops socio-cultural competencies, create and maintain an inclusive environment where the value of diverse knowledge, experiences and backgrounds enhance mission readiness…”
H. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley sent a letter to Congress on 06 January 2022 that the U.S. military had spent $1 million and 5.8 million man hours in 2021 on programs meant to root out extremism from the ranks, foster a diverse military and prepare for the national security challenges of climate change.
Tab C: DEI Bias at DoD Schools
A. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) DEI Chief, Kelisa Wing, tweeted in July 2020 that “I’m exhausted with these white folx in these [professional development] sessions,”… “This lady actually had the CAUdacity to say that black people can be racist too I had to stop the session and give Karen the BUSINESS we are not the majority, we don’t have power,” she continued. In a separate post, Wing reportedly responded to another user’s tweet, which read, “I am exhausted by 99% of the white men in education and 95% of the white women. Where can I get a break from white nonsense for a while?” Wing has co-created some controversial books about “White Privilege” and Black Lives Matter, including one titled “What Is White Privilege?”. As of September 2022, she was under investigation by the DoD IG for her comments.
B. In September 2022, DoDEA awarded the Rota Elementary School a coveted blue ribbon of excellence for its commitment to families and educators working together. But, their definition of “partnership” includes keeping parents in the dark about key aspects of their children’s education and introducing LGBTQ instruction in Kindergarten.
C. In Spring 2022, the USAF Base at Ramstein Germany scheduled a drag queen to read to children. The event was cancelled after several lawmakers expressed their deep concerns to the Secretary of the Air Force.
