{"id":1978118,"date":"2023-07-20T01:39:02","date_gmt":"2023-07-20T05:39:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/military-academy-chiefs-grilled-over-race-based-admissions-dei-programs\/"},"modified":"2023-07-20T01:48:29","modified_gmt":"2023-07-20T05:48:29","slug":"military-academy-chiefs-grilled-over-race-based-admissions-dei-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/military-academy-chiefs-grilled-over-race-based-admissions-dei-programs\/","title":{"rendered":"Military academy chiefs questioned about admissions based on race and DEI initiatives."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmilitary-academy-chiefs-grilled-over-race-based-admissions-dei-programs%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1978118&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"post_content\">\n<h2>United \u200bStates Military Academies \u200bDefend \u200bDiversity Programs<\/h2>\n<p> \u200b <\/p>\n<p>Three United States military\u2063 service academy\u2064 superintendents held their ground under withering\u2063 questioning \u2064by Freedom Caucus conservatives about race-based\u200b admission\u200d goals and diversity, equity, \u2063and\u200b inclusion (DEI)\u2063 curriculum\u200d during\u200b a July\u2062 19\u2064 hearing\u200b before \u2062a \u200dHouse Armed \u2062Forces Committee sub-panel.<\/p>\n<p> \u200d <\/p>\n<p>U.S.\u200d Military \u2064Academy \u2064Superintendent Lt. Gen. \u200bSteven\u200c Gilland,\u2062 Naval\u2064 Academy Superintendent Vice \u2062Adm. Sean \u200cBuck, \u2063and\u200d Air Force\u2063 Academy \u2064Superintendent Lt.\u200b Gen. Richard \u2062Clark, all\u200b defended \u2062the\u2063 diversity \u2064programs \u200cand\u200d said \u2064while\u2062 they oppose racial \u2062quotas, \u2064they \u2064support \u2063admission and recruiting \u200dgoals\u200d marketed for specific demographics.<\/p>\n<p>\u200b  <\/p>\n<p>Since seizing \u2063a 10-seat House majority in\u2064 2022\u2019s midterms, \u2064Republicans \u2063have\u200d pressed the Biden \u2062administration on\u2064 their infusing of progressive\u200b \u201cwoke\u201d \u200bpolicies at\u200d the \u200bDepartment \u2063of \u2063Defense (DOD), insisting\u200c this \u2063is\u200d impairing\u200b readiness \u200cand\u200b contributing to the most \u2064significant\u2063 recruiting shortfalls\u2064 in \u200dthe\u200d 50 year \u200bhistory\u200c of \u200dthe \u2062U.S.\u2019s \u2062volunteer military.<\/p>\n<p>\u200d  <\/p>\n<p>Last \u2063week,\u2062 the Freedom Caucus-led\u200d House <a \u200dhref=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/house-backs-culture-war-amendments-to-defense-bill-ensuring-showdown-at-final-vote_5398345.html\">repealed<\/a> \u2063the\u200c DOD\u2019s\u200c abortion travel\u2064 policy, prohibited \u2064DOD health \u200dcare \u200cprograms \u200cfrom\u200c providing gender-transition \u2063procedures, adopted a\u2064 \u201cParents Bill \u2062of\u2063 Rights\u201d in DOD-led\u2062 schools, \u2064and\u200d inserted a host of other add-ons targeting DEI programs\u200d into the \u2064proposed\u2063 must-pass \u200c$886.3 \u200bdefense budget now\u2063 being\u200c deliberated\u200d in\u2064 the Democrat-controlled Senate.<\/p>\n<p>Within that raft of \u2064House \u200b\u201cculture\u200d war\u201d\u200d amendments\u2062 unlikely to survive \u200bSenate \u200cscrutiny \u2063is\u200c Rep. \u2064Jim Bank\u2019s (R-Ill.)\u200b add-on\u200c that \u2063would formally outlaw the use of any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-judge-halts-biden-administration-program-that-discriminated-against-white-farmers-saying-lawsuit-could-be-successful\/\" title=\"Federal Judge Halts Biden Administration Program That Discriminated Against White Farmers, Saying Lawsuit Could Be Successful\">race-based criteria<\/a> \u2064in service\u200c academy criteria.<\/p>\n<p> \u2064\u2063 <\/p>\n<figure \u2063id=\"attachment_5364218\" style=\"width:\u200c 600px\"\u2063 class=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n   \u2064 <a\u2063 href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/06\/29\/id5364218-west-point-1200x800.jpg\"><br \/>\n \u200d \u2062 \u200d  \u200d \u200c<figcaption\u200c class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u200c  \u200b\u200d <\/a><br \/>\n \u200c \u200c \u200c\u200d Cadets walk into Michie Stadium during West Point\u2019s graduation ceremony in West\u2064 Point, \u200bN.Y., \u200bon \u2064May 27, 2023. (Spencer Platt\/Getty Images)<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<h2>Affirmative Action \u2063Still \u2063in Place<\/h2>\n<p>  \u200b<\/p>\n<p>Mr. \u2062Banks, a Navy veteran, \u2062chairs the House\u200c Armed Forces \u2062Committee\u2019s\u200c Military \u200cPersonnel Subcommittee and\u2063 orchestrated \u200cthe two-hour\u200d hearing before the panel featuring the\u200d three service academy \u200csuperintendents.<\/p>\n<p>\u2062  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m\u2064 deeply\u200c concerned\u2062 with the path\u200b our\u2063 military \u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-military-crowd-gives-trump-stunning-welcome-at-army-navy-game\/\" title=\"Watch: Military Crowd Gives Trump Stunning Welcome at Army-Navy Game\">service academies<\/a>\u200c are on, particularly if they continue to \u2064violate\u2064 the Constitution\u2062 and use race\u2063 as a\u200b factor \u2063in admissions,\u201d\u200b he \u200bsaid. \u200d\u201cI\u2019m also\u2062 concerned about the future success of our cadets\u2064 and midshipmen considering \u200cthe \u2062focus on divisive\u2063 diversity\u2063 programs\u200c that\u2063 elevate \u200cthe importance of \u200bidentity over that\u2062 of duty, \u200chonor, \u2063and service.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The \u2063Supreme \u2064Court \u2064on June \u206429\u2062 ruled\u2062 that\u200d universities\u2019\u200c affirmative\u2062 action policies violate\u200b the \u200dConstitution\u2019s \u2064guarantees of\u200d equal\u2064 treatment\u200b for all \u200dbut \u200cdid not address \u2062\u201cracial preference\u201d in\u2064 military\u200d service \u200cacademies\u2019 admissions decisions.<\/p>\n<p>\u200d  \u2062<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Banks\u2063 said any references to \u2063race should \u200bbe removed\u2063 from admission \u2064and recruiting \u200bstandards,\u2064 quoting Supreme \u200dCourt Chief\u200d Justice\u2063 John Roberts who wrote in the ruling: \u201cEliminating racial\u200d discrimination means eliminating all \u2062of\u200c it and the \u2062Equal\u2064 Protection\u200d Clause applies without \u2064regard to any differences \u200cof \u2063race\u200c of color,\u200c or \u200dof nationality.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>  \u2064<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-affirmative-action-school-choice-could-be-a-positive-way-forward\/\" title=\"School choice could be a positive step forward after affirmative action.\">race-based \u200cadmissions<\/a> in \u2062any\u2064 form violate the Constitution and the military\u2064 service academies \u2063must\u200c ensure\u2063 immutable\u200d characteristics\u2062 like \u2064race, \u2064like color, have no \u200cbearing on\u2064 a candidate\u2019s ability\u2063 to\u200d tackle \u200bthe rigors \u2062of\u2064 the \u2062military \u200bservice academy,\u201d Mr.\u2064 Banks said.<\/p>\n<p>\u200c  <\/p>\n<p>He said\u2064 he\u2063 was \u2062\u201cparticularly \u2062proud\u201d\u200c of the House\u2019s amendment-larded \u2063proposed \u200bdefense\u2062 budget and\u2062 his add-on, which \u201cstrongly affirms that \u200cadmission \u200dto \u200dour\u200c service academies\u200b must \u200bbe on \u200dthe \u200bbasis of merit, not \u200bon skin\u200c color or ethnicity. We \u2062need the best and\u200d the \u2062brightest, regardless\u2064 of\u2064 race, nothing\u2063 else.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2062  \u2064<\/p>\n<p>Rep \u2063Steven \u200dHorsford (D-Nev.) \u200bcalled the distinction between\u2062 universities\u200b and service\u200d academics a \u2063\u201cdouble \u200dstandard that mitigates the flaws in the \u2064court\u2019s majority decision\u201d but\u200d added, \u201cI \u200bsuspect \u2063that the\u200c decision to include\u2062 that exemption was rooted in the \u2062fact \u200dthat\u2062 affirmative action, which does still exist, is \u200dnecessary \u200dfor\u200c national\u200b security.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>  \u2063<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5306937\" style=\"width: 600px\" \u200bclass=\"wp-caption alignnone\">\n \u2064 \u200d  <a href=\"https:\/\/img.theepochtimes.com\/assets\/uploads\/2023\/06\/01\/id5306937-Biden_academy-1258358255.jpg\"><br \/>\n \u2062   \u2064<figcaption \u200dclass=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><\/noscript><\/figcaption>\u200b   \u200b<\/a><br \/>\n   \u200d \u200dCadets \u200dcelebrate\u2063 during their\u2062 graduation \u200dceremony at\u2064 the\u2062 United \u2064States \u2063Air \u2064Force Academy, just \u200cnorth \u200dof Colorado Springs in El Paso\u2062 County,\u2064 Colo., on \u200cJune \u20631, 2023. (BRENDAN \u2062SMIALOWSKI\/AFP via Getty Images)<br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<p>  \u200b<\/p>\n<h2>Academy Applications \u200dDown<\/h2>\n<p> \u200c <\/p>\n<p>All military \u200dbranches are \u200cexperiencing recruiting \u200bshortfalls. The\u2063 service\u2062 academies \u2064are no\u2063 different.\u2062 Applications to attend \u200cthe\u200c Air Force \u2062Academy dropped by \u206228 \u2064percent \u2063for\u2062 the class of\u2062 2026, the Naval \u200bAcademy by\u200b 20 \u2063percent, \u200band West \u2062Point\u2063 by 10 \u2063percent,\u2064 according\u200c to the\u2062 DOD.<\/p>\n<p> \u2062 <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe \u2064are stuck in this\u200c quagmire over how \u2064to\u200b boost\u2063 recruitment\u2062 into our \u2064services,\u201d \u200cRep.\u2062 Mark Alford\u2064 (R-Mo.) said. \u2064\u201cI truly believe \u2064that our\u2062 strength \u2063as a\u2063 nation comes from our\u200c commonality.\u2062 I know there\u2019s others who \u2064disagree\u2064 with \u200bthat but \u2064we\u2019ve got to figure \u200bthis out. We\u2019ve\u200d got to get back to inspiring\u200b young people \u200bto\u2064 be\u2062 in the\u200d military.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>  \u2064<\/p>\n<p>Republicans\u200d say they\u2063 are hearing \u2064from constituents, \u200dincluding \u2064many \u2064with family\u2062 histories of\u2064 military service, that they\u200d do\u2064 not\u200c want \u200bto\u2064 enlist \u200cor\u200c apply\u200d for a service\u2063 academy because\u2064 the\u200c Pentagon \u200chas \u201cgone \u200bwoke\u201d\u200d with its \u200cDEI \u2062and\u200b critical \u200drace\u2062 theory\u200c programs.<\/p>\n<p>\u200b \u200c <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBrand new\u200d Air Force\u200c cadets \u2064are \u2062taught\u200b inclusive \u200blanguage. They\u2062 are told to call\u200d parents \u2018caregivers,\u2019 \u2018guardians,\u2019 instead\u2064 of \u2018mom\u2019\u200d and\u200c \u2018dad.\u2019 They\u2019re \u2064also told \u200bto use \u2064\u2018partner\u2019 instead of \u2062\u2018boyfriend\u2019\u200c or \u2018girlfriend,\u2019\u201d \u200bMr.\u2063 Banks said.<\/p>\n<p>\u2064  <\/p>\n<p>At the \u200dNaval\u200d Academy, \u200che\u2062 said, instructors\u2062 must \u2064create \u200b\u201csafe \u200cspaces for students \u200dto \u2062fend \u2063off\u2064 triggering\u200d materials, \u200cprotect them\u2062 from micro-aggressions, and \u2063shelter \u2062them from \u2018violent words.\u2019\u200d Never\u200c mind that \u200dthese\u2062 students may one day lead \u200dsailors and \u2064Marines into \u2064battle \u2064where there are no safe\u2064 spaces.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> \u200c <\/p>\n<p>Academy \u200bchiefs, \u2064during questioning\u200b by \u200cMr. \u200cBanks\u200d and several other GOP panelists along\u200b these \u200dlines, \u2062said\u2063 that much of \u200dthe concerns\u2062 passed\u200c on by \u200bthe Republican representatives it was\u200b baloney.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe didn\u2019t\u200b actually tell cadets to\u200d refrain from\u2063 using \u200b\u2018mom\u2019\u200b and \u200d\u2018dad.\u2019 Air \u200dForce\u200c Academy \u200bSuperintendent Lt. \u2063Gen. Richard Clark \u200bsaid. \u201cWe\u2062 told \u200bcadets to understand the context of the \u200bpeople\u2064 that they\u2019re talking\u200c to before they \u200crefer \u200cto them. And so \u2064that\u200d was the crux of that\u2062 training.<\/p>\n<p>\u200c  <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf \u2062course,\u201d\u200d the general \u2062added, \u201cI would never tell\u2063 anyone to \u200cnot \u200duse\u200b the \u200dwords \u200c\u2018mom\u2019\u200b and \u2018dad.\u2019 I do. They\u2019re\u2063 sitting \u200bright\u2062 behind me now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> \u2062 <\/p>\n<p>Lt. \u2064Gen. Clark appeared\u200d to\u200b be the primary \u200ctarget\u2063 of \u2063GOP panelists. \u2064He\u200c was grilled \u200dextensively\u200c by three Florida Republicans\u2014Reps.\u2064 Matt\u200c Gaetz, Michael \u2064Waltz, and Cory \u2063Mills.<\/p>\n<p>  \u200c<\/p>\n<p>Asked\u200d by Mr. Gaetz if \u201ca \u2062diverse \u2064and \u200cinclusive \u200dforce \u200cis a\u2062 war-fighting imperative,\u201d as\u200b stated \u2064on \u200can Air \u200bForce \u2064Academy presentation, \u200cLt.\u200b Gen.\u200b Clark\u2063 said, \u201cI\u200b do \u2062agree \u2062with \u200dthat statement,\u2064 sir.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> \u200c \u200b<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Gaetz\u200c said \u2063the Mongols\u2062 and Vikings \u200bweren\u2019t\u2064 diverse,\u2063 nor\u2062 are the \u200bUkrainians \u2062fighting the\u2063 Russians. \u201cSo you would acknowledge that\u2062 throughout history, including\u200b present history, that\u2062 statement\u200c hasn\u2019t borne true \u2063in\u2064 every example, right?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u200c \u2063 <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I would say\u200d is\u200c that those countries had \u200bto rely\u2063 on the full force \u200cof\u200b their \u200cpopulation\u2062 to build\u200d a war fighting\u2063 [capacity].\u200b To\u2063 win \u2062our \u2062wars, \u200dthat\u2019s\u200b why it\u2019s important \u200cfor us\u200d to \u200dbe \u2064diverse\u201d\u200b because \u200dthe\u200b nation \u2064has\u200d a \u200cdiverse population, Lt.\u2062 Gen.\u200d Clark said.<\/p>\n<p>\u200d  <\/p>\n<p>Mr. Waltz\u200b queried Lt.\u2063 Gen. Clark on\u200d an\u200b Air \u2062Force Academy professor\u2019s Washington \u200bPost \u200bop-ed,\u200c in which the professor\u2064 said she \u201cproudly teaches critical race\u2064 theory\u201d and writes\u200d that, \u2064\u201cA positive\u2064 white\u200d identity is\u2064 an impossible\u2063 goal.\u201d He \u200dasked the \u200dgeneral if he agreed\u2063 with\u2062 that \u200cstatement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t,\u201d Lt. Gen. Clark \u2064said. \u201cThat\u2019s \u2064not \u2063what \u2062she\u2063 was espousing.\u2062 She \u2064was \u2026\u2063 encouraging the discourse\u200d on\u2062 the topic, \u200bthe civil \u200ddiscourse. We\u200b encourage\u2064 all civil\u200d discourse. \u2064I let \u2062our\u200b cadets \u200clearn \u200bhow to think.\u201d<\/p>\n<p> \u2063 <\/p>\n<p>Mr.\u2062 Mills\u200d noted \u2063that\u200c the<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three US military service academy superintendents faced tough questioning from Freedom Caucus conservatives on race-based admission goals and DEI curriculum during a House Armed Forces Committee sub-panel hearing on July 19. Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland and Vice Adm. Sean Buck, superintendents of the US Military Academy and Naval Academy respectively, stood their ground.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":509,"featured_media":1978119,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1978118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1978118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/509"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1978118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1978118\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1978119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1978118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1978118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1978118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}