{"id":2245906,"date":"2024-05-16T12:00:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-16T16:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/air-force-celebrates-pride-month-amidst-worst-recruiting-crisis-in-modern-history\/"},"modified":"2024-05-16T12:04:24","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T16:04:24","slug":"air-force-celebrates-pride-month-amidst-worst-recruiting-crisis-in-modern-history","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/air-force-celebrates-pride-month-amidst-worst-recruiting-crisis-in-modern-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Air Force celebrates &#8216;Pride Month&#8217; amid recruiting crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/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%2Fair-force-celebrates-pride-month-amidst-worst-recruiting-crisis-in-modern-history%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=2245906&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--><p>The Air Force, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/this-is-fing-the-usa-new-yorkers-rip-into-man-for-tearing-down-flyers-of-missing-israelis\/\" title=\"New Yorkers furious as man tears down flyers of missing Israelis: 'This is outrageous in the USA!'\">amidst global conflicts<\/a>, focuses on LGBT &#8220;pride&#8221; as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/not-making-headlines-more-information-on-chinas-involvement-in-the-2020-election-steal\/\" title=\"NOT MAKING HEADLINES: More Information on China\u2019s Involvement In the 2020 Election Steal\">national security issue<\/a>. Chief Diversity Officer Marianne Malizia \u2063declared June as &#8220;LGBTQ+ Pride Month 2024.&#8221; The memo \u2064highlights inclusivity and celebrates LGBTQ+\u200c members&#8217; \u200ccontributions. While the directive faces scrutiny, it\u2064 emphasizes DEI principles.\u2064 The Air Force authorizes Pride Month activities despite prior controversies and recruiting challenges.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<figure>                         <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>As Joe Biden\u2019s reckless foreign policy puts the world on the edge of catastrophe with conflicts already raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Air Force is directing its focus toward the biggest issue implicating U.S. national security: LGBT \u201cpride.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In an under-the-radar maneuver, Marianne Malizia, the Air Force\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/new-washington-blm-alliance-begins-lobbying-state-legislature-demands-gov-inslee-declare-racism-a-public-health-crisis\/\" title=\"New \u2018Washington BLM Alliance\u2019 Begins Lobbying State Legislature, Demands Gov. Inslee Declare Racism A Public Health Crisis\">chief diversity officer<\/a>, issued a memo Monday informing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">service members<\/a> that the Department of the Air Force recognizes June as \u201cLGBTQ+ Pride Month 2024.\u201d In doing so, she claimed the month represents \u201ca time to celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of our force, and to honor the contributions of our LGBTQ+ Airmen, Guardians, and dependents.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur Air and Space Forces are stronger because of the unique backgrounds and experiences of our Total Force that engender a more inclusive, and ultimately more effective, team,\u201d Malizia wrote.<\/p>\n<p>An Air Force representative confirmed the authenticity of the memo to The Federalist. A copy of the document was initially <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/matthewlohmeier\/status\/1790765596835262815\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">posted<\/a> on X by former Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, who was <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/07\/25\/bidens-space-force-nominee-previously-canned-service-member-for-speaking-out-against-marxism-in-the-military\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">relieved<\/a> of command in 2021 after publicly discussing the increasing pervasiveness of leftism in the military.<\/p>\n<p>The Air Force memo\u2019s contents are hardly just celebratory, however. In fact, the communique advances core tenets of neo-Marxist ideology, such as so-called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/dei\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)<\/a>.\u201d Employing an \u201coppressed versus oppressor\u201d dynamic, Malizia contended: \u201cWhile we acknowledge the progress we have made, we are also mindful that real challenges persist for members of the LGBTQ+ community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPride month is an opportunity to acknowledge the pioneers and activists who fought tirelessly for equality and justice, paving the way for a more equitable military and American society,\u201d the chief diversity officer wrote. \u201cDuring Pride Month, let us elevate the authentic voices and inspirational stories of the DAF\u2019s LGBTQ+ community, while recognizing those who continue to face discrimination and marginalization for simply being who they are.\u201d<\/p>\n<div>\n<figure><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Malizia concluded her diatribe by notifying military base commanders they are authorized to \u201corganize and execute appropriate activities to commemorate Pride Month.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Air Force received much-deserved scrutiny from GOP lawmakers last year for hosting <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/15\/from-virginia-to-texas-air-force-throws-pride-parties-while-our-readiness-crumbles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LGBT-related events<\/a> on its bases in commemoration of \u201cpride\u201d month. In one instance, Republican pressure prompted Pentagon leadership to <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/02\/republican-pressure-prompts-pentagon-to-nix-air-force-drag-performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cancel<\/a> an all-ages drag show at Nevada\u2019s Nellis Air Force Base. The incident came months after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin <a href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolitics.com\/video\/2023\/03\/29\/secretary_of_defense_austin_drag_shows_is_not_something_the_department_of_defense_supports_or_funds.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claimed<\/a> under oath that \u201cdrag shows \u2026 are not something that the Department of Defense supports or funds.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to allowing \u201cpride\u201d events on its installations, the Air Force has also previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2023\/06\/06\/the-air-force-is-using-taxpayer-money-to-fly-service-members-to-branch-pride-events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">authorized<\/a> the use of U.S. taxpayer dollars to transport airmen to such \u201cfestivities.\u201d Last June, Malizia issued a memo permitting branch commanders to utilize \u201cunit funds\u201d to pay for service members under their command to \u201ctravel to, and participate in \u2026 DAF Pride events if approved by their individual supervisory authority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Malizia\u2019s latest guidance comes amid the military\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-coast-guard-misses-recruiting-target-for-4th-year-in-a-row\/\" title=\"US Coast Guard misses recruiting target for 4th year in a row.\">ongoing recruiting crisis<\/a>. In September, the Air Force announced it missed its FY2023 recruiting targets by roughly 2,700 airmen, while the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard each experienced a 30 percent shortfall in new recruits, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airforcetimes.com\/news\/your-air-force\/2023\/09\/14\/entire-air-force-to-miss-recruiting-goal-the-first-failure-since-1999\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Military Times<\/a>. The Navy and Army also <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/01\/25\/report-americas-weak-military-is-unable-to-juggle-multiple-regional-conflicts-at-once\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">missed<\/a> their respective FY2023 recruiting goals.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas Spoehr, a senior adviser for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heritage.org\/defense\/commentary\/the-military-recruiting-crisis-getting-worse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously described<\/a> the recruiting crisis as \u201cthe worst since the institution of the all-volunteer force in 1973.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So-called \u201cjournalists\u201d and industry \u201cexperts\u201d have regularly <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/01\/12\/white-men-dont-want-to-join-an-army-that-tells-them-they-arent-wanted\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dismissed<\/a> the notion that the military\u2019s embrace of DEI racism and radical gender ideology is contributing to its recruiting crisis. Instead, these individuals have downplayed Republican concerns about the pervasiveness of neo-Marxist thought throughout the service and blamed the crisis on factors that predated the embrace of DEI policies, such as obesity rates and fluctuating labor markets.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As global conflicts escalate under Joe Biden&#8217;s foreign policy, the Air Force shifts focus to LGBT &#8220;pride.&#8221; Chief Diversity Officer Marianne Malizia addresses U.S. national security amid rising tensions in Ukraine and the Middle East<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2245907,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/U.S._Air_Force_Airmen_Color_Run_Pride_Month_2022.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2245906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/U.S._Air_Force_Airmen_Color_Run_Pride_Month_2022.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2245906","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\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2245906"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2245906\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2245907"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2245906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2245906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2245906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}