A Reimagined Military: Pentagon Introduces New ‘Equity’ Plan

Military Equity Plan by Pentagon Department of Defense DoD
Army (Wikimedia, public domain)

Last week the Pentagon rolled out its new ‘Equity’ plan designed to “equalize” outcomes for employees and military members across racial, sexual, and gender lines. The Department of Defense Equity Action Plan’s stated goal is to “identify potential barriers that underserved communities and individuals face regarding federal programs.” 

DoD Equity Action Plan, April 2022

The DoD plan consists of various areas, including:

  • Rearranging the defense supply chain to open up opportunities for underserved communities
  • Bolstering programs aimed at assisting communities in the area of military bases, such as American Indian initiatives and environmental efforts
  • Advancing equity for military families who are members of underserved communities
  • Increasing culturally responsive teaching strategies to meet the needs of all Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) students

The DoD will provide more accessible opportunities for minority-owned small businesses to win defense contracts as part of its plan to rearrange their supply chain.

It will also focus on initiatives to correct environmental damage sustained by lands primarily inhabited by Native Americans during military testing done between WWII and the Cold War in an effort to assist communities near military bases.

The DoD believes that providing for better employment opportunities for military spouses, particularly those from ‘underserved’ communities, will advance equity for military families.

And, perhaps the most eye-raising in the report, is incorporating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion learning and consultation for military leaders and DEI working groups in its eight DoDEA school districts.

Military Equity Plan Touts Transgender and Gender Friendliness

In the report, the Department of Defense took the time to tout its perceived successes in equity, including allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military and the directed down day to focus on extremism within the ranks. 

Individuals who meet applicable standards may now gain access and remain in the military in their self-identified gender. They may also obtain gender-affirming medical treatment and receive recognition of their self-identified gender.

There is some debate about whether gender-affirming surgeries are considered cosmetic or not in the medical community.

TriCare, which is the insurance military members utilize, does not cover cosmetic surgeries, including tummy tucks, breast augmentations, etc. However, it appears that the military would cover gender reassignment surgery.

DoD policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity or identification as transgender, provides a means by which individuals who meet applicable standards may access into the military in their self-identified gender, provides a means by which transitioning Service members may obtain gender-affirming medical treatment and recognition of their self-identified gender, and seeks to protect the privacy of all Service members.

January 6 Fallout

In February of 2021, the Secretary of Defense directed all Commanding Officers and supervisors to conduct a one-day “stand down” to discuss the principle that all who serve deserve an environment free from discrimination.

The focus was on how “extremist” or “dissident ideologies” violate fundamental tenets of DoD. In light of reports, active-duty personnel and former military members participated in the January 6th protest at The Capitol.

Since then, the DoD found fewer than 100 instances of confirmed extremist activity in 2021.

In addition, General Milley was forced to admit the military had spent over five million man-hours training troops on climate change and white privilege. FIVE MILLION.

In a statement released by the group of Republican Senators that included Senator James Inhofe:

“We face real threats across the world, yet the Biden administration is more focused on promoting its leftist social agenda in the military instead of countering China, Russia and Iran or creating an effective counterterrorism plan.”

As discussed in my previous article on military brass incompetence, our senior military leaders have spent more time studying “white rage” than learning the art of war. 

You’re Fired

Last year Space Force Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier was fired from squadron command over podcast comments regarding his book Irresistible Revolution. Lohmeier claims that the DoD had been instructing the force that the Constitution and the beliefs incorporated into it by the Founders were meant to perpetuate white supremacy.

Senator Inhofe again spoke out, stating:

“Members of our military should not only be able to speak out against marxism, but they should be encouraged to do so – as long as they follow the rules and laws already in place.”

In response to reports that the DoD was considering hiring a private company to monitor the free speech of military personnel on social media using keywords in algorithms, Representative Dan Crenshaw and Senator Tom Cotton set up a website to collect woke data from military members.

Congressman Crenshaw stated:

“For too long, progressive Pentagon staffers have been calling the shots for our warfighters, and spineless military commanders have let it happen.”

We’ve all learned that using algorithms created by people to find keywords in social media posts can be ineffective at best and dangerous to free speech at worst.

But unfortunately, there is no Elon Musk to buy up the Department of Defense.

Not News

The reality is these efforts to create what has often been referred to as the ‘kinder gentler” force by military members are not new. However, with an administration and Congress supporting such activity, the Pentagon can be open about its attempts to reimagine how the military is structured.

This kind of reimagining is something the far-left is well known for in our education system. Common core, no child left behind, charter schools, expanded family life curriculum discussing gender and sexuality – the list goes on.

Read also: Hey, School Board, Leave Our Kids Alone!

More recently they turned their focus toward law and order. Let’s defund the police and go easier on criminals in the name of “equity”.

Now, they’re intent on reshaping America’s military – once hailed the world’s greatest fighting force – into something that is presumably kinder and gentler and more “inclusive”.  

America’s leaders should be careful what they wish for.

USAF Retired, Bronze Star recipient, outspoken veteran advocate. Hot mess mom to two monsters and wife to equal parts... More about Kathleen J. Anderson

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