Military Diversity Is Not the Problem

[rangerrebew]

Military Diversity Is Not the Problem
 
Military.com | By Stephen J. Cimbala and Lawrence J. Korb
Published November 21, 2024 at 2:00pm ET

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.

Although most U.S. presidential nominees for cabinet positions usually sail through with pro forma approval, Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald J. Trump's pick for secretary of defense, is one of several nominations already sparking controversy largely due to his past comments about women in the military and programs designed to foster diversity in the ranks.

 
Hegseth has served as an officer in the U.S. Army and was deployed with National Guard units to Iraq and Afghanistan. He received a number of medals for his performance, and like all veterans who perform with distinction, he commands gratitude and respect for his military service.

But in recent years, Hegseth, while working as a commentator and anchor for Fox News and writing several books, has been highly critical of the military's professional leadership, especially in the Biden administration. According to Hegseth, the U.S. armed forces are rife with "wokeness," especially at the higher levels of command. An institutional focus on diversity, equity and inclusion has distracted the U.S. military and civilian leadership from their primary missions of combat readiness and performance under fire, he believes. This critique is especially pronounced in his most recent book, "The War on Warriors."

Most would agree that the primary missions of the U.S. armed forces are deterrence of war or, if deterrence fails, to defeat American adversaries in battle. Hegseth's argument that the American military is suffused with wokeness to the extent of distraction from its primary missions is based on anecdotes from his personal experience. There is no body of larger studies by expert groups of Defense Department insiders or by outsiders from the larger community of defense analysts that supports this argument. To the extent that the U.S. military is underperforming in its deterrence or combat missions, the research suggests it has little to do with an overdose of political correctness.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/opinions/2024/11/21/military-diversity-not-problem.html

[Cyber Liberty]

Boo hoo.

[Smokin Joe]

There is no body of larger studies by expert groups of Defense Department insiders or by outsiders from the larger community of defense analysts that supports this argument. To the extent that the U.S. military is underperforming in its deterrence or combat missions, the research suggests it has little to do with an overdose of political correctness.

One of the fundamental problems with research is that that which is not studied is presumed to not exist.
To reasonably expect the proponents of flawed policy to study the flaws in the policies they advocate is folly.
The proponents of woke are not going to examine the deleterious effects thereof, therefore no 'larger' studies exist which show any flaws.

[corbe]

   I am a product of 'Military Diversity'.  My first black roommate was in the USAF in 73.  He taught me Respect for his race. Fortunately, that year, the USAF, in their infinite wisdom, decided to also allow WAF's to live in the same barracks. 

   Which explains my first Wife. 

[Cyber Liberty]

   I am a product of 'Military Diversity'.  My first black roommate was in the USAF in 73.  He taught me Respect for his race. Fortunately, that year, the USAF, in their infinite wisdom, decided to also allow WAF's to live in the same barracks. 

   Which explains my first Wife.

In '73 I was in High School in a city of 7.5K, with ZERO black people living there....