Why the “Progressive” US Army is Failing

Our military, once the envy of the world, now finds itself in dire straits. Chronic shortages in recruitment have forced drastic cuts, with the Army slashing 16,500 occupational positions, mostly vacant. The Air Force, missing recruitment targets for the first time in over two decades, proposes a reduction of 8,000 troops. Meanwhile, the Navy is short a staggering 9,000 sailors, leading to extended deployments for those left to pick up the slack.

But what’s exacerbating this crisis? Enter the race-conscious madness of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) policies. While minority recruitment remains steady or even increases, a sharp decline in white recruits is largely to blame for the ongoing recruiting debacle.

Military.com reports a stark drop in white recruits from 56% of total Army recruits in fiscal year 2018 to just 44% in 2023. In the Navy, losses in white recruits contributed to an overall decline of about 9,000 new recruits.

Senior military brass, however, seem more concerned with ideological posturing than practical solutions. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, they persist in parroting the mantra that “diversity is a strategic imperative.” Such race-conscious practices, they claim, are vital for military readiness and national security.

Yet, the Supreme Court’s landmark 2023 ruling, ending racial preferences in higher education, exposes the fallacy of this argument. The court’s scathing rebuke of arbitrary racial categories as “imprecise,” “incoherent,” and “irrational stereotypes” should have sent shockwaves through the military hierarchy. Instead, they cling to outdated notions, ignoring the constitutional principle of colorblindness upheld in numerous Supreme Court decisions.

The Department of Defense’s embrace of racial preferences, exemplified by the 2011 Military Leadership Diversity Commission (MLDC), has turned military values on their head. By adopting the advice of nonmilitary entities and corporate consultants, the MLDC prioritized diversity over meritocracy, disregarding the very principles that underpin military cohesion and effectiveness.

Even Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and then-Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. signed off on a memorandum calling for a reduction in white male officers from 64% to 43%. This misguided endeavor led to an exodus of experienced pilots, exacerbating the Air Force’s pilot shortage.

Meanwhile, the Navy’s acceptance of lower aptitude testing categories risks compromising safety at sea. And the Army’s decision to remove “Country” from West Point’s mission statement smacks of misplaced priorities.

As national security hangs in the balance, it’s time for Congress to intervene. We cannot afford to let woke ideology continue to undermine the strength and effectiveness of our military. It’s time to prioritize meritocracy over diversity quotas and restore the sound principles that have long guided our armed forces. The stakes are too high to ignore.