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I hope you saw my latest weekly column.



ROGER WICKER: DEI Initiatives Distract from Readiness Efforts
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The U.S. military is the most successful civil rights program in history, with
a relentless focus on excellence that makes it the world’s most elite fighting
force. These twin characteristics have made the U.S. military a place in which
Americans from countless walks of life are equally able to advance.
Unfortunately, the current crop of bureaucrats at the Pentagon do not talk
about it that way. Instead, they have made misguided diversity, equity, and
inclusion (DEI) initiatives a priority. At best, it is a distraction. At worst,
it is a dangerous dereliction of duty.

In response, I recently introduced the Merit Act, legislation that would keep
the Department of Defense from prioritizing demographics above accomplishment.
My bill would promote equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome, and
make the Pentagon focus on deterrence rather than division.


DEI is a Distraction


The purpose of the Department of Defense is to prevent – and, if necessary,
win – real wars, not fight culture wars. Other militaries know this. China’s
Navy and Air Force have increasingly engaged in hostile acts against American
warships and aircraft. North Korea is growing its nuclear arsenal, and Iran is
moving closer to a nuclear weapon. If there was ever a time for a laser focus
on readiness, it is now.

For the first time in the history of our all-volunteer force, we are
consistently missing recruiting goals. Admittedly, the problem is complex. But
at least one cause is clear. Service members see the military changing for the
worse. A recent survey found nearly 7 in 10 active members believe the armed
forces are being politicized and that this would affect whether they encourage
their children to enlist. That is a particularly bad sign since such a high
rate of recruits come from families with a history of service.

If you look at the latest policies of President Biden’s Pentagon, you might
assume today’s front line is the fight for social justice. For instance, news
outlets recently published emails of the U.S. Navy’s social media team. In
these messages, they admit to prioritizing Pride Month posts over the concerns
of the Navy’s recruiting department. The people of Mississippi also got a front
row seat to the latest efforts to drag social issues into the military.
President Biden’s officials cleared the way for staff at the Biloxi National
Cemetery to replace an American flag with the LGBT “Pride” flag for the month
of June. I led a letter to the VA Secretary demanding that he reinstate the
American flag, noting that, “cemeteries should be places for reflection and
respect, not public virtue signaling.”


Maintaining a Culture of Merit


Worse still, focusing on these social issues erodes the armed forces’ culture
of merit-based promotion. Some on the left would like to make demographic
factors, including race, a permanent part of a candidate’s evaluation for a
role. This is unjust and will pit service members against each other based on
factors no one can control.

My legislation is designed to fight against that misguided movement. The
military attracts men and women eager to take on challenging, but meaningful,
work. These individuals want to climb the ranks based on their ability, and the
Pentagon’s policies should tap into that drive. The Merit Act would shift the
focus away from wokeness and toward service.

I hope this and other initiatives will protect the culture of personal
achievement that helps make military service such a badge of honor. During
these dangerous times, our enemies and our friends should know the U.S.
military elevates its leaders based on their skill, not social quotas.


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Senator Roger Wicker

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