By Shawn Fleetwood | The Federalist
The U.S. Naval War College hosted a lecture last week featuring a trans-identifying Space Force colonel to discuss LGBT “experiences.”
Titled, “Learning from the developmental journeys of LGBTQ+,” the June 17 event was co-headlined by Col. Bree Fram, a male astronautical engineer with the U.S. Space Force who proclaims to be a woman and uses “she/her” pronouns.
According to his website, Fram — who acquired a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 2021 — is “currently stationed at the Pentagon to lead space acquisition policy development for the Department of the Air Force” and leads the branch’s “LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team.”
As noted by Federalist Executive Editor Joy Pullmann in her book, False Flag: Why Queer Politics Mean the End of America, Fram has been promoted since coming out in 2016 and most of his military service took place when trans-identifying troops were supposed to be discharged from the armed forces.
“It’s fascinating to look at what LGBTQ folks have been subject to over their lives, and really, over the centuries, and how their experiences led them … to truly have those transformative moments that matter,” Fram said.
Much of the June 17 lecture focused on claims included in Fram’s new book, Forging Queer Leaders: How the LGBTQIA+ Community Creates Impact from Adversity, which, according to a book summary, “explores the unique and inspiring developmental experiences of LGBTQ+ leaders, the amazing capabilities they bring to teams, and what that means for everyone pursuing positive and inclusive organizational strategy.”
Co-author and Naval War College Professor Elizabeth Cavallaro also partook in the lecture.
During his speech, Fram subtly dismissed the notion that the rising percentage of Americans identifying as LGBT is the result of social conditioning by left-wing activists, and instead claimed these high rates are “not a new phenomenon.”
“A lot of people say right now, ‘Where are all these people coming from? How all of a sudden do we have this explosion of LGBTQ people, and in many cases, LGBTQ leaders?’ Well, it’s not because they’re new,” Fram claimed. “We can go all the way back to the Greek and Roman Empires in the Western world and look at LGBTQ people flourishing and being very visible within society.”
The Space Force colonel went on to contend the Roman Empire’s adoption of Christianity and a “confluence of factors” led to “LGBTQ folks being pushed aside.”
Fram also seemingly attempted to normalize gender dysphoria by claiming that non-LGBT identifying individuals can relate to “transitioning” because everybody experiences change and goes through “transitory periods” at some point in their lives.
“Everybody transitions. As we look at our experiences in life of moving from one thing to another, we all go through similar things,” Fram said. “Everyone goes through these transitionary periods, and they may be really challenging … What we have to do by understanding everyone going through these transition moments is help them get through them.”
The woman-pretender further proclaimed it’s “incredibly important” for the military to support “inclusion” because “inclusion is not only a way to get the most out of person, [but] it is also a retention tool.”
“If someone does not receive that inclusion and say, ‘I belong,’ they’re gone. But when they do, it’s amazing,” Fram asserted.
The term “inclusion” is often synonymous with “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),” an offshoot of Marxist ideology that dismisses merit and discriminates based on characteristics such as skin color and sexual orientation.
Last week’s pro-LGBT speech wasn’t the first Fram has given at U.S. military institutions. Earlier this year, the Space Force colonel spoke at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he reportedly engaged in left-wing activism while in uniform.
According to Breitbart News, Fram “waded into [a] partisan speech about the 2024 presidential election” during his lecture. In an apparent reference to former President Trump’s repeal of an Obama-era policy allowing trans-identifying individuals to serve in the military, Fram said, “While I don’t have a crystal ball, I can look out and say, ‘Well, either next year things will be great or I will be fighting for my ability to continue serving.’”
Pentagon policy specifies that “active duty personnel may not engage in partisan political activities and all military personnel should avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply” the Defense Department’s “endorsement of a political candidate, campaign, or cause.” An Air Force spokesman defended Fram’s speech when pressed on the matter by The Daily Wire.
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
First published in The Federalist
Lecture of Opportunity – Learning from the developmental journeys of LGBTQ+
This Lecture of Opportunity took place on June 17, 2024.
The views presented by the faculty or other guest speakers do not reflect official positions of the Naval War College, DON or DOD.
Synopsis:
LGBTQ+ individuals disproportionately encounter bias, adversity, stigma, and marginalization throughout their lives. It’s an enormous obstacle – but also prepares them for leadership in a fast-moving, volatile, uncertain, complex, and adaptive working world. This lecture of opportunity will highlight how crucible LGBTQ+ experiences often act as catalysts for development and can forge exceptional leadership skills and capacities. The speakers will share what they’ve learned about this topic through their research, including a new book, Forging Queer Leaders: How the LGBTQIA+ Community Creates Impact from Adversity. The book explores the unique and inspiring developmental experiences of LGBTQ+ leaders, the amazing capabilities they bring to teams, and the implications for all professionals pursuing inclusive organizational strategy. Book details here: Forging Queer Leaders | Jessica Kingsley Publishers – USA (jkp.com). Podcast details here: Overview – FORGED IN FIRE.
Speaker Bio:
NWC faculty member, Dr. Liz Cavallaro is an adult development scholar and professional executive coach, who specializes in helping leaders thrive through the development of enhanced cognitive capacity. Through her work she’s observed the powerful impacts of adversity on the development of leaders with unique personal and professional journeys. This project has provided her the opportunity to combine her professional expertise in leader development with her personal dedication to advocacy and support of the LGBTQ+ community. Liz’s research has been presented to the International Leadership Association, Military Scholarship of Teaching & Learning Forum, and the Academy of Human Resource Development, and published in the Oxford Handbook of Meaningful Work, the Learning Organization Journal, and The Journal of Adult Development.
NWC alumna (2021), Colonel Bree Fram is an active duty astronautical engineer in the US Space Force, and currently one of the highest ranking out transgender officers in the United States military. She co-led the Department of the Air Force LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team and is a former president of SPARTA, an organization dedicated to the support and professional development of transgender service members. Bree’s writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Military Times, Inkstick, and LGBTQ Nation. She’s a keynote speaker on leadership, diversity and inclusion, and LGBTQ+ topics, and along with Liz Cavallaro, co-hosts the Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership podcast. Bree is the co-editor of the 2021 book With Honor and Integrity: Transgender Troops in Their Own Words.
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