The Pentagon is increasingly struggling to fill the weapons and equipment requests for the war in Ukraine. At the same time, taxpayer funds are going to pay for ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the military, most recently one controversial Pentagon official pushing anti-police and pro-critical race theory books at schools for the children of military families.
The New York Times recently highlighted the Pentagon’s manufacturing problem with a story headlined: “From Rockets to Ball Bearings: Pentagon Struggles to Feed War Machine.”
The Pentagon would reportedly struggle to manufacture enough precision missiles if conflict with China broke out after sending over a decades worth of Stinger missiles to Ukraine as soon as the war broke out, one of multiple concerning manufacturing issues that have been exposed by the demands of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Those difficulties come as the Pentagon increasingly focuses its attention, and funds, on equity initiatives.
Critics say the Pentagon has become distracted. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, commissioned a report that laid out a series of examples of racial and gender ideology permeating military training, policies and leadership, all at taxpayer expense, as The Center Square previously reported.
In one of those examples, the report points to official training materials in which West Point cadets are lectured on white privilege. The report points to another case where a slide presentation for the Air Force Academy is titled, “Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do,” which warns cadets to avoid gendered language, such as terms like “mom” and “dad.”
The recent Department of Defense’s comptroller’s budget report points to millions of dollars in equity funding as well.
“Ensuring accountable leadership by adding nearly $500 million in FY 2023 to implement the recommendations of the Independent Review Commission (IRC) on Sexual Assault in the Military, enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs, and addressing extremism in the ranks,” the comptroller report said.
“The Department will lead with our values – building diversity, equity, and inclusion into everything we do,” the report added.
The report points to $86.5 million for “dedicated diversity and inclusion activities.” . . . (read more on The Center Square)
From FY2023 DOD Budget:
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility In policy and in practice, the Department does not tolerate or condone unlawful discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or reprisal of any kind. These problematic behaviors jeopardize combat readiness and mission accomplishment, weaken trust among personnel, and erode cohesion.
Leaders at all levels are responsible for fostering a climate of inclusion that supports diversity, is free from problematic behaviors, and does not tolerate retaliation or reprisal against those filing complaints.
DoD has taken a number of actions to strengthen its anti-discrimination posture and advance diversity and inclusion throughout the Department.
Notably, DoD expanded endeavors historically known as diversity, equity, and inclusion to include a distinct focus on accessibility in an effort to highlight the importance of an accessible workplace and further ensure equal opportunity for all.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are the bedrock for all operations pursuant to preventing and responding to unlawful discrimination and other problematic behaviors.
The FY 2023 budget request demonstrates DoD’s commitment to DEIA, and includes $86.5 million for dedicated diversity and inclusion activities.
Specifically, this funding across the three Military Departments, the OSD Office of Diversity Equity, and Inclusion, and the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute is helping to fund our equal opportunity employment, diversity and inclusion, and disability/reasonable accommodation programs.
This resourcing is just a portion of our commitment to promoting and advancing DEIA, consistent with the President’s Executive Orders.
Across the DoD, Components are investing in a number of programs and initiatives aimed at furthering DEIA, and incorporating DEIA values, objectives, and considerations in how we do business and execute our missions. Efforts in this space are fundamental to growing our talent, building resilience and readiness, and ensuring accountable leadership.
Enhancing DEIA across our Department maximizes our ability to recruit and retain top talent, and DoD strives to ensure DEIA underpins every aspect of our approach to talent management.
Over the last year, the Department continued to forge ahead in implementing recommendations made by the 2020 DoD Board on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I).
Additionally, to facilitate, inform, and advance agency progress on issues relating to DEIA, DoD established the DoD Equity Team (DET) in 2021.
The DET addressed a broad range of DEIA issues, including the need for increased diversity within the talent pipeline; challenges pertaining to DEIA data collection, analysis, and management; and integration of D&I curriculum into leadership development training.
Consistent with the President’s efforts, DoD carried out a number of actions corresponding with DEIA-related executive actions from the White House.
In accordance with Executive Order (EO) 13985 and EO 14035, and through the efforts of the DET, the Department completed the DoD 200-Day Equity Assessment, developed the DoD Equity Action Plan, and completed the DoD Self-Assessment. These accomplishments contributed to DoD’s progress in the DEIA space.
The budget request reflects the significant resourcing required to continue our progress and build on these achievements.
The Department continued to assess policies to identify and address potential gaps. Through effective teamwork across DoD Components, last year, the Department attained 100-percent compliance with written reasonable accommodation policies. DoD is taking action on matters specified by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission using the reasonable accommodation policies compliance framework.
While DoD is focused on DEIA, the Department can do more to include understanding the individual, interpersonal, and institutional factors that promote racial, ethnic, and gender diversity and inclusion in the military and eliminating any causal factors that prevent this diversity or lead to discriminatory practices.
We will continue to advance DEIA in the Department by implementing D&I Board recommendations, Equity Action Plan requirements, DEIA Strategic Plan actions, and more.
We are taking steps to ensure our Service members and DoD civilian employees are provided an opportunity to achieve their professional goals based on merit, remove any barriers that prevent equal opportunity, and ensure a cohesive and ready force that reflects the diversity of our Nation.
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