The DEI agenda push in the military has been harmful to recruitment, retention, and morale, which has led to the current recruiting crisis.
There is no reason to have an advisory group that only provides the SECDEF with one view.”— Dr. Ron Scott, Colonel, USAF, Ret., President and CEO (STARRS)
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, February 20, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — “Since 2022, there has been a little-known outside group pushing to make recommendations of affirmative action, forced DEI, and unconscious bias training and more mandated into permanent DOD policy,” according to Dr. Ron Scott, Colonel, USAF, Ret., President and CEO of Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services, Inc. (STARRS).
“The group is called the Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (DACODAI); the members of this advisory group – mostly retired senior military officers — all have the same views about promoting and pushing the DEI agenda in the military,” said Scott. “The SECDEF is not being served well with an advisory group giving him only one side of a controversial issue with a clear agenda.”
“DEI is the open forward face of radical Marxist-based Critical Race Theory, which is something most Americans oppose, considering the number of Americans killed, wounded, or missing fighting Marxism during the Cold War, Korea, and Vietnam,” said Scott.
“STARRS research shows a great deal of evidence that the DEI agenda push in the military has been harmful to recruitment, retention, and morale, leading to the current recruiting crisis,” Scott said. View link: https://starrs.us/evidence-that-the-dei-crt-agenda-in-the-military-does-hurt-recruiting-and-retention/
STARRS aims to change that, according to Scott.
DACODAI PUBLIC MEETING
In December 2023, STARRS attended the fourth public DACODAI biannual meeting in Virginia near the Pentagon as the only member of the public to observe. “We also submitted statements for the meeting, which have yet to be posted on their website as DACODAI promised,” Scott said.
“Among what we observed at the meeting, every time a chart was shown where the largest number was whites or males, this was seen as a ‘problem’ that needed to be fixed, the STARRS representative said. “Their focus was on increasing different races, ethnicities, and women in the military and lessening the number of white males–especially at flag rank; one committee member demanded to know the race of every flag officer in the military.”
There was also a goal to reach a 50-50 male/female ratio in the military, require forced DEI and Unconscious Bias training, look for ways to recruit non-citizens who didn’t speak English, and more.
“There was no mention of the negative effects of DEI in the military and no pushback to the DEI agenda in DOD; again, everyone on the committee was like-minded and on the same page re DEI (no “diverse” viewpoints),” Scott said.
DACODAI Chairman, General Lester Lyles, USAF, Ret., reached out to the Chairman of the STARRS Board of Directors, Lieutenant General Rod Bishop, USAF, Ret.
According to Bishop, “General Lyles initially suggested a panel with members of the DACODAI committee “to hear the other side,” but the offer was withdrawn.
To establish a record for DACODAI consideration in lieu of a panel discussion with Committee members, nine STARRS-affiliated individuals formed a panel and presented arguments in a recorded video session. These experts understand the dangers and divisiveness of promoting and selecting race and gender-based identities over qualifications and merit. STARRS has also provided the committee with statements, research, articles, and resources, including its website with over 1500 articles about the problem of the DEI agenda push in the military.
ORIGINS OF DACODAI
DACODAI is a child of the Military Leadership Diversity Commission (MLDC) chartered by the Congressional Black Caucus in the Fiscal Year 2009 National Defense Authorization Act (see paper on how it was formed). https://diversity.defense.gov/Portals/51/Documents/Resources/Commission/docs/Issue%20Papers/Paper%2009%20-%20Military%20Leadership%20Diversity%20Commission%20History.pdf
According to Scott, “the MLDC operated mostly under the radar, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, including special considerations for promotions and assignments.” It issued its final report in March 2011. https://diversity.defense.gov/Portals/51/Documents/Special%20Feature/MLDC_Final_Report.pdf
Here is an excerpt from page 18 of the report of the rationale and intentions justifying its recommendations to the President and members of Congress:
“Diversity management calls for creating a culture of inclusion . . . In particular, although good diversity management rests on a foundation of fair treatment, IT IS NOT ABOUT TREATING EVERYONE THE SAME. THIS CAN BE A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO GRASP, ESPECIALLY FOR LEADERS WHO GREW UP WITH THE EO-INSPIRED MANDATE TO BE BOTH COLOR AND GENDER-BLIND. Cultural assimilation, a key to military effectiveness in the past, will be challenged as inclusion becomes, and needs to become the norm.” (Emphasis added)
“The above quote explicitly argues FOR discrimination and AGAINST assimilation. Assimilation is critical to forming a united, cohesive military, if not the American Nation more broadly,” Scott said.
The US military has a long history of training new members to leave their differences and identities at the door to become one team, i.e., “We are all Green or Blue.” The racist agenda put forth by the MLDC wants to favor some racial identities over others. This can also be seen in the current race-based admissions process of the US service academies.
Bishop led a small delegation to Capitol Hill on February 5 and 6 to meet with Congressional members and staff. Among the topics addressed were issues with the Secretary of Defense suspension of Congressionally established Boards of Visitors, discriminatory admissions practices based on race at the Service Academies, and DACODAI.
“STARRS made available to Congress the nine-person panel recording and transcripts, statements to DACODAI for its December meeting, and other documents,” According to Scott.
“Furthermore, too many in the general public and even within Congress are unaware of this one-sided advisory committee to the SECEF and their deliberate efforts to change America’s military culture, which has proved to be divisive and dangerous. There is no reason to have an advisory group that only provides the SECDEF with one view. The often touted need to have “diversity of thought” is lip service when they don’t want to hear a view that is contrary to theirs,” Scott said.
See Brent Ramsey: What Is DACODAI? (Source: The Patriot Post)
https://patriotpost.us/articles/104506-what-is-dacodai-2024-02-19.
ABOUT STARRS
STARRS mission is to help educate all Americans regarding the criticality of having a military that focuses solely on the essential readiness needed to fight and win our Nation’s wars. Winning requires a military that provides equal opportunity and a meritocracy leadership system that rewards high standards, ethical character, teamwork, and selfless service to our Nation. This mission accomplishment requires the elimination of DEI from the DoD by informing people about all ideologies, policies, agendas, and organizations that threaten a meritocracy-based military. For more information, go to https://starrs.us.
STARRS MEDIA CONTACT
STARRS
+1 719-651-5943
Leave a Comment