Fox News had an article baiting its audience to generate anger concerning a national security academic elite who dismisses the effect that woke policies in the military has on recruiting.
Kids are too fat, on drugs or have health concerns and the economy is great (??) he explains, and woke accusations are overblown. Maybe we should send him a bound copy of the 90 pages of Evidence that the DEI/CRT agenda in the military DOES hurt recruiting and retention.
But the article had great quotes by others, countering him, such as former Secretary of State, CIA Director, Congressman and West Point grad Mike Pompeo:
“How can we ask young men and women who have decided to risk their lives for America, even die for America, to affirm that our country is inherently racist?” Pompeo wrote.
“How can we ask them to view their brothers and sisters in arms through the narrow prisms of race or gender? The clear and obvious answer is that we cannot – not without putting their lives at risk on the battlefield.”
“A woke military is a weak military. Unfortunately, woke and weak are exactly what our military is becoming under Biden’s leadership.”
Pompeo has not backed down from that stance since, telling Fox News Digital that there is “no question that the Biden Administration has pushed DEI policies and initiatives into our military institutions – including West Point, my alma mater.”
“This has seriously affected our military’s ability to recruit excellent young men and women who wish to defend their country and serve in proud, storied institutions that rightly reward merit, not left-wing compliance,” Pompeo said.
“The solution to this problem is not to stop criticizing the Administration and cease supporting our warriors. Winning wars and deterring our adversaries demands that we work to fix failures and bad leadership. Making clear that rewarding or punishing servicemen by race or by group is inconsistent with that national imperative will improve – not harm – the world’s finest military.”
Robert Greenway, senior advisor to the vice president at the Heritage Foundation, argued that the military has taken a divisive approach in recent year, citing training in critical race theory and “gender ideology” that he said has become “pervasive.”
“Precious time and money are being poured into woke programs and projects that would be better applied towards making the military more capable,” Greenway told Fox News Digital.
“Overall, the effect has been to subordinate operational readiness in defense of the nation to social shibboleths such as diversity, equity and inclusion.”
Greenway argued that there was “little evidence” to support the idea that the training time spent on “diversity, equity and inclusion indoctrination, or claims of rampant racism and extremism in the military” has been useful.
“We are now seeing a significant decline in public confidence and trust in the military’s effectiveness, a crisis in recruiting, a persistently climbing suicide rate among both active duty and veterans despite an end of decades-long combat deployments, a disastrous and embarrassing evacuation from Afghanistan, and the introduction of DEI/CRT/LGBTQ policies at the expense of the meritocracy and focus on warfighting skills required to fight and win in defense of our nation,” Greenway said. . . .
What People are Saying
Comments on the article where an ‘expert’ says claims of wokeness in the military is overblown:
‘Woke’ military policies’ effect on recruitment overblown, other factor fueling crisis: expert
“Feaver supports the woke agenda in the military and left out the most important point. The largest number of recruits are children of former military personnel not left leaning ideologs. Almost all former military personnel are completely against the woke policies in the military and are telling their children to not join the current military. 28 years in the Air Force and I would never tell anyone to join the current military.”
“These claims are NOT overblown. Sadly, we do have a woke military, sans the few American-loving conservatives who went into the military before Obama got his hands on it. From that point, it all went downhill. You must understand the mindset of the majority of those who choose to go into the military in the past. For the most part, they love their country and are very proud to serve. Many of them come from families with a very long lineage of military members. But once “wokeness” was thrust upon our military members, the conservatives became disgruntled and literally served through the time frame they had agreed to. Now, those going in are mostly made up of people who can’t get a job, want to get a free education, and see the world. Honestly, I don’t want a bunch of woke snowflakes leading the way in our military. Bring back REAL men, and wise women.”
“You mean telling the truth are making things worse.”
“My oldest daughter was in ROTC in high school, and now in college, she hasn’t graduated yet. A year away from graduating, she has decided not to go into military service. Many of her ROTC friends are serving already and are complaining about the Woke agenda classes they have to endure.”
“Missing the point. Those who are in that smaller pool tend to be more conservative and turned off by the “woke” policies. They need to pull their heads out and realize it is not the far left that joins the military, it is center left and right. People who do not want to be told they are oppressors or victims.”
“Do people really think that the leadership in the military are going to admit that their actions are the reasons enlistment is down. I know people with 14, 15 years in who are getting out “just” because of “woke” practices. There is no “pride” in their branch of the military, no pride in service. When I was in we were proud of our branch, unit or ship. Today I see the military reaching out to people who could not have served with us and at the same time neglecting people who are perfectly capable of serving.”
“Don’t believe this for a second. Heard from too many recent “lifers” that abandoned the military because of the current liberal policies.”
“Back when I was in the Navy, personnel weren’t coddled as they are now. My son just completed 20 years in the Marines, retiring as a staff sgt and he said woke policies were beginning to affect that branch as well when he retired a couple years back. When the Pentagon says woke hasn’t invaded the military, it’s lying. I’d advise anyone considering the military, don’t! It’s not what it used to be.”
“Please don’t call this person an expert. He is in his ivory tower looking down saying “all is good, nothing to see here.” You want the truth? Go to the service members and their families, boots on the ground. I served. This so called “expert” is clueless and out of touch.”
“My son is in year 6 of service he says its wokeness killing the military.”
“I am a military retiree, my father was a military retiree, my son served in the military, both of my daughters are married to veterans and two of my grandchildren are veterans. My family has been involved in every major military conflict since WWII. One thing we all agree upon, no one will recommend military service to anyone until our country cleans out out the current political and military leadership and loyal Americans are once again running our nation. We have total incompetence at the top and if nothing changes our country will fall to China.”
“Not surprising that there would be a study to debunk the impact that Woke is having on the military. I work with people in the military and Woke is having a negative impact. Not just on them, but their children as well, who are not being encouraged to follow in the parents steps.”
“Lets pose it another way. Does Feaver think that for example the drag queens on submarines attracts more recruits than it repels? Other factors aside, is there a net gain or loss to the branches as a result of DEI implementation?”
“Another scholar trying to explain to the masses what is wrong with our military. And like many others, he is not a former military personnel, which means he truly has no inclination as to why recruiting numbers are down. He is right that the individuals eligible are lazy, obese, and couldn’t meet the standards, but that is what the military has changed, they are now extremely diverse and will not discriminate against those things. The real reason the recruitment numbers are down is because of two things, children are taught everything but national pride in school and they don’t want to be housed or trained with those who claim to be transgender. Females do not want to shower with a biological male, males do not want a female within their barracks rooms/showers, and they are tired of being force fed the BS the LGBTQ community is requiring in military training. Scholars who have never served know absolutely nothing about the military, nor does politicians and their literature pieces should be used for nothing other than kindling to build a fire.”
“Sounds like he is an expert……………..at being wrong. I served and can tell you woke policies ARE a huge factor.”
“The obesity and all the health issues happened. Just since Biden’s been President? Nothing to do with the timing of the woke policies that you guys forced on our military being the same? obvious who payed for your take on this!”
“Most young men and women who volunteer to serve in our armed forces are not radical lefties. While there are many reasons why people make the decision to be an officer or enlist, like love of country, a family tradition, a sense of duty, the thrill of adventure, limited job opportunities in their hometown, etc… you can bet that the radical left’s woke ideology is not one of the top reasons. In fact, most of the active duty guys that I’ve spoken with feel that the woke ideology is being shoved down their throats. The woke ideology not only drives people off of active duty, but it also acts as a deterrent to future generations choosing to serve.”
“I was in from ’84 to ’04 & I used to actively encourage kids to go into the military. Not today. Now I actively discourage it.”
“The so-called experts need to look at ALL of the recruiting problems. Woke policies, failure to award medals for those earned, failure to promote despite high scores on exams, punishing MEN for being able to do their jobs well but being too heavy yet women have different standards (not on paper but in reality they do), a culture in at least one branch of ignoring problems instead of addressing them. I spent 30 years in the military and encountered all of these. WHY would anyone want to work in a place with these sorts of things going on? And no one in the military listens and so none of these problems get addressed. Then the military wonders why it has recruiting problems.”
“I served for 34 years from 1987 to 2021. I would not enlist now and don’t encourage anyone to enlist because of the woke policies and training you’re forced to attend!”
“Enlisted in the U.S.M.C. in 1964, saw too many John Wayne movies, and to this day still believe in this country. Back then, the U.S. military still had a sense of pride in itself. Now we have the general’s who let a POTUS, and his administration make our military look like complete idiot’s, and no one to be feared, or respected! Had one administration clown that was a former Admiral in the most powerful navy in the world actually say “I didn’t see any chaos from my perch” in a public news broadcast after video’s of Afghani’s were shown hanging off of military planes evacuating said country! General’s have become nothing more than politicians in uniforms, and a real military man, or woman would’ve resigned rather than let this administration stain the honor of their men, and women as they did in Afghanistan!”
“I proudly served, but I advise youth today not to do it because of the misuse of power. i.e. the woke requirements, forced vaccinations, etc.”
“We’re a generational military family. Our boys were not encouraged to join. It’s so disappointing, but what straight, white male would want to join a racist, woke organization like the US military? There is no successful career path for them while racist, DEI policies dictate the governments’ values.”
“I volunteered… served, active duty, ‘62-‘66. No way I’d serve under the current “woke” leadership. Use the wrong pronoun, and end up with an Article 15 (or whatever the current equivalent). I use to advise young fellows to enlist, and even consider the military as a career… no more. No way, no how…!”
“When I served I entered boot camp in 1985 and the Drill instructors let me know how lucky I was they couldn’t physically punish the new recruits anymore but they made up for it by training us to the point of exhaustion to where some had to be removed by an ambulance. I was proud of the toughness and I was equally proud of my accomplishments when the drill instructors pushed me to be a candidate for Ranger school. When my son went in seven years ago, I was disappointed, he didn’t get the old barracks without A/C or even the new ones with A/C and 50 guys in a bay, he got some kind of dorm to share with a “battle buddy” who was sensitive and gay, he got time out cards for stress, he didn’t do some of the more dangerous exercises I was proud to accomplish as they had changed. I thank all who serve as it is an honor so few today will willingly commit to but I don’t think we are tough enough for an honor that should require more strength and character than what our society has now settled on. When called upon do defend our freedom, stand against tyranny of other nations or serve the interests of our country, our soldiers must be tough enough to be the few who can do the job.”
“There are potential recruits known for endurance, loyalty, and strength who will not join an organization that can’t decide what its actual goals are. As such, this Administration has disenfranshised the very people who used to be most likely to join and be willing to fight – there are no woke replacements.”
“Sadly respect for the military has been dwindling as the military has basically turned into a political tool. It’s just not the prestige it once was to have children and/or family members serving in the military.”
“I don’t buy that. The friends I have who are veterans are telling their kids not to go into the military. They are disillusioned by how Afghanistan was handled (as in why did they watch friends die, maybe lose a limb themselves) and the woke stuff. I don’t think it’s entirely the job market and fat kids, though they are a factor.”
“Historically the military ranks are filled with conservatives. Sure, you have some liberals mixed in there but let’s face it, the “defend America” and “America First” kinda go hand in hand. So when you have a horrible leftist government like we have now, you have low recruiting.”
“For me, and the families of many of my friends and several neighbors, for their sons, it was obligatory to join our military before being allowed to study or get involved in their family’s businesses, for the past at least 4 generations. But now, nobody wants their kids to be indoctrinated against the values of our Founding Fathers and our country, let their kids have pervert superiors like men dressing as women, leave them exposed to DEI and other dividing strategies, and in case of war without adequate, well-operating weapons and vehicles, and sufficient ammunition. This makes, for this year alone, 4 non-recruits from this relatively small number of families, and I’m pretty sure, that many other families made their decisions for the same reasons.”
“I concur with some of the analysis as they are contributing factors! Yet, saying “woke” is overblown is a Dem talking point! Most who served or retired were great sales persons to younger generations or their children! That is definetly not the case now! As a retired military person, in the current environment, I don’t recommend the military! Its just the way it is!”
“Wokeness is PRECISELY the problem.”
“I live in a state with about 7% of our population are veterans… If 5 out of 7 of us are telling our kids “don’t do it” — Then there is no way to replace the numbers. Trust me I don’t want my kids learning what pronoun is appropriate when they should be learning a skill – even if that skill is self preservation,”
“As a 20+ year military veteran, trust me – it’s not drug use, obesity or health concerns. Young people don’t want to serve under a president bought and paid for by foreign countries, who can’t tell the truth, and who wants them to support insane woke policies. It really is that simple.”
“22 year vet from the Air Force. Agree totally with your assessment. I honestly can’t recommend the military right now until this woke stuff is gone.”
“I am a Gen Xer. In 2010 the Commandant of the Marine Corps did a base to base speaking tour. The SgtMaj of the Marine Corps made it clear that the USMC was going to Mirror society. December of 2010. Don’t ask, Don’t tell me as lifted. Though we all had our opinions. We all follow the Orders of the POTUS. I left 3 yes later. The change may have been good or bad, There are rules and regs while in uniform and Public Displays of affection. All that went to the wayside, leader were afraid to correct because of the possible repercussions that followed for good Marines. I retired 3 years later, when my son was a senior, I made it clear that it was his decision to serve, but the military have become a social experiment. He chose not to Join and I could not be happier. I loved the USMC, change is inevitable, but there must be good order and discipline.”
“If Feaver is one of the people the military is hiring to figure out what the issue is he is failing miserably. No one wants to join due to all the woke policies.”
“Newsflash: know your target market. Military leaders are playing politics and pandering to woke culture while abandoning their core recruiting population…not too hard to figure out.”
“Veterans as a group are one of the most important recruiters. Almost all my fellow members at my veteran’s organization (the largest in the US) feel the same. You would be hard pressed to find a member who still recommends military service today, that wasn’t the case a couple years ago.”
“I’m retired military 21 yrs. I would not join todays military with the liberal administration and liberal officers running the military today. would not recommend joining to anyone right now. need to purge liberal influence.”
“Won’t allow my grandson to serve!! The fact that Corps saved my life but this ain’t the Marine Corps or leadership that had!!”
“My family has a long tradition of service and when my grandson began discussing enlisting it really reinforced my concerns about this administration for a number of reasons. Besides incompetence in any number of areas including leadership, national, international, economic, defense, crime and educational policies, this administration appears to be living in a bubble that lacks self awareness and consists of only those with the same extreme views.
This administration doesn’t know its audience, the American people and how disastrously those policies affect everyday Americans. Those who serve generally come from strong family backgrounds with strong values and belief in America. How can this administration support “woke” policies in every corner of American life and expect our best young people to make the sacrifices of serving when their service and sacrifices are not valued? At schools and universities the teacher’s union and its minions daily bombard our youth with the message that America and all its institutions are bad. That the American family is bad. That race is the overarching benchmark through which all things must be viewed and judged. Even the current occupant of the Oval Office openly devalues the American people and Constitution saying he sees “nothing special about America” and openly disregarding the Constitution and courts when those institutions do not match the administration’s political rhetoric.
What message does this send to young people considering military service? While American policy has not always benefited those it intended to help, generally the American military has done far, far more good than any other of the world’s militaries and institutions. Americans serve because they believe they will always be doing good, defeating evil and bringing freedom to others. That is what drives young people to serve, the idea of doing good.”
“When you’re in the military and have to deal with woke, you’re dealing with it 24/7, 365 days a year. You’re on the clock 24 hrs a day. There is no escape, so yeah, it is a big reason why recruiting is down and retention is suffering also. It also seems by design. It’s no coincidence that the politicians who push woke policies also hate the military and everything that it stands for.”
“Wrong and they know it. The chain of legacy and family has been broken. Vets no longer see it as honorable to tell their children and grandchildren to enter something with policies like they have. Honor, strength, justice, valor, they don’t seem to be the foundation anymore. the core values have literally been replaced. The values that families joined generation by generation have been eroded….and yes by wokeness. So once those chains are broken, they will be nearly impossible to put back together.Impossible. My daughter made it to almost going to OCS for the Marines. Then she changed course. o much sticking it out through all the medical holds and information inquires she started to wonder what is she putting her life on the line for with Biden as CIC. She switched and walked away and now says it was the best choice she could have made. some members of our family were sad but they knew it wasn’t the same military they were in. As long as they continue to deny this, the problem will just grow.”
“I first enlisted when Reagan was CINC. I retired when BO was in the white house. When people in leadership believe in our nation, its history & values, recruitment increases. When leaders denigrate our heritage, criticize our history, & claim America is an evil nation, systemic racism is rampant, & we are guilty of many genocides, (as both BO & Brandon have always done) patriotism & national pride wane, & nobody is willing to join the military to defend the nation. When I retired, my retirement certificate was signed by BO, & it has no value to me. Wish I could have waited til President Trump was commander in chief.”
“These people will find any excuse other than the truth to avoid hurting their narrative. people don’t realize the real damage being done to our military and national security because of woke policies. woke policies that include Men coming to work dressed as women. woke policies that lead to a decline in patriotism and lack of appreciation for the flag and it’s meaning. kids being taught that the US is a horrible post colonial racist state. This problem will get much worse and watch how the military explains away the truth with further lies and manipulation. As countries are preparing for conflicts, the US is preparing for continued fights on how to define a woman.”
“A miles long article just to cloud the obvious…..you purged patriots from the military. What did you expect? You avoid recruiting patriots. You force vaxx mandates or else. You make woke cartoon recruiting commercials. You lead with Transvestites in leadership positions. And now you wonder why the military has recruiting issues. C’mon man!”
“The military doesn’t like to be called “woke”. They say it’s hurting their recruiting. Here’s an idea, DON’T BE WOKE! Instead they want to blame others for pointing out the truth. Their lying about not being woke only further adds to reasons not to trust the military.”
“Budweiser and Disney both say their policies have nothing to do with their poor performances either.”
“So having the most insane policies in the world doesn’t stop people from joining, but complaining about the most insane policies does stop people. Some kind of argument.”
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