“I don’t know what that is.” So clueless, living in a bubble not even being aware of that so many service members, veterans and families believe the military has gone woke. Pop out of the Beltway Bubble! See video below.
By Micaela Burrow, The Daily Caller News Foundation
The top Army official for personnel deflected a GOP representative’s concerns at a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday that growing perceptions of military politicization among Americans have tanked recruiting.
Army surveys have found that policies in the Department of Defense that appear intended to instill a progressive ideology in the U.S. military are not a major factor contributing to the service’s historic recruiting crisis.
However, after Military Personnel Subcommittee Chairman Jim Banks asked what the Army is doing to address perceptions of politicization, Army Assistant Secretary for Manpower & Reserve Affairs Agnes Schaefer could not provide specific steps the service has taken.
“We are demonstrating that we are being apolitical. Our policies are really centered around our servicemembers,” she said.
Schaefer did say the Army should worry about why a large number of Americans, including military veterans and conservative lawmakers, see wokeness as a major problem afflicting the U.S. military.
“I’m not sure why there’s an underlying perception that we are political. I don’t know what that is, and I think we need to dig into that more,” Schaefer told a panel of members on the committee focused on military personnel.
The Army has consistently maintained that wokeness, such as the military’s promotion of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies, are not a concern for recruiting. (OUR NOTE: No? Perhaps read the thousand quotes in Evidence that the DEI/CRT agenda in the military DOES hurt recruiting and retention)
“Would you disagree that wokeness is a top recruiting issue for the Army?” Banks asked.
“If people have that perception then we need to address it. The data that we have seen indicates that it’s not one of the top concerns,” Schaefer responded.
Potential recruits cited fear of mental or physical injury as major barriers to joining the Army in a survey conducted in February and shared partially with the Associated Press. Respondents most often selected “I’d be putting the rest of my life on hold” as a barrier to service, followed by concerns over discrimination and failed leadership.
“The Army is placing too much emphasis on ‘wokeness’” placed number 9 out of 16 possible reasons, putting that as the top concern just 5% of the time.
“I’m worried about all of those barriers that they cite,” Schaefer said.
Schaefer brought up the growing lack of familiarity with the Army among young people as another barrier, one commonly discussed by top service officials.
Banks leaned on a poll of 300 military veterans conducted in September, where the “woke agenda” came in as the third highest issue facing the U.S. military.
Nearly three quarters of respondents also said that “recently the U.S. military has become too political with regard to things like racial equity” and LGBTQ issues.
A majority agreed that U.S. military leadership support on controversial social issues, such as transgenderism, is negatively impacting recruitment and agreed that the Biden administration is pushing liberal policies on the military.
The On Message polling firm conducted the survey for the American Principles Project.
In a recent Reagan National Defense Survey, most respondents cited possible exposure to danger as a reason not to join the military. Concerns over politicization came in third.
Congressman Jim Banks Grills Top Army Official About ‘Woke’ Military Policy Hampering Recruitment
Some Comments on the Video:
“My last commander of my unit in the Airforce, called all of us “humans” because she was so concerned about not offending anyone and wanted to talk about our pronouns all the time. This was 2021.”
“I work for the Federal Government and i get an LGBTQ email every month. Constantly getting it shoved in my face. Gets old!!”
“DEI and the alphabet movement is a good way to isolate the majority of possible canidates. Pandering to maybe 10 percent of the population is a good way to tank recuritment numbers and guess what its showing. Its the military, DEI and sexual inclusion shouldn’t even be an issue. Everyone is a soldier. Our enemies are fueling these movement to weaken our country and military and its working.”
“I would never encourage anyone to join the US military nowadays. I retired from the Army in 1992 and live outside Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) and am thoroughly disgusted with how the Army is run nowadays.”
“”I’m unaware of the perception, I’m not sure where that came from” Really? Been living under a rock or something? Say hi to SpongeBob and Patrick for me.”
“I retired from the Army and have not recommended it to my son due to progressives. He was smart enough to reach that conclusion himself.”
“I am a veteran. I also agree that the military is now too political that’s a very bad problem.”
“As a Vet who has spoken with SM’s and other Vets we most definitely think there is a woke problem.”
“My Husband just retired after 23 years and he would have stayed in and gave them 30 if they hadn’t went woke and political and every single friend of his says the same! I did 8 years 2002-2010, not only do I not suggest to my own children and family members to NOT join, I actively caution against it at all cost! We don’t fight for a country who has made it known that they hate us!”
“I’m a vet….and I’m one that tells people to not join these days. It was getting too soft as I was ETSing, but my god it’s a total embarrassment now. When a pronoun is more important than getting a vet good VA services….you have failed those service members.”
“I’ve been retired for 22 years and this woman is embarrassing. I hang my head ashamed of my Army.”
“I’m literally one of the ppl who hasn’t joined YET, because of this.”
“My son’s ship just received a man who is waiting to have sex reassignment surgery and they had to go through around round of dei training. We are heading into war and the navy is worried about chopping off genitals and wokeness training. That’s why no one wants to enlist.”
Another one of the 86% of Pentagon policy positions filled by a woman:
Part of Poll (click to enlarge):
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