An inclusion and diversity training by the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado instructs cadets to refrain from saying things like “dad” and “mom” and use words that “include all genders.”
The slide presentation used is titled, “Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do,” and use gender-neutral and “person-centered” language to describe individuals. “Some families are headed by single parents, grandparents, foster parents, two moms, two dads, etc.: consider ‘parent or caregiver’ instead of ‘mom and dad.’ Use words that include all genders: ‘Folks’ or ‘Y’all’ instead of ‘guys’; ‘partner’ vs. ‘boyfriend or girlfriend,’ states the presentation.
Documents shared by Republican Representative Mike Waltz of Florida, an Afghan War veteran and Green Beret, verified by Fox News Digital, alarmed cadets. Waltz pointed out that “it’s been a tradition in the military to get letters from mom and dad or your boyfriend and girlfriend for as long as there’s been a military.”
He continued, “I think our Air Force should be worried about the macro aggressions against America that are happening all over the world.”
At the start of the training, cadets are reassured that “what’s said here, stays in the room (let’s have each other’s backs),” and cadets are told to not “share people’s stories with their name/identifiers).” At the conclusion of the presentation, cadets are informed of additional D&I resources on the academy’s Colorado Springs campus, including “Affinity groups,” and “D&I Reading Room.”
According to the Air Force Academy’s website, affinity groups can be “identity-based,” “cadet experience-based,” or “interest/career-based” and help cadets “gather around a shared affinity or bond.” An academy memo dated August 2021 proposed the D&I program saying it would create “champions of dignity and respect to foster an inclusive climate in the Cadet Wing.”
Ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, Rep. Waltz told Fox News Digital that the structure of the program is concerning because it seems to create a “separate, parallel chain of command.” He continued, “To those of us who are a little bit older, it reminds us of what the Soviets used to do or what the Chinese do today, where they literally have political commissars inserted at every level end of the chain of command, but they have a separate reporting chain to ensure that the military is abiding by their ideology and their political doctrine.”
Rep. Waltz: Cadets’ concern warranted
According to Waltz, the cadets’ concern is warranted. “Not only do they have diversity and equity officers in the caded chain of command, they wear a special insignia, which is exactly what the political commissars — they would wear an armband in both the Soviet army and now in the Chinese Communist military. I just think there are some really alarming parallels.”
Representative Waltz said he hopes Republicans reclaim control of the House in the November midterms and he can eventually become chairman of the Subcommittee on Readiness, which has oversight of all trainings across the U.S. military academies and military.
Waltz says he has received documents from cadets and families of cadets who are upset and “disturbed” by the radical direction of teachings at military academies. The United States Military Academy at West Point already hosted a lecture entitled, “Understanding Whiteness and White Rage,” warned Waltz.
“That is absolutely destructive to morale, to unity, to everything that I know from a military, that by the way, integrated way before the rest of the country in 1948.”
