The Air Force Academy has adopted diversity training that encourages cadets to be “color conscious” instead of “colorblind,” and to use language to affirm “all genders,” per a report.
A diversity and inclusion training by the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado instructs cadets to use words that “include all genders” and to refrain from saying words like “mom” and “dad,” according to Fox News.
Included in the presentation called, “Diversity & Inclusion: What it is, why we care, & what we can do,” military members are encouraged to use “person-centered” and gender-neutral language when describing 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,'” the presentation advises, according to Fox News.
The Air Force’s training goes on to encourage its members to “use words that include all genders​: ‘Folks’ or ‘Y’all’ instead of ‘guys’; ‘partner’ vs. ‘boyfriend or girlfriend.’” Cadets are also encouraged that they are “Not ‘Colorblind’ or ‘I don’t see color,’ but Color Conscious,” adding, “We see Color/Patterns AND VALUE people for their uniqueness.”
At another point in the diversity and inclusion training, the academy asserts that this training is vital in making “warfighters” who are “prepared to lead the USAF/USSF with character.”
Additionally, the training assures cadets, “What’s said here, stays in the room (let’s have each other’s backs)​,” and listeners are advised to not “share people’s stories with their name/identifiers).” It also encourages cadets to think about how to help his or her squad “feel valued.”
Green Beret and Afghan War veteran Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) weighed in on the training during an interview with Fox News Digital saying for as long as there has been a military, receiving letters from your parents or your boyfriend or girlfriend has been customary.
“Now we’re instructing every cadet entering the Air Force to not say mom and dad, to not say boyfriend or girlfriend, and this kind of drive towards gender neutrality,” Waltz said. “I think the Air Force should be worried about the macro aggressions against America that are happening all over the world.”
Also a ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, the congressmen said this training is a problem because it creates a “separate, parallel chain of command.”
“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,” Waltz said in reference to the program.
The congressman went on to assert, “Not only do they have diversity and equity officers in the cadet 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.”
