Some service members have sounded the alarm against an "extremely woke" military, which they see as weak. Critics of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs – often using the term "woke" – have most recently tied it to military recruiting and readiness concerns at the Pentagon. The Heritage Foundation argues that "wokeness" in the military is being imposed by elected and appointed leaders in the White House, Congress and the Pentagon who have little understanding of the purpose, character, traditions and requirements of the institution they are trying to change. Service members have sounded the alarm against an "extremely woke" military, which they see as weak and putting "wokeness" before training and combat effectiveness.
“Woke” policies in the military are seen as undermining military readiness in various ways. Woke ideology undermines cohesiveness by emphasizing differences based on race, ethnicity and gender. It undermines leadership authority by introducing questions about whether promotion is based on merit or quota requirements. It leads to military personnel being distracted from their primary mission.
It also affects relations between the military and society at large. It acts as a disincentive for many young Americans in terms of enlistment. And it undermines wholehearted support for the military by a significant portion of the American public at a time when it is needed the most. Lawmakers have accused the Army of ignoring "woke" policies that hurt recruiting.
In conclusion meritocracy is essential to be a fighting machine, it demands merit, not wokeness, i.e. equity and promotion by color and gender. The case for merit is key for a military that can take on China and Russia, who certainly are not woke.
The Trust Project
