(ConservativeSense.com) – Is “woke” ideology hindering the readiness of the US military to respond to potential threats from China or other foreign nations? That’s what many GOP lawmakers believe is going on as military standards decline.
Despite pushback from Republicans, President Joe Biden’s administration and Pentagon officials have attempted to shut down the narrative that left-wing ideology, often referred to as “wokeness” and which fixates on identity politics, is leading to decreased military professionalism, planning, and readiness.
While the Army is failing to meet its goals for recruitment and retention, critics of the Republican narrative cite data from polls to explain away the cause of this problem as “safety” concerns. A year ago, US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth denied such an issue existed.
In June, a top Air Force leader said she spoke with many other service members who are concerned about falling standards and that these problems could result in the US military falling behind Russia and China. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. JoAnne S. Bass said that based on her “travels and conversations with Airmen of all ranks,” she “noticed a common concern” about the decline in standards. Bass noted that, historically, whenever “standards erode,” the “capabilities and readiness” of the military also decline.
Critics argue that by prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) programs over training and other typical military standards, the country is becoming ill-equipped to stand a chance in any future conflicts. Repairs are also slowing down, weapon replenishment is slowing down, and recruitment is slowing down.
Another likely reason for this lack of new soldiers is vaccine mandates, which correlate with “woke” ideology in the sense that those who subscribe to such worldviews are more likely to support these policies.
After the 2020 pandemic, vaccine mandates rolled out across the country and became enforced in the US military. Many who would’ve enlisted changed their lifepath, and many who were already enlisted left the military instead of taking the vaccine, resulting in a massive purge.
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