October 2022 — MHCE
News from MHCE OCTOBER 2022 EDITION Ukraine Piles Pressure on Retreating Russian Troops See page 22 Monthly Newsletter WWW.MHCE.US So, "parents/caregivers/ guardians" instead of "mom and dad." And "ya'll/team/squaddies/ everyone/folks," instead of "you guys." It also discouraged cadets from using terms such as "colorblind." Air Force Academy's 'Mom/Dad' Controversy Draws Renewed Attention to a Modern, Military-Wide Debate The "woke wars" that have been raging in U.S. culture for the past few years have now arrived full force in military academies, as evidenced by the recent controversy over a diversity and inclusion briefing at the Air Force Academy — and the academy's defense of the program. Academy officials say such diversity training is long overdue and will build better leaders, while critics worry about what appears to be a changing culture and focus in the military and its institutions that will be to the detriment of the nation's defenses. One slide presented as part of the training program bore language that encouraged cadets to "recognize diverse family formation" by using broad terminology that avoided gendered references. The academy said the slide was taken out of context; cadets aren't prohibited from using the terms "mom" and "dad," as some news reports claimed, and the information presented as part of the training was "not intended to stand alone." But the academy's response has only served to fuel ongoing controversy about so-called wokeism in the military, a debate that was re-stirred after images of the AFA training slides were shared beyond the campus north of Colorado Springs last month, reported on by Fox News Digital and then a slew of other outlets. The slides , visual aids used in a moderated presentation at the academy — and the only elements of the presentation subsequently leaked to the media — made their points in a series of bullet points. One slide encouraged cadets to use "person-centered" and "inclusive language" that doesn't imply presumptions about others' situations, preferred pronouns or family life. A second slide explained that diversity and inclusion are key to developing warfighters who are prepared to lead the Air Force and Space Force "with character." "How can we Lift Others (motivate our teams) if we don't know our people?" it asked, citing a 2016 study that found "Diverse teams outperform other teams." Some who oppose the language on the slides do so amid what they believe is a groundswell aimed at fundamentally changing military culture. Some also now say their beef isn't only with the language and training but the academy's response to those who cried foul. "The issue to us grads is, we belong to an institution that prides itself on an honor code," said retired Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop, a 1974 academy grad and chairman of the board Continued on page 12
