DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION? OR MARXIST INDOCTRINATION: The decision to relieve a junior Space Force commander of his responsibilities at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, is fueling growing debate about whether Marxist ideology is poisoning the apolitical tradition of the U.S. military.
In an interview on the Steve Gruber Show podcast, Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier said, “Since taking command as a commander about 10 months ago, I saw what I consider fundamentally incompatible and competing narratives of what America was, is, and should be that wasn't just prolific on social media or spreading throughout the country during this past year, but it was spreading throughout the United States military, and I had recognized those narratives as being Marxist in nature.”
SPACE FORCE OFFICER RELIEVED OF POST AFTER DENOUNCING MARXIST IDEOLOGY AND CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN MILITARY
" Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting , Space Operations Command commander, relieved Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier of command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, May 14, due to loss of trust and confidence in his ability to lead," the Space Force said in a statement to the Washington Examiner .
"My intent never has been to engage in partisan politics. I have written a book about a particular political ideology (Marxism) in the hope that our Defense Department might return to being politically nonpartisan in the future as it has honorably done throughout history," he told Military.com .
Lohmeier said he was asked to train his troops with extremism training and was given a “70-page” booklet of “talking points.”
"The diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military ... is rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism," he said.
SPACE FORCE OFFICER'S BOOK ON MARXISM IN THE MILITARY SOARS TO TOP OF BESTSELLER LIST AFTER BEING RELIEVED OF COMMAND
RETIRED OFFICERS WARN OF ‘HARD LEFT TURN’: The flap over Lohmeier’s book comes just days after 124 retired generals and admirals released an open letter warning the nation is in “deep peril,” with ”supporters of Socialism and Marxism vs. supporters of Constitutional freedom and liberty.”
The letter is signed by a number of well-known conservative retired senior officers, including Army Brig. Gen. Don Bolduc , who is running for the Senate in New Hampshire, Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin , who was deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence during the administration of President George W. Bush , and Vice Adm. John Poindexter , deputy national security adviser for President Ronald Reagan.
“Under a Democrat Congress and the Current Administration, our Country has taken a hard left turn toward Socialism and a Marxist form of tyrannical government which must be countered,” the letter says.
The group calling itself “Flag Officers 4 America” also accused the Biden administration of “using the U.S. military as political pawns with thousands of troops deployed around the U.S. Capitol” and “forcing politically correct policies like the divisive critical race theory into the military.”
The retired officers also question President Joe Biden’s “mental and physical condition” as commander in chief. “He must be able to quickly make accurate national security decisions involving life and limb anywhere, day or night.”
The letter was denounced by former Joint Chiefs Chairman retired Adm. Mike Mullen . “I think it hurts the military and by extension it hurts the country," Mullen told Politico , describing it as replete with "right-wing Republican talking points."
MORE THAN 120 RETIRED GENERALS AND ADMIRALS SIGN LETTER QUESTIONING 2020 ELECTION AND BIDEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense , written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre ( @jamiejmcintyre ) and edited by Victor I. Nava . Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com . If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense .
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MASK-FREE AT DOD: Another sign the pandemic is ending: The Pentagon announced Friday that face masks will no longer be required at Department of Defense facilities for anyone who is fully vaccinated.
The word came in a memo from Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks , who wrote that “fully vaccinated DOD personnel (who are at least two weeks beyond their final dose) are no longer required to wear a mask indoors or outdoors at DOD facilities.”
The memo gives commanders and supervisor the right to make exceptions to “ensure a safe workforce,” but notes, “Commanders and supervisors should not ask about an employee's vaccination status or use information about an employee's vaccination status to make decisions about how and when employees will report to a workplace instead of teleworking.”
DOD QUIET ON ISRAEL: As Israel continues to conduct punishing airstrikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, the Pentagon has had little comment on what is becoming an all-out war.
On Friday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his counterpart Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz.
“Secretary Austin reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself,” said a brief Pentagon readout of the call. “He strongly condemned the continued onslaught of attacks by Hamas and other terrorist groups targeting Israeli civilians. The Secretary shared his view on the need to restore calm.”
‘WE MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS GONE’: On CBS yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended a Saturday strike that collapsed a 12-story building housing the Associated Press , broadcaster Al-Jazeera, and other media, noting the Israeli military gave the building occupants a full hour to evacuate before destroying the high-rise structure.
“Here's the intelligence we had,” Netanyahu said. “[It’s] an intelligence office for the Palestinian terrorist organization housed in that building that plots and organizes the terror attacks against Israeli civilians. So, it's a perfectly legitimate target.”
“And I can tell you that we took every precaution to make sure that there were no civilian injuries, in fact, no deaths, no injuries whatsoever,” he said. “Ask yourself, how is that possible? You see these high-rise towers that are used by Hamas over and over again. They collapse, and no one is killed. Why does that happen? Because we, unlike Hamas, take special precautions to tell people, leave the building, leave the premises. We make sure that everyone is gone before we bring down those terrorist facilities. And that's the difference between Israel and Hamas.”
POSSIBLE WAR CRIME: Meanwhile, the Associated Press’s top editor is calling for an independent investigation into the airstrike, saying, “the public deserves to know the facts.”
“We heard Israelis say they have evidence; we don’t know what that evidence is,” said Sally Buzbee , the Associated Press’s executive editor. “We think it’s appropriate at this point for there to be an independent look at what happened yesterday — an independent investigation.”
Separately, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s bombing of a building housing the media organizations as a possible war crime.
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The Rundown
The National Interest : Opinion: Joe Biden’s Iran Policy Is One Giant Nuclear Mistake
Washington Examiner : Air Force tests 'Skyborg' brain to fly jets without remote piloting
Washington Examiner : Vandenberg Air Force Base renamed to reflect key role in US Space Force
Washington Examiner : Space Force officer relieved of post after denouncing Marxist ideology and critical race theory in military: Report
Washington Examiner : Space force officer's book on Marxism in the military soars to top of bestseller list after being relieved of command
Washington Examiner : Three pieces of advice Trump's first Air Force secretary has for Biden’s nominee
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Defense One : Opinion: Should We Care About That Letter?
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Calendar
MONDAY | MAY 17
9:30 a.m. — Henry L. Stimson Center and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute a webinar: "Recent Trends in Global Arms Transfers and Military Spending,” Nan Tian , senior researcher at the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditures Program; Pieter Wezeman , senior researcher at the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditures Program; Lauren Woods , director of the Center for International Policy's Security Assistance Monitor; and Rachel Stohl , vice president of Stimson https://www.stimson.org/event
11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual book discussion on "Sam Nunn: Statesman of the Nuclear Age,” with former Sen. Sam Nunn , D-Ga., co-founder of the Nuclear Threat Initiative and chairman emeritus of the CSIS Board of Trustees; author Frank Jones ; and Laura Holgatge , vice president for materials risk management at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. https://www.csis.org/events/sam-nunn-statesman-nuclear-age
2 p.m. — Arms Control Association webinar: “Smarter Options on U.S. Nuclear Modernization,” with Rep. John Garamendi , D-Calif.; former White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Assistant Director Steve Fetter, dean of the University of Maryland Graduate School; Sharon Weiner , associate professor at American University; and Amy Woolf , specialist in nuclear weapons policy at the Congressional Research Service. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register
3:30 p.m. — Heritage Foundation webinar: “It's Time to Repeal the Iraq War Authorizations,” with Sen. Tim Kaine , D-Va.; Sen. Todd Young , R-Ind.; and Charles Stimson , senior legal fellow and manager of the Heritage National Security Law Program. https://www.heritage.org/defense/event
TUESDAY | MAY 18
9 a.m. — Intelligence National Security Alliance virtual discussion with Margaret Augustine , CIA procurement executive. https://www.insaonline.org/event/coffee-conversation
9:30 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nomination of Gen. Paul LaCamera to be commander of the United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea. http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing: “The U.S.-Afghanistan Relationship Following the Military Withdrawal,” with Special Representative on Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad ; and Karen Freeman , acting assistant administrator for Asia in the U.S. Agency for International Development. http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
10 a.m. 216 Hart — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing on the National Guard and Reserve, with Gen. Daniel Hokanson , chief of the National Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. Jody Daniels , chief of the Army Reserve; Vice Adm. John Mustin , chief of the Navy Reserve; and Lt. Gen. David Bellon , commander of the Marine Forces Reserve. http://appropriations.senate.gov
10 a.m. — House Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on "Air Force Quality of Life and Installations Update,” with Joanne Bass , chief master sergeant of the Air Force; Brig. Gen. William Kale , Air Force director of civil engineers; and Roger Towberman , chief master sergeant of the Space Force. http://appropriations.house.gov Livestream at https://youtu.be/bi8cAPCXHtA
10 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “The Marine Corps and the future of warfare,” with Gen. David Berger , commandant, U.S. Marine Corps; and Michael O’Hanlon , senior fellow and director of research, foreign policy, The Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/events
10 a.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association TechNet Augusta Virtual Solution Series conference, with Maj. Gen. Neil Hersey , commanding general of the Army Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon; and Lt. Gen. Stephen Fogarty, commanding general of the Army Cyber Command; Ronald Pontius , deputy to the commanding general of the Army Cyber Command; Manuel Hermosilla, executive director of the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet; Jeffrey Jones , vice director of command, control, communications and computers/cyber and deputy CIO of the Joint Staff, J6; and Brig. Gen. Bradley Pyburn , deputy commander of the Sixteenth Air Force. https://events.afcea.org/Augusta20/public/enter.aspx
10:30 a.m. — Mitchell Institute releases research report, “Building an Agile Force: The Imperative for Speed and Adaptation in the U.S. Aerospace Industrial Base,” with retired Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula , dean of the Mitchell Institute; author Heather Penney ; and DARPA Strategic Technology Office's Tim Grayson . https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation
1 p.m. — Center for Security Policy webinar: “In-Depth Discussion of Biden’s National Security Failures,” with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo . https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/events/mike-pompeo
1 p.m. — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association virtual discussion, with Air Force Col. Jeffrey Phillips , commander of the 67th Cyber Wing. https://www.alamoafcea.org/event/luncheon
2:15 p.m. — Gen. Richard Clarke , commanding general of U.S. Special Operations Command, delivers keynote address to the National Defense Industrial Association virtual 2021 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference. https://www.sofic.org/
2:30 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee hearing on "Cybersecurity of the Defense Industrial Base,” with Rear Adm. William Chase , deputy principal cyber adviser to the defense secretary and director of the Protecting Critical Technology Task Force; and Jesse Salazar , deputy assistant defense secretary for industrial policy. http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
4 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee and Readiness Subcommittee joint hearing on "Posture and Readiness of the Mobility Enterprise,” with Gen. Stephen Lyons , commander of the U.S. Transportation Command; Lucinda Lessley , deputy administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration; and Kevin Tokarski, associate administrator for strategic airlift at the U.S. Maritime Administration http://www.armedservices.house.gov
WEDNESDAY | MAY 19
4:40 p.m — National Defense Industrial Association virtual 2021 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, with Katie Arrington , chief information security officer for acquisition and sustainment in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition. https://www.sofic.org
10 a.m. 2172 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Committee markup of H.R.922, the "Crimea Annexation Non-Recognition Act"; H.R.2785, the "Energy Resource Governance Initiative Act of 2021"; Legislation to repeal the 1991 Authorization for the Use of Military Force against Iraq Resolution; Legislation to repeal the 1957 Middle East Use of Force Authorization. http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
10:30 a.m. — House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee hearing: “The FY2022 DOE Budget,” with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm . http://energycommerce.house.gov
11 a.m. — President Joe Biden delivers commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s class of 2021 graduation ceremony New London, Conn. https://player.vimeo.com/video/542198025
11 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing on "Recommendations of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service,” with Joseph Heck , chairman of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service; Mark Gearan , vice chairman for national and public service for the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service; and Steve Barney , commissioner of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service. http://www.armedservices.house.gov
12 p.m. — Washington Space Business Roundtable webinar: “How Cutting the Cost and Time to Deploy Spacecraft May Revolutionize Military Space Planning,” with Air Force Col. Robert Bongiovi , director of U.S. Space Force. https://www.wsbr.org/events
2 p.m. — American Security Project virtual discussion, “Military Base Resilience in Tampa Bay,” with retired Vice Adm. Lee Gunn , former Navy inspector general; and retired Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Stephen Cheney , ASP president https://www.americansecurityproject.org/event
3 p.m. — House Administration Committee hearing on "Reforming the Capitol Police and Improving Accountability for the Capitol Police Board." https://cha.house.gov Livestream at https://youtu.be/PEvLlCV4K9c
3 p.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on "Military Infrastructure and Climate Resilience,” with Richard Kidd , deputy assistant Defense secretary for environment and energy resilience; and Jack Surash , senior official performing the duties of assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and environment http://appropriations.senate.gov
4:30 p.m. 232-A Russell — Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee hearing on the atomic defense activities and programs in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2022 and future years defense program, with Adm. James Caldwell , deputy administrator for National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of Naval Reactors; William White , acting assistant Energy secretary for environmental management; and Charles Verdon , acting administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration http://www.armed-services.senate.gov
THURSDAY | MAY 20
1 p.m. — Center for a New American Security releases new report: “More than Half the Battle: Information and Command in a New American Way of War," with author Chris Dougherty . https://www.cnas.org/events/cnas-report-rollout
4 p.m. — Politics and Prose Bookstore virtual book discussion on "The Hardest Place: The American Military Adrift in Afghanistan's Pech Valley,” with author Wesley Morgan ; and Martha Raddatz , chief global affairs correspondent at ABC News. https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book
FRIDAY | MAY 21
10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webinar: “The Role of Integrated Air and Missile Defense for Strategic Deterrence,” Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler , commander of U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command. https://www.csis.org/events
12 p.m. — Hudson Institute webinar, “Ukraine's Latest Security Crisis,” with Assistant NATO Secretary General for Intelligence and Security David Cattler ; Assistant NATO Secretary General for Public Diplomacy Baiba Braze ; Luke Coffey , director of the Heritage Foundation's Center for Foreign Policy; and Peter Rough , senior fellow at Hudson https://www.hudson.org/events
SATURDAY | MAY 22
10 a.m. — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin delivers commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy’s class of 2021 graduation ceremony at West Point, New York. Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/channel
TUESDAY | MAY 25
10 a.m. 106 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Committee hearing: “A Review of the FY2022 State Department Budget Request,” with Secretary of State Antony Blinken . http://appropriations.senate.gov
1 p.m. — Center for a New American Security “virtual fireside chat” with Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr ., chief of staff of the Air Force, and Stacie Pettyjohn , senior fellow and director defense program, CNAS. https://www.cnas.org/events/special-event-virtual-fireside-chat
WEDNESDAY | MAY 26
11:30 a.m. EDT — Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley delivers commencement address at the Air Force Academy’s class of 2021 graduation ceremony at Colorado Springs, Co. https://www.usafa.edu
1 p.m. —˜ House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on "The State Department's Foreign Policy Strategy and FY2022 Budget Request." http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
FRIDAY | MAY 28
10 a.m. — Vice President Kamala Harris delivers commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy’s class of 2021 graduation ceremony in Annapolis, Md. https://www.usna.edu
MONDAY | MAY 31
Memorial Day — No Daily on Defense
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Unlike Hamas, [we] take special precautions to tell people, leave the building, leave the premises. We make sure that everyone is gone before we bring down those terrorist facilities. And that's the difference between Israel and Hamas.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on CBS, defending the Israeli airstrike Saturday that destroyed a 12-story building in Gaza housing the AP and Al-Jazeera.
Local News
