The Department of Defense (DOD) announced in a Friday press release that the Pentagon is launching a Diversity and Inclusion Committee made up of civilian intellectuals and former military personnel.
Each member of the new advisory committee has been appointed by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, according to the press release.
Retired Air Force General Lester Lyles will serve as the chairman. (RELATED: Air Force’s ‘Gender Inclusive’ Training Tells Cadets To Avoid Using ‘Mom,’ ‘Dad’)
NEW: @SecDef has appointed retired Air Force Gen. Lester Lyles to chair a new Defense Advisory Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.
Other members include former senior enlisted, officers and civilian experts.
More here: https://t.co/SffmjyxPW6
— Paul Szoldra (@PaulSzoldra) September 23, 2022
Lyles lauded the creation of the committee, saying, “this year marks a historical event as the first committee to provide the Secretary of Defense with advice and recommendations to improve racial/ethnic diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity as a force multiplier in the military,” the release noted.
Committee appointees will provide “recommendations on matters and policies relating to the improvement of racial/ethnic diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity within the Department with a primary focus on military personnel.”
The Pentagon has previously come under fire over its handling of similar social issues, and is currently investigating a diversity chief who reportedly sent out a flurry of tweets that were derided as derogatory toward white people.
Could a “woke diversity chief” actually be brought to Justice? https://t.co/kaTu4msSjX
— Dr. Gina – RAV (@RealAmVoice) (@RealDrGina) September 21, 2022
The Pentagon does not have a timeline for that investigation at the moment, according to a report by Fox News.
Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz lambasted Austin and the DOD for focusing too much on social issues and less on maximizing military capabilities. “While everyone in the world seems to be developing capabilities and being more strategic, we’ve got time to teach critical race theory at West Point, to embrace socialism in the National Defense University, to do mandatory pronoun training,” the congressman said.