Grothman: Progressive Agenda Undermines U.S. Military Readiness

WASHINGTON –Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs Chairman Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) delivered opening remarks at a subcommittee hearing titled “The Risks of Progressive Ideologies in the U.S. Military.”In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Grothman pointed out the U.S. military is grappling with the Biden Administration’s social experiments of integrating principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion—or “DEI”—into their ranks. He continued by emphasizing our military must remain a meritocracy where individuals are evaluated and promoted based on their skills, competence, and dedication to duty. He closed by thanking the expert witnesses for appearing before the subcommittee.

Below are Subcommittee Chairman Grothman’s remarks as prepared for delivery.

Good morning. I want to welcome everyone to this hearing before the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border and Foreign Affairs.

Today’s hearing is on “The Risks of Progressive Ideologies in the U.S. Military.”

I want to express gratitude to our witnesses for being here today. It is my sincere hope that this hearing provides a platform for a constructive dialogue on the issues that face our nation’s military.

The questions we intend to address today are not just about military readiness, or the military’s personnel system, but how ideological concerns and debates within civil society are imported into and impact the military’s ability to recruit, train, and operate effectively in a dynamic threat environment.

The term “wokeness” has become a topic of discussion, both within and outside military circles, prompting us to scrutinize how ideological shifts may impact the readiness and effectiveness of our armed forces.

Our military is grappling with the Biden Administration’s social experiments of integrating principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion—or “DEI”—into their ranks.

The Pentagon often fails to recognize the financial burden these priorities place on taxpayers—with DEI managers often making over $180,000 per year.

In fact, the Department of Defense recently requested $114.7 million for diversity and inclusion initiatives as part of the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 Budget request.

To be clear, acknowledging the various experiences of our servicemembers may have the potential to enhance our overall strength and resilience as a nation and fighting force.

But at the end of the day, our differences must yield to what we have in common.  A duty to protect the American freedoms we hold so dear.

I have concerns with how the DEI bureaucracy implements an ideological agenda within the military framework that has the potential to divide instead of build up; a potential to harm unit cohesion and undermine our soldiers’ effectiveness.

We need to understand the influence of progressive ideologies on military policy, training, and overall culture.

We need to understand the extent to which ideological considerations are shaping decision-making processes.

Our armed forces have long been a bastion of meritocracy, where individuals are evaluated and promoted based on their skills, competence, and dedication to duty.

It is crucial that we examine whether the emphasis on ideological frameworks is affecting the core principles of a merit-based military.

At today’s hearing, we aim to understand the implications of these ideological shifts on military readiness and mission effectiveness.

Our witnesses will provide insights into how these ideologies may influence training, operational procedures, and the overall cohesiveness of our military units.

This hearing is an examination of how ideological considerations, even perhaps well intentioned in some cases, erode the fundamental principles that have historically defined our military and ensure unit cohesion and force readiness.

Our focus is to ensure that our military remains a beacon of excellence, while adapting to the evolving needs of our nation and the threats we face from our adversaries.

It’s about leveraging the full spectrum of talent within our nation for the collective strength of our armed forces.

Thank you again for appearing here today, and I look forward to the discussions that will unfold during today’s hearing.