Crewmen Waiting To Be Rescued Don’t Need DEI, They Need A Competent Military

s the details of the complex, daring, and successful rescue of two downed F-15E crewmen recently emerged, America and the world stood amazed at the expertise, commitment, ingenuity, and bravery of those who lead and serve in the U.S. armed forces. From the senior leadership who ordered the mission, to the downed crewmen, who followed their training and evaded capture, to the A-10 pilots who provided air support, to the special operators who lifted the crewmen onto helicopters for evacuation, to the helicopter pilots who took incoming fire but never wavered in their commitment to get to the downed crewmen, to the support personnel who played a critical role, the entire operation demonstrated the skill and competence of everyone involved.

The American military is the best in the history of the world.

But will it remain that way? The question before Congress as it prepares to write the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is whether the merit principles that have produced the best military in the history of the world should be codified. The failure to do so will allow a future administration to reinstate the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices of the Obama-Biden era and emphasize identity preferences over professional competence.