Diversity Actually Is Strength

Friend of the blog Amy McGrath on Pete Hegseth’s War on Diversity:

Diversity of thought, gender, background, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, etc. is crucial to a well-rounded, lethal (yes, lethal) force. It is vital, when building and maintaining the strongest military in the world, to have people with different linguistic, medical, communication, and technical skills, not to mention a myriad of other talents. Intelligence, professionalism, and endurance come in more than just one (white, bro-shaped) package, and our military would be deeply weakened by a lesser variety of perspectives and skillsets.

To take it a step further with one measure of “diversity,” we need women in our military. During his recent address to Congress President Trump noted that the Army had its best recruiting month in fifteen years. The US Army is doing that BECAUSE of women. According to data cited on Military.com, “nearly 10,000 women signed up for active duty in the US Army in 2024, an 18% jump from the previous year, while male recruitment increased by just 8%.” It is counterproductive to erase the accomplishments of women and minorities when, historically, they are two groups who have to work harder and longer to achieve the same successes as white men. Women graduate from high school at higher rates and with better grades than men. Women attend college at higher rates than men. Women commit fewer crimes than men. It’s hard to argue that women are not qualified to serve (and be celebrated), when most measurable categories say otherwise.

Hegseth and Trump know this, though. They have access to the same studies I do. They have the ability to enlist the best advice possible and to surround themselves with leaders who will underscore the above. But they choose not to because rewriting history, dismissing women, and playing into their version of “manhood” is more important than maintaining global military readiness. And that should concern us all.

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