A watchdog group is taking the Department of Defense (DoD) to court over its alleged refusal to release data on military promotions. The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA) claims that the DoD has ignored a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed in March seeking a breakdown of military promotions and nominations by race and gender over the past five years.
CASA suspects that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices may be influencing promotion decisions, and they want to ensure transparency in the process. The group believes that promotions in the military should be based on merit, not on factors related to diversity initiatives.
The lawsuit comes after CASA obtained slides from Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) recruitment standards last week. One slide, labeled “AFROTC White,” showed a graph detailing the Air Force’s goal of reducing the percentage of White AFROTC applicants from 60% in 2019 to a projected 50% in fiscal 2023, with a further decrease to 43% by fiscal 2029. The slide deck also included funding requests for diversity recruiting initiatives, including $500,000 for “diversity advertising campaigns” and $250,000 for “influencer engagements.”
The lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate surrounding DEI practices in the military. While some view DEI as essential for creating a more inclusive and equitable force, others argue that it can compromise merit-based promotion systems. CASA’s lawsuit seeks to shed light on how DEI is being implemented within the DoD and whether it is affecting promotion decisions.
This lawsuit comes at a time when the military is facing recruitment challenges. The Navy is expected to miss its recruiting goals in 2024, and the Marine Corps, Army, and Air Force are expected to meet their goals after the latter two missed their targets in 2022 and 2023. The DoD’s response to this lawsuit will be closely watched, as it could have significant implications for the future of DEI practices within the military.
