16977: BHM 2025—US Department Of Defense.

While President Donald J. Trump issued a proclamation recognizing February 2025 as National Black History Month, the US Department of Defense issued a memo (depicted above) bombing BHM celebrations—which led to the Air Force temporarily removing videos featuring the Tuskegee Airmen from basic military training courses.

 

The cultural cluelessness is indefensible.

 

Pentagon agency pauses celebrations for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month and more

 

By Tara Copp

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department’s intelligence agency has paused observances of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Pride Month, Holocaust Days of Remembrance and other cultural or historical annual events in response to President Donald Trump’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal workplace.

 

The instructions were published Tuesday in a Defense Intelligence Agency memo obtained by The Associated Press and affect 11 annual events, including Black History Month, which begins Saturday, and National Hispanic Heritage Month.

 

The memo’s authenticity was confirmed by a U.S. official who said the pause was initiated by the DIA and appears not to be policy across the Defense Department. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

 

“We are receiving questions across the workforce on the way forward,” the memo said. “DIA will pause all activities and events related to Agency Special Emphasis Programs effective immediately and until further notice.”

 

It also noted a pause on “special observances” hosted throughout the year. While Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth were included, the memo said the change would not affect those national holidays.

 

The contents of the memo were first reported by independent journalist Ken Klippenstein and posted to X.

 

Federal agencies have struggled to interpret Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order ending DEI programs across the government and have taken a broad approach due to lack of clearer guidance from the White House on how to comply.

 

On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed staff to create a DEI task force to ensure no DEI programs remain in the Pentagon.

 

“We’re not joking around,” Hegseth said in an interview Wednesday with Fox News. “There’s no changing of names or softly manipulating something. DEI is gone.”

 

In response to a query from the AP about the memo, the DIA said late Wednesday it “is working with the Department of Defense to fully implement all executive orders and administration guidance in a timely manner. As we receive additional guidance, we will continue to update our internal guidance.”

 

The other annual events listed in the DIA memo are Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, National American Indian Heritage Month, National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Women’s Equality Day and Women’s History Month.

 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked at a briefing Tuesday whether Black History Month would cease to be celebrated.

 

“As far as I know, this White House certainly still intends to celebrate, and we will continue to celebrate American history and the contributions that all Americans, regardless of race, religion or creed, have made to our great country,” she said.

 

The changes in holiday observances in some ways resemble the Air Force’s quick elimination of DEI coursework in its basic military training, which temporarily resulted in the service removing videos on the Tuskegee Airmen and World War II female pilots that had been in those courses. After a brief uproar, the Air Force said the history of both groups would continue to be taught.

10550: Air Force Flies With Female Commander.

From The Associated Press…

Air Force gal-vanized

From AP

SAN ANTONIO — The Air Force handed the reins of basic training to a woman yesterday following a sex scandal in which 42 female recruits say they were improperly approached, sexually harassed or raped during their first weeks in uniform.

Col. Deborah Liddick downplayed any significance, however, to a woman taking charge at such a crucial and visible moment for Lackland Air Force Base, where more than 36,000 airmen graduate each year but which has been shaken by widespread allegations of instructor misconduct.

Liddick said “it does not matter” that the Air Force chose a woman and she mostly sidestepped questions about the scandal following a formal change of command ceremony at the Texas base.

“I will ensure the airman under my command maintain the highest standards possible, that the standards are enforced and folks are held accountable,” Liddick told reporters.

It’s not the first time the Air Force has picked a woman to lead basic training. In fact, Liddick is the third woman to helm the 737th training group in the past decade at Lackland, where every new American airman reports for eight weeks of basic training.

The training environment has come under intensifying scrutiny — from military investigators to Congress — since allegations of sexual harassment and assault involving male instructors began surfacing last year. Four have been convicted on charges ranging from adultery to sexual assault, and a fifth is scheduled to stand trial Monday.

Six instructors have been charged in all, and a dozen more remain under investigation, said Brent Boller, a spokesman for Joint Base San Antonio, which encompasses Lackland.

Boller said some of the 42 female victims identified by investigators simply received text messages from their male instructors, a violation of military policy. Even consensual relationships between instructor and trainee can result in criminal charges.

The most serious allegations involved an instructor sentenced to 20 years in prison in July after being convicted of raping one female recruit and sexually assaulting several others. Earlier this month, another instructor was sentenced to a year in prison and received a dishonorable discharge after pleading guilty to having sex with a trainee.

About one in five Air Force recruits are female, while most instructors are male.

There were few women Friday among the nearly 600 new airmen at Lackland who graduated from basic training after Liddick took command. Among them was airman Jessica Gibson, of Dallas, who said she her male instructors the last two months had her best interests at heart and always were approachable.

But she said a female commander could have a positive influence on the training environment.

“I think that could make a difference, but I think a male commander could also carry out the same instructions,” Gibson said. “I think she could add perspective, though.”

Anu Bhagwati, executive director of Service Women’s Action Network, applauded the choice of a woman. But she said there is a long way to go to fix what she called deeper issues throughout the military that cause problems like those at Lackland.

Among them is the ratio of instructors to recruits, which Bhagwati called “abysmal” at Lackland. The base has about 500 instructors and was operating this summer at about 85 percent of what it would consider a full roster.

Instructors are among the toughest assignments for the Air Force to staff because of the demanding nature of the assignment: a four-year commitment, longer hours than most and time away from friends and family.

“It’s a great first step for the Air Force, but it’s not enough because (Liddick) can’t fix the problem herself,” Bhagwati said Friday.

Liddick takes over for Col. Glenn Palmer, who was ousted last month as attention to the scandal intensified. Another commander at Lackland also was relieved during the summer for what military prosecutors described as a lack of confidence.

U.S. Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, visited Lackland this month and said he believed the Air Force was being diligent in its investigation. In August, the White House pick for Air Force chief of staff was held up while Congress pressed the service for answers about the scandal.

8829: The Air Force Flies Economy Coach.

The Air Force declares, “We only hire one kind of person. The best.”

However, the best only warrants royalty-free stock photography.

7373: Airheads Wanted.

Yeah, who needs those dumb Ivy League educations that helped land a Black dude into the White House?