The military has, in a word, changed. In addition to defeating foreign enemies, our fighting force now exists to build up marginalized Americans. Gone are the days of toxically masculine national knuckles; modernly muted machismo allows for a more inclusive federal fist.
Case in point: the choice of speaker at a recent conference for those looking to lead. The United States Air Force Academy's National Character and Leadership Symposium was held from February 21st to 23rd. Its theme: "Embrace Culture, Empower People." In that spirit, the shindig welcomed Colonel Bree Fram.
Bree -- who possesses a prostate -- is a bonafide bigwig. From the officer's official website:
Prior to recommissioning into the Space Force in 2021, she served 18 years in a wide variety of Air Force positions including a Research and Development command position and an oversight role for all Air Force security cooperation activity with Iraq. In earlier assignments, Bree served in the Air Force Directorate of Strategic Plans, as a Legislative Fellow at the US Capitol on the staff of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, several tours as a program manager for satellite and technology programs, and deployed to Qatar and Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. ... She is currently one of the highest ranking out transgender officers in the United States military.
At the Academy's conference, Bree was introduced like so by a uniformed female cadet:
"Col. Bree Fram, an astronautical engineer in the U.S. Space Force, is the co-editor of 'With Honor and Integrity: Transgender Troops in Their Own Words,' the co-author of the forthcoming 'Forging Queer Leaders: How the LGBTQIA+ Community Creates Impact from Adversity,' and host of the podcast 'Forged in Fire: LGBTQ+ Leadership.' She is also the former president of SPARTA, a non-profit organization that advocates and educates about transgender military service."
In the online video of Bree's lecture, a slide appears:
From Firsts to the Future: Why Inclusion Matters.
Bree's equipped to answer questions many may ask...
"Why does [inclusion] matter to us as a military? ... And how do we as leaders use it to enhance mission accomplishment?"
Firstly, as a matter of history, the military has long been secretly woke:
"[L]GBTQ people have been serving since the Revolution. This is not a new phenomenon. It is simply the fact that we are more able to be in the open about who we are today. ... Albert Cashier...fought in the Civil War...was captured as a prisoner of war, escaped, returned to his unit, and continued to fight. Albert was one of over 400 people who were assigned female at birth and yet found a way to put on the colors of their country and fight. In fact, when he was nearly on his deathbed, he was put in a hospital and it was discovered what his anatomy was. And he was put into the women's ward. His unit, which was still around 50 years later, broke him out...of the hospital...and (later) had him buried in his uniform with full...honors."
Might a female have fought alongside men who never took notice? Take it from Battlefields.org:
The case of Albert Cashier, born "Jennie Hodgers" with a female sex assignment, is one of the most famous because Cashier continued to live as a man after the war and was not discovered until a couple of years before his death. His consistent and nearly life-long commitment to a male identity has prompted some contemporary scholars to think of Cashier as a transgender man.
Back to Bree, another offered example of our Pride-Flag past sits close to America's original Commander-in-Chief:
"Baron von Steuben -- a commonly heard name, one of (George) Washington's most important assistants who created field manuals that...were in existence for the Army for almost 50 years -- just happened to be gay."
So how does any of that mean LGBT inclusion increases military might? It seems once everyone can spread their wings, the sky's the limit:
"All of you know the cost of this tax -- this tax that we pay...when we spend a portion of [our mental energy] hiding who we really are, rather than dedicating that to the mission."
Therefore, note a key to rampant recruitment:
"When we create the environment that is inclusive, not only do people want to join; they want to stay."
Perhaps that's true, except for in present reality. As reported in December by RedState's Bob Hoge:
The USA will start 2024 with its smallest military in 80 years as recruiting targets for the Army, Navy, and Air Force failed to meet their targets.
Still, like soldiers "assigned male at birth," the Department of Defense is dangling a carrot. Maybe it'll entice a new generation of GIs:
RELATED: Army Secretary Champions What's 'Important': Making 'Marginalized Communities' 'Feel Included'
Perhaps Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will eventually spawn the fiercest fighting force the world has known. To that end, our government is doing spectacular work. Consider a clipping from March 2023's Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer report:
The [Fiscal Year] 2024 President’s Budget request demonstrates the DoD’s commitment to [Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility] and includes $114.7 million for dedicated diversity and inclusion activities.
The Air Force Academy is on board. And clearly, so is Bree -- who also recently spoke at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit.
As we look to our fierce future, the Colonel has advice for those in charge. As expressed at 2022's DoD Pride Celebration at the Pentagon:
"[F]or all of you out there, I ask you to send out your symbols of Pride. Share your pronouns in your email -- particularly if you're a person who doesn't think they need to. ... You all have the power to take intentionally inclusive actions to ensure...(that) multiple perspectives -- that we know make us stronger as we devise winning war-fighting strategies -- get heard."
And away we go to win -- like a Revolution-era cannon cocked with character and loaded with leadership. DEI is our weaponry, and we're incomparably armed.
-ALEX
See more content from me:
'Jeopardy!' Goes Woke, Gets Shredded Over 'Parts of Speech' Question
State Eyes Training Cops to Respect Criminals' Gender Identities, Including 'Genderf*ck'
Find all my RedState work here.
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