By Drew J. Reiner, USNA ’91

As reported by TheBlaze, it is apparent that those in charge of the U.S. military are on a mission to destroy what is left of a once unmatched war-fighting capability that was earned by blood and sweat.

As a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), I may be qualified to analyze recent events that had the commandant of midshipmen publish the “Diversity Education Program” as an USNA standing order on how to “foster a culture of inclusion across the Yard.”

It is inconceivable that instead of promoting unity, strength, and courage among other noble attributes of military leaders, the U.S. Navy and specifically USNA are advancing that midshipmen are to be assigned as agents of this diversity nonsense and that these young, impressionable students

• serve as a walking safe space for peers and
• facilitate discussion among company-mates to ease the tensions surrounding diversity topics.

These are actual bullet points from material used to train midshipmen in executing this destructive diversity directive on the Yard.  What is a “walking safe space”?  Can a person be a “space”?  If I were a midshipman, I would run from such an assignment, with demerits accrued if necessary.

There is so much wrong with having midshipmen, future naval leaders, indoctrinated with woke inclusion and diversity.  Where to begin?

These evil initiatives only serve to weaken and demolish the proven war-fighting principles upon which sound military strength is built and executed.

Many of these leadership attributes come alive under enemy fire, as witnessed during, for example, World War II and the battles that ensued in Europe and the Pacific.  We celebrated and still do with the highest military honors possible those sailors who, out of depth of soul, honor, and integrity, risked their lives to save others.

Without the ability see such heroics as bedrock, fallback hard earned foundations of military power, the number of casualties going forward will be disastrous.  These, examples of virtue and honorable behavior, are the lessons that need to be taught at the U.S. Naval Academy, not ludicrous woke inclusion and diversity.

Some think these backward actions at places like USNA are meant as a controlled demolition of the institutions that once were looked upon with pride and astonishment.  Today, these are not the feelings invoked when looking at the U.S. military’s readiness for combat, nor at its current commanders.

Dig into the utter garbage of COMDTMIDNINST 1500.5, if you want to be outraged, so as to consider:

– Taking an overt stand against the woke left infiltrators who do not represent those who came before: the bold soldiers and sailors who bravely, honorably served and sacrificed for this nation.

– Risking retirement benefits, censure, excommunication, etc. so as to call out the outrageous actions of so-called leaders of an institution that I proudly called my alma mater.  Well, no more.  The gloves have come off.

– Wrapping up a hard earned service academy class ring and sending it back to USNA, straight to the commandant.  He can throw it in the trash can for all I care.  I will never wear it again unless actual military leaders take steps to return USNA to the place that once developed men and women morally, mentally, and physically to excel and win in combat when called upon by their nation.

– Strongly encouraging teenage kids (mine included) to steer clear of the military and any “military leadership” training program that would not throw out such rubbish as soon as it crossed the desk of the applicable commander.

– Actively campaigning against military leaders who promote these unlawful and detrimental directives while encouraging military members to stand up to unlawful orders of any kind.

One point above needs highlighting as a message that enough is enough.  That is why I am announcing the USNA Ring Return Campaign.  The goal will be to collect and package as many USNA graduates’ class rings, starting with my own 1991 USNA class ring, and jointly send them back to the commandant’s office as a show of solidarity against the madness overtaking the once great institutions of higher learning such as USNA.

If I am the only one who sends his ring in, so be it.  Coordination of this campaign will through the website usnaringreturn.org.  Maybe if enough USNA graduates come together in this mission, we can be a show of protest at the next graduation.

Never would I have believed that after humbly swearing an oath to the U.S. Constitution as a requirement to serve as an officer in the U.S. Navy, one day, I would look upon that same organization with disgust and disheartenment.  Thirty years ago, such a concept would have been an anathema, impossible, laughable.

Today, this is the sad state of affairs for those who swear that solemn oath and yet probably do so in ignorance or with purpose of evasion.

It is not clear how an officer can serve under such conditions, such that the very principles which he swears to uphold are being rejected by their leaders, forcing violations of that very oath.

Pray that real leaders emerge to fight against the ensuing madness and battle to save a sinking ship.