Statement to DACODAI by Rear Admiral William Rodriguez, US Navy ret

Opinion: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Its Deleterious Effects on the Armed Forces
to
DACODAI
by
William D. Rodriguez, Rear Admiral, United States Navy, Retired
Past Board Member, Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance (HVLA)
Past President, Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO)

“DEI is derivative of neo-Marxist identitarian ideologies that attribute virtually all average group differences — from arrest rates to medical school admissions — to systemic discrimination.” *

For more than twenty years now, I have been closely associated with the Hispanic affinity groups supporting our Armed Forces, specifically the Sea Services (Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard).

During that time frame, I have personally seen, and experienced, the erosion of meritocracy, the defocus of team work and unit cohesion, and the decrease in retention and recruitment.

The common cause for this overall decrease has been the introduction of the social engineering and hollow policies of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

DEI is contrary to good order and discipline. DEI is contrary to team cohesion.

Instead of focusing on meritocracy, career management, mentoring and advocacy, DEI perpetuates racial, ethnic and gender divisions.

Instead of bringing people of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as different genders, together, DEI consciously and unconsciously promotes individual racial, ethnic and gender identities.

DEI does not bring everyone together as a team in support of a unit’s mission and its readiness. Moreover, DEI does not focus on a person’s character and moral values.

Rather, we should continue to base our personnel decisions on meritocracy, and the ability to increase readiness and successfully accomplish the mission of one’s unit.

Empty arguments concerning “diversity of thought” ring hollow and are contrary mission accomplishment. DEI is nothing more than the Affirmative Action and Quota Control programs of years past.

During my many discussions with young men and women who are more than qualified (academically, physically and morally) to come in to our Armed Forces, I was informed that their number one reluctance to join our Armed Forces is the integration of DEI.

They want to be selected based on their character, their academic and athletic achievements, their demonstrated leadership skills, and their own merit.

Unfortunately, they told me that they see those basic principles eroding away due to racial, ethnic and gender preferences.

They want to belong to something bigger – a team that is “blind” to race, ethnicity and gender.

DEI, along with the lack of academic, physical and high moral standards in this country, is one of the top issues that is keeping our recruiting goals at an all-time low.

Time and time again, it has been suggested to me that we will be better served by eliminating racial, ethnic and other diversity labels.

Labels do nothing but keep unfounded discussions alive, perpetuate racial and ethnic divisions that DEI unconsciously supports, and keeps us from focusing on readiness and the real mission.

Nevertheless, we must continue to eliminate prejudice; eliminate the ethnic, racial and gender gaps; promote mentoring, career management, advocacy and meritocracy; and support increased education of our youth.

* THE HILL – What do we really mean by ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’? by Robert Maranto, Michael Mills and Catherine Salmon, Opinion Contributors – 11/07/22 2:00 PM ET