After 34 years and 26 moves serving in our Air Force, my wife Mary and I retired to Colorado. A major factor in choosing “USAFA Country” as our home was the opportunity to once again “sponsor” cadets and support our alma mater. We have now sponsored (formally and informally) over 20 cadets. This winter, I taught my 22nd cadet how to ski.
We have been Blue and Silver Club members, held dozens of “tailgates” for cadets, and on Parents’ Weekend their parents, and hosted candidates and appointees overnight.
I served for years with the ALO program and still counsel young men and women about USAFA. When a cadet I am sponsoring tells me the culture is changing underneath my feet” and his buddy adds and it is not for the better”— I listen.
When a Freshman responds to my question “how was BCT” by saying “it was too easy and if I heard ‘we need leaders of diversity’ one more time, I was going to throw up”— with his classmate adding “I felt like I was constantly being indoctrinated”— I listen more intently.
When a female minority cadet writes me “I see so many bright young cadets here who know that what is going on is wrong, but at the same time are too scared to speak up”— I become concerned.
When I see a blatantly political book being issued to all Freshman; a convocation built around the book; and the author invited as THE keynote NCLS guest speaker, I begin to understand.
When I see a single political viewpoint displayed in the newly-minted “Diversity/Inclusion Reading Room” and watch the Cadet Wing “stand-down” for an “Extremist Down Day”— while our Services struggle to meet recruiting goals — the full reality dawns. Our Academy and Services are being politicized.
I asked our AOG for support in providing input to Academy leadership that cadets perceive the current atmosphere as “divisive” and “identity politics on steroids.” I was rebuffed and told that “the AOG cannot get involved in anything political” and “the Supt gets enough input from too many sources already.”
But, then I see our Checkpoints extolling the virtues of DEI and I can’t help but think: we ARE, effectively, choosing political sides. We are pitting the vision of our founding fathers against trendy, progressive ideology. Simply put, we are undermining core principles and a sacred tradition of an apolitical military.
I believe we graduates — representing literally thousands of years of command experience — have much more to contribute to our alma mater than just our hard-earned dollars. Obviously, we can’t, and shouldn’t, try to “direct” USAFA leadership. But we have a duty to inform and share our candid perspectives, reflective, as they are, of real-world experience at the highest levels.
Graduates should have a voice. We are stakeholders. This is why I became a part of a concerted effort to change our AoI and bylaws. My promise to you, if elected, is that I will work tirelessly to ensure ALL graduates’ voices are heard.
