FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—Has the Biden-Harris administration’s focus on so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion undermined the U.S. Coast Guard’s readiness? Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Eli Crane, R-Ariz., believe it may have and are demanding answers from top Biden-Harris administration officials.
In a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan provided to The Daily Signal, Crane and Gaetz ask if “indoctrination training” is undercutting the Coast Guard’s readiness.
“We have heard from service members concerned with trainings and events they believe to be extraneous to mission-critical tasks, specifically Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) inclusivity training programs,” Crane and Gaetz write.
Based on the word of service members, the congressmen inquire how these sexual orientation and gender identity inclusivity trainings could be contributing to the current crisis the Coast Guard faces. “USCG [U.S. Coast Guard] has reported that it is about 4,800 members short and has missed its recruiting targets for the past four fiscal years,” the pair of lawmakers go on to say. The persistent shortage has led to the service branch decommissioning ships and other assets, resulting in a vicious cycle that “increas[es] the burden on remaining assets” and makes serving in the Coast Guard more difficult for current members and more unattractive for potential recruits.
One example Gaetz and Crane cite is a “Transgender Shipmates Inclusion Training” that the Coast Guard promoted in official announcements to its service members.
While Gaetz and Crane say they are “unaware of how SOGI inclusivity training and events assist in resolving recruitment and retention challenges that threaten our operational readiness and national security needs,” the pair believe—based on what service members have told them—that “SOGI inclusivity programs and other indoctrination programs only serve to separate and isolate our service members into groups based on categories and preferences that are irrelevant to the overall mission of national security.”
“We ask you to end SOGI inclusivity training programs within the USCG and focus on mission-critical operations,” the congressmen conclude.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.