Space Force officer relieved of command after criticizing military diversity and inclusion trainings on a conservative podcast
CBSN
The Space Force has relieved an officer of his command after recent comments he made on a podcast criticizing the diversity and inclusion initiatives the military has recently been encouraging.
Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Lohmeier, who was promoting his new book "Irresistible Revolution and cultural Marxism in the U.S. military" on the podcast "Information Operation" with host L. Todd Wood, claimed inclusion and diversity training are based in Marxism and critical race theory, which examines systemic racism and how institutions have benefited white people. During the podcast and in his new book, Lohmeier singled out The New York Times 1619 Project, which looks at the impact slavery had on the foundation of American institutions. He called the teachings about systemic racism that are proliferating in schools "un-American."Ashley White received her earliest combat action badge from the United States Army soon after the first lieutenant arrived in Afghanistan. The silver military award, recognizing soldiers who've been personally engaged by an attacker during conflict, was considered an achievement in and of itself as well as an affirming rite of passage for the newly deployed. White had earned it for using her own body to shield a group of civilian women and children from gunfire that broke out in the midst of her third mission in Kandahar province. All of them survived. She never mentioned the badge to anyone in her battalion.