Academies Axe Affirmative Action
Hegseth bans affirmative action at military service academies
By Noah Robertson and Leo Shane III
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has barred the U.S. military service academies from considering race, gender or ethnicity in their admissions processes, ending the practice of affirmative action upheld by the Supreme Court two years ago.
In a memo published Friday, Hegseth directed the schools to rank applicants by an aggregate score factoring in athletic ability, past military experience and other qualifications.
“It is the department’s expectation that the highest-ranking candidates within each nomination category should receive appointments,” Hegseth wrote.
The schools have until the end of the 2026 admissions cycle to comply.
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The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action for universities nationally in 2023, ruling 6-3 against considering race in the admissions process. In the court’s decision, however, Chief Justice John Roberts permitted an exception for U.S. military schools, arguing the schools held “potentially distinct interests” in continuing the practice.
Military Times
The exception Roberts granted was doomed and he knew it. The saving grace is an honest officer FITREP system should weed out the DEI hires over time.
Category: Big Pentagon, Bravo Zulu
You know what would make this transition smooth?
100 transparency. Sure, block PII but throw everything else up there so far as where the bar is held and make the whole system quantifiable so there is no room for favoritism. They want an egalitarian system? Then show exactly what it is.
There will always be affirmative action at the Academies! The Academies may have minimums for Academics, Physical, etc. However, The Congressman and Senators make 535+ appointments by name each year and can skew things as they see fit if the individual meets the minimums. Add Presidential and Vice Presidential appointments that and the number approaches 700.
“The saving grace is an honest officer FITREP system should weed out the DEI hires over time.”
If only such a thing existed…
Oh hell; you just march the entire officer corps past ya, and when you see a DEI hire you whack ’em with a hammer.
I will be glad to loan my 28oz Estwing for this purpose…and do the whacking
I think it was harder to promote as enlisted. It’s not for nothing that the “Navy LT Promotion Test” is “Place mirror in front of nose. If mirror fogs, promote.” I’ve seen instances of O-gangers who didn’t promote. They must have held their breath.
I do have to say that one command I was at didn’t promote two LTs to LCDR under the same CO. The command made the right decision, but the skipper got smacked around a little for it. Oh, well, that is what comes with the job.
I made it to LCDR, but frankly, the rank I’m most proud of attaining is CPO.
Mustang…did you spend any time on the west coast? Like Coronado maybe? You sound alot like someone I used to work with.
I’m a PACFLT Sailor through and through, but was never stationed in San Diego. Hawaii, Japan, Monterey, California, but never SD.
That’s correct Judge; the service academies DO hold “potentially distinct interests”, those interests being the defense and security of the United States, and the need for that defense and security to be led by the best and brightest officers we can train.
So I guess no more black power photos by certain groups at West Point?
My dad bought a 1959 Cheverolet station wagon and drove
his family of eight on a vacation from Boston up throgh NH
and VT, crossing over to upstate NY and then down to NYC
to visit an uncle. We toured West Point and I was thrilled to
see all the cadets marching in groups and the individual
discipline being handed out in certain circumstances.
I was maybe 9 or 10 yrs old but it gave me the chance to say:
Yes, as amatter of fact I did go through West Point.
Why in the world would it take through the 2026 admissions process to implement this? What is in the current applications process which could possibly allow a screener to say “well this guy is pretty good, but that (insert special snowflake category) guy is getting in because he’s special. And we value “special” more than we do “best qualified.”
“Here’s your new instructions. Select the best candidates, whatever their color or gender. Implement this now.
Given these new instructions, go back through any work you’ve done and if you selected anyone for color, gender, uniqueness or from “disparate impact” or “restorative justice” cancel their acceptance letter and activate the first alternate.
Questions?”
Because 2025 was done months ago.
I’m tracking 2025, but it says through 2026. My reading of this is they’ll still use existing policies through the next cycle. Change it. Realistically it probably impacts 20-30 new cadets. See ya.
Nothing bad will come of this. Thankfully.
Rest assured “Phony” Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics) does not adhere to or practice affirmative action at All-Points Logistics.
A Turd is a Turd is a Turd regardless of race (or gender / sex). It’s one of the few (if not only) thing I respect about “Phony” Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics).
He treats everyone the same and based upon your level of stolen valor and just all around asshatery, buttfuckery and two-holiness, you have a strong chance to be promoted internally within All-Points Logistics based upon these characteristics.