The Army’s leading institution for preparing its highest-ranking noncommissioned officers has recently revised its curriculum, excluding academic essays on subjects like women, minorities, and diversity-related topics. This change aligns with broader directives from the Department of Defense under the Trump administration, promoting a significant shift in focus.
Changes to the Sergeants Major Academy Curriculum
The Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas, which spans 10 months, has traditionally included several major projects. Among these were two essays that students developed over an extended period. A spokesperson confirmed that these have been replaced with a single essay due to recent directives against diversity topics.
This decision follows the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate references to diversity, including issues concerning women, minorities, and LGBTQ+ communities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been a driving force behind these changes, reflecting a broader governmental intent to redefine “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) as a part of a federal overhaul.
Impact on Students and Military Culture
Lt. Col. Eugene Miranda commented, “Students were required to select their topics and begin their research months before the presidential executive orders were issued. Some students selected topics that may have been construed to have a DEI frame of reference and were potentially incompliant.” He added that the Academy had adjusted its requirements to comply with the new directives while allowing students to complete their work.
Some military personnel have voiced concerns that this emphasis on removing diversity mentions might have profound effects on military culture. An anonymous academy student expressed, “It’s a very serious concern; it’s the second- and third-order effects. It makes people feel like they are worthless, how their perspective isn’t as valid as it was, say, a few months ago.”
Broader Implications Across Military Branches
The Army’s focus on professionalizing its NCO corps has included improving writing skills and policy comprehension, particularly regarding diversity. Despite these changes, students may still submit their essays for writing awards, provided they steer clear of forbidden topics.
Confusion persists across military branches regarding what qualifies as DEI content. For instance, the Air Force reinstated a class on the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Air Service Pilots after initially cutting it. Furthermore, the services withdrew from an annual Black engineering conference recruiting effort.
Recently, the U.S. Naval Academy removed approximately 400 books from its library, including works by Black female politicians and texts on sociological topics. Despite this, Adolf Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” remains in circulation at the library.
Similarly, the United States Military Academy at West Point has canceled a course on race and an English class called “Power and Difference,” which aimed to prepare cadets to lead in a diverse global environment.
