GOP senators say Pentagon wasted vital time pushing ‘leftist agenda’

Members of the 82nd Airborne Division stroll on the tarmac at Pope Discipline forward of deployment to Poland on Feb. 14.
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A dozen Republican senators have accused the Protection Division of frittering away very important time by selling a “leftist social agenda” to the army’s rank and file whereas ignoring “actual threats the world over.”

“We face actual threats the world over, but the Biden administration is extra targeted on selling its leftist social agenda within the army as an alternative of countering China, Russia and Iran or creating an efficient counterterrorism plan,” the lawmakers wrote within the letter obtained by Fox Information.

The senators, all members of the chamber’s Armed Providers Committee, have been responding to a letter from Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees.

Milley had responded to committee rating member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), who sought info on the overall variety of man-hours and cash the Pentagon spent on coaching associated to local weather change, extremism and variety, fairness and inclusion.

Sen. Jim Inhofe sought info on the hours the Pentagon spent on coaching associated to local weather change and variety.

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A member of the 82nd Airborne Division receives a temperature examine as a part of COVID-19 screenings.

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Based on Milley, 5.3 million man-hours and $535,000 was spent on “stand downs” for dialogue about extremism within the ranks — averaging out to roughly 2 hours per service member. These conversations have been ordered by Secretary of Protection Lloyd Austin in February final yr following the Capitol riot.

A further 530,000 hours and $477,000 was spent on range, fairness and inclusion coaching, in line with Milley, whereas greater than 1,000 hours and $5,000 have been used for coordinating the division’s Local weather Adaptation Plan. 

“Our army just isn't an extremist group, and our service members, by and huge all good individuals, are devoted, devoted patriots,” the GOP senators stated Monday.

Troopers put together for deployment to Poland this week.

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Secretary Lloyd Austin (left) ordered conversations about extremism within the army ranks final yr.

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“We're alarmed that a lot coaching time and taxpayer cash was dedicated to a partisan, political agenda as an alternative of recruiting, coaching and equipping the deadly drive we have to defend this nation,” they continued.

“The Division of Protection’s main process is to guard Individuals from international threats. If the Biden administration doesn’t make this a precedence shifting ahead, we'll use all instruments at our disposal, together with the annual protection authorization invoice, to make sure that it does.”

Along with Inhofe, the letter was signed by GOP Sens. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Rick Scott of Florida, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. 

Lloyd Austin speaks at a press convention in January 2022.

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The GOP’s criticism was issued in response to a letter from Gen. Mark Milley.

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It comes because the Biden administration makes an attempt to face down a possible invasion of Ukraine by Russia. An estimated 130,000 Russian troops are stationed alongside the border between the 2 nations.

Whereas the US has vowed to not deploy any troops into Ukraine, a number of thousand have been despatched to bolster NATO forces in Japanese and Southern Europe.