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Tuesday, Apr. 2, 2024

Did the US Air Force secretary order reducing white males serving by 33%?

Tom Kertscher, Wisconsin Watch
no

In an Aug. 9, 2022, memo, U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall directed Air Force and Space Force officials to develop a plan to meet diversity goals in recruiting officer applicants.

The goals were for 67.5% of officer applicants to be white and the rest minorities.

The goals “will not be used in any manner that undermines our merit-based processes,” the memo said.

Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, who represents part of eastern Wisconsin, included the memo in a statement he issued March 19, 2024.

Grothman’s statement claimed that the memo ordered cutting “white males serving by 33%.”

The memo did not order reductions.

Data cited by Grothman’s office did not show that the goals would reduce white males serving by 33%.

As of Dec. 31, 2023, 76.1% of Air Force and Space Force officers were men and 69% of all members were white.

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