The Air Force is resuming its boot camp lessons about trailblazing Black and female World War II pilots after the material was flagged for review following President Donald Trump's order to cancel all diversity efforts in the military and federal government.
Material related to the Tuskegee Airmen, the historic Black aviators, and the Women's Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, who helped pilot planes stateside during the war, was initially pulled into efforts to scrub diversity-related education for Basic Military Training, the Air Force told Military.com in a statement Sunday. The move caused outcry and public backlash.
The effort was "ensuring we implement all directives outlined in the executive orders issued by the president," the service said Friday. But, following fierce public and military condemnation, the content about the WASPs and Tuskegee Airmen was said to have been reinstated by Sunday.
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"No curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Airforce Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training," Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, head of Air Education and Training Command, said in a statement Sunday. "The block in which these lessons were taught included [diversity, equity and inclusion] material which was directed to be removed."
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed by the Senate late Friday in an unusually close and partisan vote, took to social media Sunday evening to say "this has been immediately reversed."
The weekend outcry over the Tuskegee and WASP material review is an example of the hurry and confusion as the military attempts to comply with Trump's executive actions.
The policy review delayed instruction for one group of boot camp trainees, and a revised training that included the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen and WASPs was continued on Monday, Robinson said.
The Tuskegee Airmen were Black fighter and bomber pilots, as well as support crews, with the 332nd and 477th groups who fought in World War II, numbering more than 16,000 men and women, according to Tuskegee Airmen Inc. -- a nonprofit that advocates for and educates the public on the legacy of the aviators.
Notably, Trump promoted retired Col. Charles E. McGee, a Tuskegee Airman, to brigadier general in 2020. McGee died in 2022.
The WASP training program graduated upward of 1,000 graduates who "ferried over 50% of the combat aircraft within the United States during the war years" from 126 bases across the country, according to the Air Force Historical Support Division.
Tuskegee Airmen Inc. condemned the policy review in a news release Saturday.
"The service and sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASPs, who were also removed from the Air Force's training courses, are an essential part of American history and carried significant weight in the World War II veteran community," the nonprofit said. "We believe the content of these courses does not promote one category of service member or citizen over another. They are simply a part of American military history that all service members should be made aware of."
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin was still walking back confusion about the curriculum review on Monday.
"Allow me to clearly dispel a rumor -- while we are currently reviewing all training courses to ensure compliance with the executive orders, no curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Airforce Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training," Allvin said in a statement. "When policies change, it is everyone's responsibility to be diligent and ensure all remnants of the outdated policies are appropriately removed, and the new ones are clearly put in place."
The Air Force moved quickly to adhere to Trump's executive orders last week and gutted groups that were dedicated to making quality-of-life improvements for minority, female and LGBTQ+ airmen a priority. Those improvements included creating lactation rooms for nursing service members, pushing for beard policy modifications for Black airmen, and advocating for better-fitting body armor for women.
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