Tuskegee Airmen Course Restored After Temporary Removal Due to DEI Concerns

The Tuskegee Airmen Course Restored After Temporary Removal

The Air Force has resumed a course on the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black pilots unit, after it was temporarily removed in what officials claimed was an effort to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training in the federal government.

The removal of the course sparked backlash from lawmakers, including Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, and the new Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. Hegseth reversed the decision, stating that the course's removal had been "immediately reversed."

Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, Air Education and Training Command commander, explained that the segment on the Tuskegee Airmen was temporarily removed because it included DEI material that needed to be removed. However, he emphasized that no curriculum highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) had been removed from Basic Military Training.

General David Allvin, Air Force chief of staff, further clarified that the Air Force is reviewing all training courses to ensure compliance with the executive orders, but that no content highlighting the Tuskegee Airmen or WASP has been removed. He emphasized the importance of swift and professional implementation of the executive orders and holding individuals accountable for any instances of non-compliance.

The Tuskegee Airmen were an active fighter unit from 1940 to 1952 and were the first Black soldiers to fly during World War II. They destroyed over 100 German aircraft and played a vital role in the war effort. The WASP were a paramilitary group of female pilots who ferried warplanes throughout World War II.

The nation's armed forces were not desegregated until 1948, under an executive order from then-President Harry Truman. President Trump is expected to issue a new executive order focused on rooting out DEI in the military, in addition to one restricting accommodations for transgender troops and another reinstating service members who were fired over refusing the COVID-19 vaccine.