“I do perceive the Army leadership as woke, and probably the lower enlisted (they have been indoctrinated in school),” another service member said. “Equity-diversity is another way to divide and control the masses. It does nothing for the warfighter.”

“We get criticized, frankly, sometimes for being ‘woke,'” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said at a Monday discussion with other military leaders on national security and the branch’s modernization efforts. “I’m not sure what ‘woke’ means. I think ‘woke’ means a lot of different things to different people.”

She continued, “But, first of all, if ‘woke’ means we are not focused on warfighting, we are not focused on readiness, that doesn’t reflect what I see at installations all around the country or overseas when I go and visit.”

The service members, who remained anonymous so they could speak freely, almost universally shared a similar sentiment, with many noting that senior members who speak out on the issue risk their careers or retirement pensions.

“Merely questioning the goals or methods used to promote ‘Equity & Diversity’ is punished and that punishment is swift, harsh, and public,” one service member said.

“I 100% believe the military is woke. I see daily minorities, overweight people and women not adhering to military standards,” another said. “Nobody corrects them due to the fear of being fired and labeled a racist or a sexist.” …

Another service member pointed to the military’s COVID-19 policies, noting the vaccine mandate has forced many members in good standing into difficult decisions. …

The military has been facing a recruiting crisis, with the Army failing to meet its recruiting goals in 2022 and the Marines, Air Force and Navy all dipping deep into their pools of delayed entry program candidates to scratch by this year, putting them well behind the pace for meeting next year’s goals. …