The Air Force has scrapped efforts aimed at improving life for servicemembers, following President Donald Trump’s direction to weed out diversity, equity, and inclusion groups in government.
The service posted a memo this week to dismantle “all Department of the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Groups effective immediately.” These groups were set up to ensure equal opportunities for women, disabled, Hispanic, Black, LGBTQ+, Native American and servicemembers.
The memo, signed by Acting Air Force Secretary Gary Ashworth, directed the groups to remove all “outward facing media,” get rid of official sponsorship, and include the disclaimer “The views expressed are my own and do not constitute endorsement by the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, or the U.S. government.”
The groups have helped address and overcome artificial barriers that might have otherwise existed in the service’s policies. Some of the initiatives they’ve worked on include reimbursing the shipping costs of breast milk during PCS moves and broadening shaving waivers for Black airmen with certain skin conditions.
“The Barrier Analysis Working Group teams are the manifestation of how we engage our force to ensure that our policies are working as intended and further invest our people in improvements to their own quality of service and quality of life. The BAWG teams have advised on changes that advance our national security, better connect with the American people, and critically, leverage the talent of our total force for great power competition,” Alex Wagner, the former assistant Air Force secretary for manpower and reserve affairs, told Defense One.
The working groups have been around since 2008, and remained active during Trump’s first term. And the Defense Department’s DEI programs were expanded after Trump signed the 2020 NDAA.
The service posted a second memo on its website this week to mandate that all major commands, field commands, field operating agencies, and direct reporting units cancel any diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility-related training and withdraw any documents or materials regarding DEIA. The commands had to execute those orders by Thursday, and submit a list of actions they’ve implemented to comply with the requirements by today, according to the memo, signed by Gwendolyn DeFilippi, Acting Assistant Air Force Secretary for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
