A division of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) has ordered its senior leadership and commanders not to use gender pronouns in written formats. The division is the branch tasked with confronting China.
A leaked copy of an email says the shift to a more neutral language will help improve the fighting force’s “lethality.” The email was sent in May to senior leaders and commanders at the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, which operates under the Pacific Air Forces.
“In accordance with the Diverse PACAF priority, ‘We must embrace, promote and unleash the potential of diversity and inclusion,” it says.
Leaders at the base are told not to use gender pronouns, as well as age and race when writing performance reviews or other materials, including award materials.
The spokesperson for the Anderson Air Force Base said the pronoun shift in written descriptors aligns with also not referring to people’s age or race in written descriptors, which is intended to eliminate any information that could identify the nominee’s name, gender, age, or race, so everyone has a fair and equal chance at winning.
“Competition against near-peer adversaries requires a united focus from the command, the joint team, and our international partners. Welcoming and employing varied perspectives from a foundation of mutual respect will improve our interoperability, efficiency, creativity, and lethality,” the email says.
The shift in policy reflects a broader effort being made by the Biden administration and U.S. military to foster what it says is a more culturally open environment.
The U.S. Navy recently published a video instructing its sailors on proper gender pronouns. The Army also mandates gender identity training and trains officers on when to offer subordinates gender-transition surgery.
The email may show that the Air Force is shifting “to a narrative writing format for awards and performance reports.”
The spokesperson for the Anderson Air Force Base said the pronoun shift in written descriptors aligns with also not referring to people’s age or race in written descriptors, which is intended to eliminate any information that could identify the nominee’s name, gender, age or race, so everyone has a fair and equal chance at winning.
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