The Pentagon’s Shift on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Jobs
The Pentagon has made headlines recently by officially eliminating its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) jobs, a decision influenced by White House executive orders and reinforced through legislative changes. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has revealed that the Defense Department drastically reduced its DEI job positions from 115 to just 41 by July 2024. This decision not only adheres to federal directives but also reflects a significant shift within one of the nation’s largest employers.
Legislative Roots of the Change
The major legislative driver behind this reduction comes from the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which imposed strict caps on the number of civilian personnel assigned to DEI roles. These caps restrict positions to a pay grade no higher than General Schedule (GS)-10, equating roughly to an annual salary of $73,484. Through Section 1101 of the NDAA, Congress aimed to streamline the scope of DEI responsibilities within the Department of Defense (DOD), necessitating the reassignment of personnel whose primary duties included DEI policy development and educational training.
A Closer Look at Remaining DEI Roles
The recent GAO report clarifies that the 41 DEI positions that remain are exempt from the NDAA provision for specific reasons: they either commanded a salary below GS-10, consisted of active military roles, or were deemed to not be primarily focused on DEI initiatives. Out of these remaining positions, 25 were military roles, while 16 were civilian. The Air Force and Space Force collectively held the highest number of DEI roles at 19, followed by the Army, which maintained seven civilian-filled and five military DEI positions.
The Defense Department Workforce
The DOD operates as one of the United States’ major employers, with a total workforce of nearly 3 million personnel, consisting of about 1.3 million active duty members, 800,000 in the National Guard and Reserve forces, and roughly 811,000 civilians. With civilians making up about a third of the federal workforce, the Pentagon has historically faced challenges in ensuring its demographics accurately reflect those of the broader U.S. population.
Trends in Diversity and Promotions
Despite efforts to enhance diversity within the DOD, questions surrounding equitable promotion practices persist. A 2023 GAO report highlighted concerns that while the proportion of women and historically disadvantaged groups remained relatively stable from 2012 to 2021, promotions for these groups fell short when compared to their white counterparts. Research indicated that Black or African American employees, in particular, faced notably lower promotion outcomes across various grades at or above GS-7, even after controlling for variables such as occupation and education level.
Barriers to Effective Diversity Initiatives
The GAO analysis points to structural issues within the DOD that may impede diversity and inclusion efforts. While strides have been made in promoting diversity, the report indicated a lack of “clear policies for collecting barrier-related data.” This deficiency may limit the effectiveness of various DEI initiatives, raising concerns about the department’s ability to achieve its diversity goals without adequate data and understanding of underlying issues.
Looking Ahead
The Pentagon’s radical reduction of DEI positions signals a significant change in how the federal government approaches diversity and inclusivity within its ranks. As the DOD grapples with balancing compliance with legislative mandates and the ongoing pursuit of a diverse workforce, the ramifications of these decisions and their impacts on military culture and personnel will likely remain subjects of close scrutiny in the coming years.
