The military is often perceived by well-meaning Americans as the last stronghold against the progressive march through America's institutions. But this is no longer simply the case. Our Armed Forces were once the envy of the world, in large part because we selected based on merit, and instilled in our fighting men an unshakeable military ethos. Both the ethos and the selection, however, have been in steady decline as the Department of Defense succumbs to a dangerous ideology: selection and promotion based on racial and gender identity. This has already led to major problems and may well lead us down the path of disaster. Will Thibeau is the Director of the American Military Project at The Claremont Institute's Center for the American Way of Life. He lives in Virginia with his wife, Michelle, and four children. Will is a veteran of the Army's 75th Ranger Regiment, and has written extensively and testified before Congress on technology and defense policy
