Pentagon Expands DEI Book Review to Army and Air Force Academies

Army and Air Force libraries have been instructed to identify and report books related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), gender ideology, and critical race theory, indicating an expanding federal initiative to remove these materials from military institutions.

The recently disclosed memos, acquired by the Associated Press, illustrate the Trump administration’s extensive effort to eliminate DEI content from federal agencies. The recent directives follow a similar review that resulted in the removal of nearly 400 titles from the U.S. Naval Academy's Nimitz Library earlier this month.

In the Army memo, signed by Acting Assistant Secretary Derrick Anderson, service schools, including West Point and the Army War College, as well as various departments, are instructed to review their collections and identify any books that could potentially “subvert meritocracy and unity.” A list is to be submitted to the Army’s chief librarian by Wednesday.

An Air Force memo, signed by Acting Assistant Secretary Gwendolyn DeFilippi, requires a comprehensive review at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. The academy is anticipated to deliver an interim list by April 30 and a final list by May 30.

The directive builds upon a January executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, which prohibited DEI instruction in K-12 schools that receive federal funding. The Pentagon acted promptly to address the exemption of military academies, which had been granted due to their college status, starting with the Naval Academy.

The Navy faced backlash after it removed books addressing the Holocaust, civil rights, feminism, and Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” The memos from the Air Force and Army reflect a more careful strategy, indicating that books might not be removed until a comprehensive review of the compiled lists has been conducted.

The Air Force Academy announced that it is undertaking “a deliberate review” in line with the latest departmental guidance. Col. Terry Kelley, a spokesman for West Point, affirmed that the institution would carry out the review “with the utmost professionalism and efficiency.”

The developing initiative highlights the conflict between federal education policy and the independence of military academics, while also prompting persistent worries among educators and advocates regarding the standards and measures employed to determine

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