• The purpose of the military is to deter aggression or, if necessary, fight and win our nation’s wars with as few casualties as possible.
• Equal opportunity is an important consideration in the making of personnel policies, but if there is a conflict between career considerations and military necessity, the needs of the military -- and the nation -- must come first.
• The armed forces should not be used for political purposes or social experiments that needlessly elevate risks, detract from readiness, or degrade American cultural values.
• Sound personnel policies are as crucial as advanced weapons systems in preserving readiness and a strong national defense.
• Decisions to deploy troops must be made not by international authorities, but by the Congress of the United States and public officials who are accountable to the American people.
• Essential elements of military culture, such as discipline, efficiency, and high standards in training, must not be compromised or degraded in order to advance sociological goals at the expense of readiness.

Sound military personnel policies are more important than ever.

The illusion that our nation was safe and protected from enemies foreign and domestic was shattered on September 11, 2001. Now a state of war exists between America and terrorists with global reach. Our personal safety as Americans cannot be taken for granted, and national security depends on the effectiveness of the volunteer force--the only one we have.

America’s military is the finest in the world, but this is no time for false illusions about its capabilities.  Deployments have been more frequent and for longer periods of time.  At the same time, the military has been coping with a heavy burden of unprecedented social and cultural change. The Department of the Army has not been complying with Defense Department regulations regarding women in or near direct ground combat.  Officials also have failed to comply with laws mandating formal notice to Congress if the Army wants to change the rules.

The military historically has taken the lead in promoting positive social changes that also strengthened the institution. By contrast, recent mandates for "equal opportunity" as the highest priority have complicated matters and negatively affected morale, recruiting and retention, discipline, and overall readiness. Women in the military, who serve their country well and have no more to say about civilian mandates than the men do, are not to blame for what has happened.

To repair the damage, strong leadership and sound priorities will have to be applied in all matters, including personnel policies that impose heavy costs in return for little or no benefit. These include co-ed basic training, dcounter-productive gender quotas, double standards in training and disciplinary matters, misinterpretation of the law banning open homosexuality in the military, overly generous pregnancy policies that worsen deployability problems, and universal "sensitivity training" to convince everyone that social engineering "works." 

A strong volunteer force depends more than ever on well-trained, cohesive units that are ready for deployment worldwide on short notice. With fewer troops, squadrons, and ships available, each person in uniform is more important to the mission, not less so. This is why Pentagon officials must be encouraged to address social issues of concern to CMR.

The military is a resilient institution, and its people are responding with courage to the ongoing challenges of War in the Middle East.  For their sake, sound priorities in the field of social policy should e restored, but that will not happen automatically.  Absent carefully considered corrections in course, bureaucratic inertia and relentless pressure from liberal critics will continue to advance the agendas of civilian feminists and homosexual activists.

The Center for military Readiness gives voice to the problems and concerns of men and women in uniform who are extremely concerned about policies that make their lives more difficult or more dangerous. CMR will continue to advocate constructive changes that will benefit both men and women in the military. We have the strongest military in the world, and an obligation to keep it that way.