The U.S. Coast Guard is finally eliminating race-based officer commissioning standards for incoming college grads.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under which the Coast Guard operates, announced the reform in a May 29 press release. It is rather surprising that such a reform was not implemented until more than a year into the second Trump administration, but it is always better late than never. We cannot gamble with our future.
The reforms specifically concern college students who are looking to enlist in the Coast Guard and commission as officers. The College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative (CSPI) has till now given preferred status to students coming from universities that meet arbitrary racial quotas for their student body. But no more.
The DHS press release explained:
Such requirements stand in stark contrast to the Trump Administration’s focus on fairness, merit, and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies throughout the federal government. They are also in violation of the equal protection requirements of the U.S. Constitution.
So as of May 28, such racist policies are out.
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Trump administration officials are proud of the reform, and of emphasizing the U.S. Constitution rather than promoting anti-American race obsessions. “The Trump Administration is more focused than ever on eliminating unconstitutional DEI policies like this one,” said DHS General Counsel James Percival. “Racial quotas, like those included in this program for students who want to enlist and commission as officers in the U.S. Coast Guard, are a direct violation of the United States Constitution’s equal protection requirements. By getting rid of these unconstitutional diversity quotas, we are returning the Coast Guard’s focus to military readiness, upholding the law, and making America a safer place.”
Meritocracy is thoroughly American and, in practical terms, most effective. “Eliminating racial quotas in federal programs remains a priority of the Justice Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Access to opportunities like the Coast Guard’s pre-commissioning initiative should be based exclusively on merit, not the racial composition of your college. This resolution helps ensure that equality of opportunity.”
Long before DEI became a prime focus for the United States military, its various branches were among the most racially and ethically diverse institutions in our country. So long as our military is strong and respected, there will always be plenty of servicemen, including officers, of all skin tones and economic backgrounds.
Trying to force certain quotas does not make the military more diverse, but it does make it weaker. Eliminating explicit racial considerations from officer commissioning ensures the most qualified and patriotic candidates rather than individuals whose career depends not on their ability to command men and address crises, but simply on what epidermal coloration God gave them at birth.
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