Former Space Force commander tells House he was fired for criticizing DEI

Former Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a man who was kicked out of his position at the United States Space Force in May 2021 after he voiced concerns over Marxist-inspired critical race theory teachings in the military, appeared before Congress on Wednesday to testify about "the ongoing Marxist inspired efforts to subvert and weaken our military and broader American society."

Lohmeier said during his testimony that he was fired from his command "for writing a book trying to reverse the trend of the overt politicization of the uniformed services."

"Specifically, I criticize the military's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion trainings which at my own base, were illegally occurring despite an executive order from the commander in chief," he explained. "The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion industry is steeped in critical race theory and is rooted in anti-American Marxist ideology. I watched DEI trainings divide our troops ideologically and in some cases sow the seeds of animosity toward the very country they had sworn an oath to defend."

The longtime military servicemember noted that before promoting his book, "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal Of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military," he "submitted a formal written complaint to the Space Force Inspector General's Office detailing that such violations were occurring including illegal race-based discrimination, but [his] complaint was never investigated, and it was later dismissed by then-Lieutenant General Stephen Whiting in the Senate, [who was] just confirmed for his fourth star."

He then said that he "received a written dismissal of [his] complaint from General Whiting personally" after just two months. 

Lohmeier said that "Pentagon officials requested $140 million to expand work diversity initiatives in fiscal year 2024," adding that it is "Double what it's been the previous two years."

"There are a few things taxpayers such as myself feel less essential to the mission of the United States military than expanding diversity mandates and indoctrination," he said. "And now an important point. Such aggressively opposed ideological worldviews, competing for institutionalization through policy epitomizes and formalizes what is properly termed a culture war. The fact that these debates now infect the US military workplace is an offense to people like me, who love their country and all people regardless of their race, gender, sexual preference or background."