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November 13, 2009
USNA Subbed Mids To Look More Diverse
USNA subbed mids to look more diverse
By Philip Ewing
Staff writer
Naval Academy leaders removed two midshipmen from a color guard that performed at the World Series last week because they were white men, and replaced them with a non-white man and a white woman so the academy could present a more “diverse” profile, according to several sources, a move that has reportedly angered mids and alumni.
As it turned out, the color guard still ended up all white because the male replacement forgot parts of his uniform.
Two white, male members of the color guard learned Oct. 28 they were being replaced with a white woman, Midshipman 2nd Class Hannah Allaire, and a non-white man, Midshipman 2nd Class Zishan Hameed, on orders of the school’s administration, according to an internal e-mail message provided to Navy Times by an academy professor. With a national television audience, Naval Academy leadership worried the color guard it planned to send wasn’t diverse enough, the e-mail said.
However, after the color guard arrived in New York for the game Oct. 29, Hameed, whose family is from Pakistan, realized he had left his dress shoes and cover in Annapolis. Midshipman 1st Class Aaron Stroud regained his place and served as a rifleman for the presentation of the colors. Allaire carried the other rifle and the four original members marched with the flags.
Naval Academy spokesman Cmdr. Joe Carpenter responded to questions about the midshipmen replacements in a written statement Thursday after the color guard story was first reported on the blog “CDR Salamander.”
Carpenter quoted a statement from Naval Academy Commandant Capt. Matt Klunder, who said he wanted to respond to questions about why some of the members of the color guard weren’t able to march at the World Series.
Academy officials actually sent an eight-person color guard to the baseball game, Klunder said, but the full squad couldn’t perform after Hameed forgot part of his uniform, because color guards need an even number of members. So it wasn’t that the academy administration yanked members of the color guard because they were white men, it’s that Hameed’s “uniform inventory problem,” as Klunder called it, meant that only six mids could march, instead of eight.
But a Naval Academy press release on the morning of the game said six mids were presenting the colors at the World Series, and identified them all by name. Stroud and the other white male mid who had been cut went to the game, according to the e-mail obtained by Navy Times — fortunate, because Stroud was needed to take Hameed’s place — but they never expected to be able to march that night.
Carpenter said the initial press release included only six names because the public affairs office didn’t know who else would be joining the World Series color guard. When it learned the names of the other two, the public affairs staff decided it would be too late to put out an updated announcement, he said.
The administration’s decision upset many of the mids, according to the e-mail. But after Klunder heard complaints about the situation from alumni and family members, the brigade’s company commanders were ordered to tell their midshipmen they were forbidden from discussing the color guard story with people outside the Yard, according to a source familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it.
The source said current midshipmen and alumni were frustrated that one of them was denied the chance to march at the World Series, despite having earned it, and that the administration was trying to squelch discussion of it.
Carpenter said he didn’t know who told the midshipmen not to talk about the situation.
The Naval Academy color guard, which is a voluntary extracurricular group, has 28 total members from all four classes.
Naval Academy Changed Color Guard to Appear More Diverse at World Series
Naval Academy leaders are under fire after altering the composition of the military color guard at a World Series game last month so the group wouldn't be made up only of white men.
Capt. Matthew Klunder, commandant of midshipmen, disputed that version of events. He said he considered replacing two members but decided to add two extra people instead, expanding the group from six to eight members.
Only six people ended up participating in the Game 2 routine at Yankee Stadium, Klunder said, because one of the two additions — Midshipman 2nd Class Zishan Hameed — forgot parts of his uniform. The color guard performs in even numbers, he said.
Color guard members were upset by the decision to change the makeup of the group .
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Wild Thing's comment..........
This news item has been a hot topic on USNA Grad sites and is just what it seems. The fact that one of the “replacements” forgot his hat and shoes makes it even more illustrative of the kind of things that are going on at USNA and in the military.
At least this event didn’t get anyone killed, but the PC bent of our military leaders(who are no leaders) inspired by their political bosses is going to be the death of our great military.
Diversity isn’t a strength, character and performance are strenghts.
I really hate to see this kind of thing happening. The military more then anything else needs to be free of this kind of thing. Men and women that serve have their lives at risk and they don't need this put into the mix.
How about individual qualifications instead of quotas? PC and diversity seems to rule everything in this country.
The P.C. crap invades the military mostly from the Congress and the Administration and it is imo part of the reason we have 13 dead soldiers at Fort Hood.
As Nick ( Angry Old Salt) said about this story :
"internally the Navy I know and love wants to treat everyone the same regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin - it is Congress and Big Navy though that decided that equality isn't enough.But this is about PC crap and it is an enemy of our military in all branches."
......Thank you RAC for sending this to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at November 13, 2009 03:49 AM
Comments
The military is a very PC place. The Air Force changed the lyrics to its song, "Air Force Blue" to be PC
Here's the lyrics for the original version:
They took the blue from the skies and a pretty girl's eyes
and a touch of Old Glory's hue,
And gave it to the men who proudly wear the U.S. Air Force blue.
Oh, they are men with a dream on America's team,
They're a rugged and ready crew.
And you can bet your boots the world looks up to U.S. Air Force Blue.
This is the new PC version:
We take the blue from the skies and some pretty blue eyes
And a touch of Old Glory's hue,
And fervently declare we're proud to wear
The U.S. Air Force Blue.
We have the drive and the dream in America's team
We're a rugged and ready crew
And you can bet your boots the world looks up
To U.S. Air Force Blue.
Posted by: BobF at November 13, 2009 09:14 AM
I LOVE our Midshipmen! May God Bless them! Old goats and all! ;)
Posted by: jan at November 13, 2009 11:23 AM
PC is killing America. Along with affirmative action and quotas, it is a form of fakery. I know some Blacks who have no use for it and are worried that their accomplishments may be attributed to one of the PC's rather than their own abilities and efforts.
Posted by: TomR at November 13, 2009 01:19 PM
I didn't know the Air Force changed their hymn, the new one is so blaze.
I guess "Heavens scenes are out to"
I wonder how much more, Members of the Armed Forces are not suppose to talk about.
Posted by: Mark at November 13, 2009 02:22 PM
What's next, replacing US naval aviators in F-18's on their flight decks prior to catapault launches? That's right, in the Navy DEMI MOORE was even a US Navy SEAL! Forgive me Bear Nation...
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at November 13, 2009 06:23 PM
We have an affirmative action pResident; maybe we shouldn't be so surprised that the Armed Forces are now being subjected to PC policies...
I cry for the America I knew and defended, it no longer exists,and I can only hope that it will ever return stronger and better than before.
Posted by: delftsman at November 13, 2009 06:31 PM
BobF, thank you for posting that.
Thank you everyone so much.
Posted by: Wild Thing at November 13, 2009 11:46 PM
