Women's military history week

Yesterday Governor Newsom proclaimed this week as Women's Military History Week. In his proclamation, the Governor listed many accomplishments of women in the U.S. military and concluded: "Women's Military History Week is a time to recognize these achievements and reaffirm our commitment to a military where all servicemembers have equal opportunities and recognition. Their stories inspire us and remind us of the strength that diversity brings to our U.S. Armed Forces."

Hmm. Let's see what's happened recently to America's military women. The Military Times reports that in the last two months the military has been cleared "of most of its top female ranking officers."

The first woman to lead the Coast Guard, Admiral Linda Fagan, was fired on Jan. 21. One of the reasons cited was the Admiral's excessive focus on diversity programs. In fact, Admiral Fagan did respond to the increase in cases of sexual harassment since 2017. She directed her senior officers to prepare to educate the Coast Guard on the principles of service and said she wanted new training courses in matters of sexual harassment. Admiral Fagan stated: "We must ensure every Coast Guard workplace has a climate that deters harmful behaviors and gives everyone the positive Coast Guard experience they expect and deserve."

The first female Chief of Naval Operations was next out the door. Admiral Lisa Franchetti was fired on Feb. 21, 2025. The Secretary of Defense gave no specific reason.

Lieutenant General Jennifer Short was in the Air Force. She was a command pilot with over 1,800 hours of flying. She later served at the Pentagon until Feb. 22, 2025. An article in the Daily Mail states that the Secretary of Defense called her a "DEI hire."

Stars and Stripes reported that Army Lieutenant General Telita Crosland suddenly retired on March 3, 2025. General Crosland was the first Black woman to head the Defense Health Agency. The article states her retirement was "after several top generals were fired." Officials provided no details about her retirement.

Sigh!