‘Depoliticizing military’ column was too political

As a journalist who has written for military publications for more than 20 years, I take issue with Demetries Grimes’ column (“Bans on gender-affirming care, CRT help to depoliticize US military,” July 25). He ignores a threat to the country, and imposes his own political views.

Grimes supports “the prohibition of the DoD from carrying out climate change-related executive actions.” In fact, the DoD has considered climate change as a pivotal element of its strategic planning for decades, as it has a significant effect on military operations.

By studying climate change, the U.S. military has recognized that a whole new battlefield has opened up in the Arctic region. Rising atmospheric temperatures have melted thousands of years-old glacial ice packs in the Arctic Ocean and Barents Sea, creating new open waters for Russian ship operations.

According to many military sources, Russia will build a base in the Arctic, and believes that the country that owns the Arctic region will rule the world. The DoD, U.S. Navy and allies have had to adapt to this threat, radically having to change strategic planning and operations to deal with this new peril.

Grimes also advocates “the cutting of critical race theory and diversity and inclusion programs.” Sources for my articles on recruitment have reported that all of the U.S. services have employed diversity programs to encourage interest in a military career. Such efforts are critical to meeting recruitment goals. The Army was short 15,000 recruits last year.

Chuck Weirauch, Casselberry