At long last, family support for military cadets
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has surrendered some ground in his war against wokeness in the military.
OK, that’s an exaggeration, but the Texas Republican did co-author legislation to modernize how U.S. military academies treat cadets or midshipmen who become parents while attending the institutions.
Before the new law, those attending West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy were not allowed to have children. Those who did often found themselves in a tough situation made harder by policy that forced them to choose between relinquishing parental rights, having an abortion or leaving the academy and reimbursing the government for their education.
Each choice carried untold costs and consequences.
Cruz and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, introduced the Candidates Afforded Dignity, Equality and Training Act, or CADET Act, that required service academies to fix these archaic rules. And by doing so, they made these institutions more humane and more gender equal as well as better reflections of society and the operational military.
The bill passed in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act and gave the services a year to update policy to allow a cadet or midshipmen who becomes pregnant or fathers a child to keep their parental rights without having to give up their education.
Stars & Stripes reporter Rose Thayer recently checked in with the Defense Department, which said the policy—due in January—was still pending and declined to comment. In “Catch-22” fashion, West Point and Annapolis representatives said they’re
waiting for the policy from the Pentagon.
By contrast, the Air Force Academy told Thayer that over the last year, four cadets were allowed to continue their studies after having children. An academy spokesman said the school and service made the move based on “understanding the intent of Congress.” He told her the cadets could remain
“as long as they had an approved family care plan.”
Family care plans are used throughout the military to outline how military people will support their families when away.
Gillibrand is a longtime advocate for military justice reforms and victims of sexual violence, so it’s no surprise to see her name attached to this legislation.
Cruz, on the other hand, frequently bashes military decisions he deems too politically correct or woke.
In May, he posted a video comparing Russian military propaganda video to a U.S. Army recruiting ad with the words, “Holy crap. Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea …”
He also balked at DOD leaders disagreeing with television host Tucker Carlson’s opinion that “new hairstyles and maternity flight suits” and other equality efforts have somehow made the U.S. military less masculine than the Russian or Chinese armed forces.
Of course, masculinity has little to do with lethality — the current trendy buzzword — just as one’s parental status has little to do with their career or education.
The CADET Act will make the military more inclusive, diverse and effective while also helping recruiting and retention. Cruz was right to lead this effort.