Following significant backlash from lawmakers, veterans, and others, the U.S. Air Force announced Monday that it will reinstate training on the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black airmen in the nation’s military, as part of its basic training curriculum.
The instruction, which covers the contributions of more than 15,000 Black pilots, mechanics, and cooks who served in a segregated Army during World War II, was previously removed from training on Jan. 23. Lessons on the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), a paramilitary aviation group of female pilots who served during the same era, were also pulled.
Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, commander of the Air Education and Training Command, confirmed to USA TODAY that the content had been removed due to its inclusion in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) material, following an executive order banning DEI training throughout the U.S. government and military.
In a statement Monday morning, Robinson said the lessons are being reinstated to ensure trainees do not miss the opportunity to learn about these important historical contributions, while maintaining compliance with the executive order. “The block in which these lessons were taught included DEI material, which was directed to be removed,” Robinson explained. “We believe this adjustment to curriculum to be fully aligned with the direction given in the DEI executive order.”
The Air Force emphasized that only one group of trainees experienced a delay in receiving the reinstated instruction. The move ensures that the legacy of both the Tuskegee Airmen and WASPs remains part of the education for future Airmen and Guardians.
