The Ron DeSantis campaign on Thursday slammed a Space Force lieutenant general who admitted that she discriminated against qualified service members for military assignments if she believed they or their family would not be “safe” being stationed in a state with “anti-LGBTQ” laws, such as in Florida.
The campaign tweeted:
SHOCKING: Space Force Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt admits the U.S. military discriminates against Floridians when considering promotions — leading to “less qualified” officers — because @RonDeSantis banned trans surgeries for KIDS. DeSantis will end this woke insanity on Day One.
Space Force Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt last week, during a Pentagon Pride Month ceremony, blasted “anti-LGBTQ+” legislation as “dangerous” for service members. She and other speakers were referring to laws such as one DeSantis signed in Florida to prevent teachers from discussing gender identity and sexual orientation with children in kindergarten through third grade, as well as laws banning kids from attending drag queen shows.
Burt said:
Transformational cultural change requires leadership from the top and we do not have time to wait. Since January of this year, more than 400 anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been introduced at the state level. That number is rising and demonstrates a trend that could be dangerous for service members, their families, and the readiness of the force as a whole.
She then said she discriminated against airmen for assignments due to those laws.
When I look at potential candidates, say for Squadron command, I strive to match the right person to the right job. I consider their job performance and relevant experience first. However, I also look at their personal circumstances. And their family is also an important factor. If a good match for a job does not feel safe being themselves and performing at their highest potential at a given location or if their family could be denied critical health care due to the laws in that state. I am compelled to consider a different candidate and perhaps less qualified.
As Breitbart reported, Burt’s comments were unusual in that general officers typically try to avoid weighing in on politics to avoid tarnishing the apolitical reputation of the military at large.
Rebeccah Heinrichs, senior fellow at Hudson Institute and member of the National Independent Panel on Military Service and Readiness, commented on Burt’s remarks: “100% inappropriate @SpaceForceDoD.”
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