APPLAUSE ERUPTS as Sen. Hawley BLASTS Woke Military Rules!, “HOW DOES BANNING HE/SHE WIN A WAR??”APPLAUSE ERUPTS as Sen. Hawley BLASTS Woke Military Rules: “How Does Banning He/She Win A War??”
A U.S. Senate hearing quickly turned into a high-octane confrontation after Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) called out senior military leaders for two critical failures: the persistent neglect of substandard military family housing, and the bizarre emergence of localized “woke” policies attempting to ban common pronouns and descriptors within the Air Force.
Hawley, refusing to accept vague assurances, exposed a critical disconnect between the military’s stated commitment to soldier welfare and the frustrating reality faced by families at bases like Fort Leonard Wood. He then zeroed in on a controversial email directive from an Air Force base, challenging the military to explain how such policies contribute to
The hearing served as a raw demonstration of a lawmaker prioritizing combat readiness and family safety over bureaucratic excuses and politically motivated language policing.
I. The Scandal of Substandard Housing: Fort Leonard Wood’s Failure
Senator Hawley began the hearing by directly confronting the Army’s representative, addressing the dire situation regarding aging homes at Fort Leonard Wood in his home state of Missouri. Hawley’s questioning was based not on reports, but on personal observation.
“I was just there a few weeks ago. I toured the homes myself. I spoke to residents. I spoke to spouses. I spoke to children who lived in the homes.
His concern was amplified by the Army’s lack of a concrete plan. He pressed the General on how the “lack of availability of quality military housing”
affects recruiting and retention.
The General responded with vague assurances of a “whole package” investment covering housing, daycare centers, and spousal employment.
Hawley immediately pushed back on the ambiguity: “
The General could only offer to “take that question for the record.”
The “Royal Pain” Pledge
Hawley’s frustration boiled over, citing a pattern of broken promises from the Army leadership.
“I think we’re past the point of continuing to kick this down the road. Frankly, at Fort Leonard Wood, it was a problem a decade ago… I’ve been in their houses. I’ve been in their kitchens. I’ve looked at their bathrooms where there’s mold growing. I’ve seen the substandard living conditions.
Hawley then delivered a powerful statement to the military leadership: “I promise those service members that I’d be a royal pain in the [you know what] until something changed. So, I’m keeping that commitment.”
He highlighted a specific instance of bureaucratic failure: “I don’t want to see are any more commitments from the army that they’re going to spend x number of dollars… We’re going to commit x number of dollars to Fort Leonard Wood, and then, as it turns out,
II. The Pronoun Controversy: Banning “He/She” for Lethality
The hearing took a sharp turn when Hawley pivoted to a reported controversy involving the Air Force’s Anderson Air Force Base in Guam. He asked the General about an email that reportedly instructed leaders to prohibit the use of pronouns and descriptors.
Hawley read from a news report detailing the directive: “Leaders of the base are instructed do not use pronouns, age, race, etc.… The unauthorized examples of unauthorized language are
Hawley’s core question challenged the policy’s efficacy: “Why is that? I mean, what what what’s going on?”
The Air Force Walk-Back
The Air Force General immediately sought to minimize the report, claiming it was not official service policy.
“That is… an email from my understanding that went out locally from one of the commanders there,” the General explained. “It is
Hawley accepted the clarification but highlighted the absurdity of the commander’s logic.
“I asked because part of the way it’s been reported is that the rationale… is to help with lethality and also recruiting,” Hawley noted, his voice sharp with disbelief. He then delivered the line that drew significant attention:
“I just it was curious as heck how how not using he she can help with lethality and how it’s helping with recruiting.”
The General could only confirm that the policy was “not an official policy from the Department of the Air Force.”
III. A Dangerous Mindset Problem
The confrontation exposed two distinct, competing priorities within the U.S. military command structure:
Hawley’s Focus: Centered entirely on foundational issues of military readiness, combat effectiveness, and family welfare (e.g., stopping mold in kitchens, ensuring housing is not substandard).
The Local Command’s Focus: Distracted by esoteric, non-military policies concerning language and social issues, driven by a belief that banning pronouns somehow aids in the core mission of warfighting and recruitment.
Critics argued that even if the pronoun ban was only a local email, the underlying mindset is dangerous. While global adversaries prepare for conflict and invest heavily in technology, a commander in the U.S. military thought language policing was a priority for improving combat strength.
The hearing ultimately reinforced Senator Hawley’s commitment to addressing tangible problems affecting service members, demanding results, not speeches or “fancy language.” His voice was the most focused in the room on protecting the nation through common sense and military readiness, free from politically distracting internal debates.
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