US Air Force says it will teach video on first Black pilots

27/1/2025 6:05

The U.S. Air Force on

Sunday said it will resume instruction of trainees using a video

about the first Black airmen in the U.S. military, known as the

Tuskegee Airmen, which has passed review to ensure compliance

with President Donald Trump's ban on diversity, equity and

inclusion initiatives.



Trump, who took office on Jan. 20, has prohibited DEI

throughout the U.S. government and the U.S. military. New

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was sworn in on Friday, has

made eliminating DEI from the military a top priority.



Reuters reported on Saturday that the video about the

Tuskegee Airmen as well as another about civilian women pilots

trained by the U.S. military during World War Two, known as

"Women Air Force Service Pilots," or WASPs, were not being

taught in basic training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland

pending a review.



The move was first reported by the San Antonio Express-News.



The Air Force on Sunday said both videos will be taught.



"No Airmen or Guardians will miss this block of instruction

due to the revision, however one group of trainees had the

training delayed," said Lieutenant General Brian Robinson, who

leads the Air Education and Training Command in a statement.



The Tuskegee Airmen included 450 pilots who fought overseas

in segregated units during World War Two. Their success in

combat helped pave the way for President Harry Truman's decision

to desegregate the armed forces in 1948.



DEI programs seek to promote opportunities for women, ethnic

minorities and other traditionally underrepresented groups.

Civil rights advocates argue such programs, generally backed by

Democrats, are needed to address longstanding inequities and

structural racism.



They have come under attack from conservatives, who say

race- and gender-focused initiatives are inherently

discriminatory and fail to prioritize merit.