The U.S. Army has officially pulled the plug on a controversial evaluation initiative that had been designed to assess promotion candidates through a “bias-reduction” framework steeped in the language of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Known as the Command Assessment Program (CAP), the initiative aimed to eliminate what the military called “conscious and unconscious biases” in evaluating officers for leadership roles. But after years of pushback and scrutiny—particularly over the program’s ideological tilt and effectiveness—the Army has shut it down.
The Military Times reported that CAP included double-blind interviews, antibias training for panelists, and feedback mechanisms intended to flag so-called “counterproductive behaviors.” Candidates were assessed behind screens, while panel members were given daily DEI refreshers, all in an attempt to strip the process of alleged race or gender bias.
A 2022 report in the U.S. Army War College Quarterly went so far as to call these procedures “best practices” in minimizing racial and demographic prejudice. The report also celebrated the broader ideological shift within the military under the guise of “cognitive diversity”—a term now used to justify identity-based hiring and promotion practices.
“The Army has embraced talent management transformation amid the backdrop of a global pandemic… and civil unrest that has resulted in part from systemic racism,” the paper stated. “Diversity can refer to both demographics and thought… One framework includes dimensions such as age, sexual orientation, physical abilities, race, gender, spiritual beliefs, and class.”
The now-defunct CAP became a poster child for the military’s foray into progressive social engineering, drawing widespread criticism from veterans, lawmakers, and even current service members. Critics argued that the program prioritized political correctness over combat readiness and encouraged officers to cater to DEI standards rather than merit-based excellence.
In recent months, top military officials have been under increasing pressure to roll back “woke” policies that many say are hurting recruitment, morale, and operational focus. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has made it clear that under President Donald Trump, the mission is clear: restore accountability, promote competence, and stop turning the military into a social experiment.
The termination of the Command Assessment Program is being hailed by many as a long-overdue step in that direction. Whether more programs like it will meet the same fate remains to be seen—but for now, the Army appears to be stepping away from ideological experiments and back toward its core mission: winning wars.
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