aThis past week, U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) gave way to political pressures again by announcing their new Chief of Diversity & Inclusion on Twitter. The position will be held by Mr. Richard Torres-Estrada.

According to USSOCOM’s Twitter post,

“USSOCOM welcomes our new Chief of Diversity & Inclusion, Mr. Richard Torres-Estrada. We look forward to his contribution in enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of #SOF through diversity of talent, helping us recruit the best of the best. #QuietProfessionals”

This is a joke of a position to make politicians on the hill feel better. While I have nothing against Mr. Torres-Estrada, what in the world do we need this position for?

U.S. Army has been around since June 14, 1775 — more than a year before the Declaration of Independence — and never felt the need for such a position until now. But why now? Did President Trump divide the country so badly that now that we have a Democrat in office, we have to appease everyone by making up a fictional position to keep the politicians happy?

Since its official establishment, the U.S. Army has played a vital role in the American nation’s growth and development. Drawing on both long-standing militia traditions and recently introduced professional standards, it achieved the new republic’s independence in an arduous eight-year struggle against Great Britain. At times, the Army provided the lone symbol of nationhood around which patriots rallied. None of which relied on diversity and inclusion.

The Military’s purpose is to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me.”

How does SOF meet targets and goals for diversity in a highly selective volunteer system? The servicemembers these politicians want to see volunteer simply aren’t volunteering to do the job. It seems that servicemembers who value diversity and inclusion will not find it in SOF, which demands strict conformity within and to a tight culture. It’s like wondering why more white people don’t join the NAACP.