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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The MacDill Air Force Base announced on Facebook that the content on its platform is being reviewed and removed to align with the president’s executive orders and Department of Defense priorities.
The post came Thursday, a day after the DOD issued a memo with the subject: digital content refresh. By March 5, components are required to remove news and feature articles, photos, and videos that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Tampa historians said they worry this could be how historical context of the military and other organizations is forgotten.
“I think it makes it a little bit more challenging to trace our history,” said Ashley Morrow, a Tampa historian.
The move was ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has pushed to fire military leaders who support diversity.
“Well first of all you gotta fire, um you know, you gotta fire the chairman of the joint chiefs. Any general that was involved — general, admiral, whatever — that was involved in any of the DEI woke (BLEEP), has gotta go,” Hegseth said.
The memo describes DEI as information promoting critical race theory, gender ideology, and preferential treatment or quotas based upon sex, race, or ethnicity. It also includes content that counters merit-based or color-blind policies, or that promotes cultural awareness months.
Customer-focused content, such as base conditions, current and historical leadership biographies, DOD operations, and morale, welfare and recreational activities, are allowed.
“I feel like diversity, it means strength,” Morrow said. “I feel like having a diverse military is showing how they are fighting for the diverse America that we have always had and should have in the future.”
The memo said if the components can’t remove DEI content by March 5, they must temporarily remove posts from the last four years, immediately.