Chief Wright Got It Wrong

For those of you who aren't familiar, Chief Kaleth O. Wright (retired) was the former Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.  He was the top enlisted leader of the Air Force.  So, like his predecessors, his influence and his direction was felt throughout the entire enlisted force.  Personally, I rarely keep up with the goings-on of our enlisted leaders and have no feelings toward them one way or another.  It's a great achievement for them, but they are largely ignored by the rest of the Air Force and they function as more of a political figure than they do a military member.  Occasionally, though, we'll experience a change in how we do business in the Air Force which stems from decisions from our leadership at the top.  Depending on those changes, we either celebrate or condemn the current leader in charge.  As an example, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnn Bass made welcomed changes to the female dress and appearance standards, specifically to how females can wear their hair.  Airmen are currently petitioning Chief Bass to make further changes that would allow men to have beards—get with it, Chief!  However, Chief Wright's nickname as "enlisted Jesus" made him difficult to ignore and many thought highly of him.  Making him even more difficult to ignore, Chief Wright decided to post a thread on Twitter (which I've also provided below) lamenting the deaths of George Floyd, Michael Brown, and others.  Although we can all agree that he is certainly entitled to having an opinion on those tragic situations, Chief Wright gets it so wrong on multiple levels, undermining the professional image that his rank and office entails.  

Rules for Thee, but Not For Me

First, from a professional standpoint, proclaiming his view from the official Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Twitter account, with a picture of him in uniform, taking a position on a political hot-topic is, and has been, strongly discouraged among all officer and enlisted ranks.  Especially for the fact that the Air Force and the military in general is supposed to remain apolitical.  Airmen are always warned against this with regard to social media.  As a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer myself, I made sure to remind our Airmen that you must be careful about posting and/or commenting on political topics on social media, especially if there are pictures of them in uniform.  As representatives of the Air Force, we cannot give the impression that our comments are endorsed by the Air Force.  Chief Wright's opinion was certainly not shared amongst everyone in the Air Force.  Which is why, as the Senior Enlisted Leader, Chief Wright should have know better—and I suspect he did.  However, instead of being reprimanded, Chief Wright was commended by other senior leaders.  What message does this send to our junior members or the Air Force at large?  It tells them that, once again, we have folks in charge who are in a privileged position where the rules that apply to us do not apply to them.  That is the definition of hypocrisy.  It's a classic case of "rules for thee, but not for me".

An Emotionally Driven Soap-Box Moment

Aside from the policy aspect, Chief Wright's comments, although compassionate toward those who were lost and impacted, was also divisive amongst the force that he led.  That's one of the reasons we're warned against commenting on political hot-topics.  Chief Wright was in charge of leading one of the most diverse military forces in the world, whose members also have diverse opinions and backgrounds.  You cannot risk losing confidence in your subordinates for the sake of an emotionally driven soap-box moment.  You can find other senior leaders who have been reprimanded and, in fact, removed of command, for similar reasons.  But, in Chief Wright's case, he was lauded and given a pass.  Chief Wright's comments were an indictment of all of the white and non-black men and women who serve in the Air Force, especially our Military Police members and the larger civilian police force.  Whether or not he intended it that way, it doesn't matter.  The intent of those sorts of comments can be misinterpreted, which is why our rank and position does not afford us the privilege of engaging in that sort of dialogue in an official capacity.  His comments did not promote unity, they were not good for morale or good order and discipline and it was unbecoming of the office of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and any office that endorsed it.  Despite what other senior leaders might say about Chief Wright and what he was able to accomplish for the Air Force, his reputation will always be marred by that sloppy decision.  Leaders and professionals know better.   

Below is the complete Twitter thread of Chief Wright's "Who Am I" post.  Then, below that, I critiqued his perspective and created my own version of "Who Am I".  It's not anything I would necessarily post if I were Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, but I think it's a better take on how we should view ourselves and the people around us.

Chief Wright writes:

"Who am I? 

I am a Black man who happens to be the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. 

I am George Floyd…I am Philando Castile, I am Michael Brown, I am Alton Sterling, I am Tamir Rice. 

Just like most of the Black Airmen and so many others in our ranks…I am outraged at watching another Black man die on television before our very eyes. What happens all too often in this country to Black men who are subjected to police brutality that ends in death…could happen to me. As shocking as that may sound to some of you…I hope you realize that racism/discrimination/exclusion does not care much about position, titles or stature….so yes, it could happen to you, or one of your friends, or your Airmen, or your NCOIC, your Flight Chief, your Squadron Commander or even your Wing Commander. This, my friends, is my greatest fear, not that I will be killed by a white police officer (believe me my heart starts racing like most other Black men in America when I see those blue lights behind me)…but that I will wake up to a report that one of our Black Airmen has died at the hands of a white police officer. 

As I struggle with the Air Force’s own demons that include the racial disparities in military justice and discipline among our youngest Black male Airmen and the clear lack of diversity in our senior officer ranks…I can only look in the mirror for the solution. I, the CMSAF must do better in ensuring every Airmen in our ranks has a fair chance at becoming the best version of themselves. While this is a complicated issue…I, along with every other leader across the force, am responsible for making sure it becomes a reality. 

What have I been doing? 

Not enough…I have done my share of community service work, been in involved in mentor programs, voted in local, state and national elections, but I’ve come to the conclusion that whatever I have done in the past is just not enough. So, I spent the last week, “plotting, planning, strategizing, organizing and mobilizing” just as Killer Mike, the popular Atlanta rapper and activist encouraged us to do. Twenty-five of my closest friends (White, Black, Asian, enlisted, officer and civilian) and I have an ongoing dialogue where we began by acknowledging our right to be angry about what is happening. 

We eventually moved beyond the rage and began to think about what’s next? What could or should we be doing as a group and as individuals to stop this from happening in our communities across these United States? We don’t have all the answers, but we do have some of the most brilliant minds, many, who have first hand experience with this topic and we will continue working towards a solution. While we can’t change the world, we can change the communities we live in and more importantly, those where our Airmen strive to be seen, heard, and treated as human beings. I have also not done enough as your most senior enlisted leader…while we have made progress in many of the areas that impact our Airmen and families; I believe that we have not made much progress in this area of racial injustice and diversity among our ranks. This is why I’m working with General Goldfein, first and foremost to have a full and thorough independent review of our military justice system. We will look to uncover where the problem lies and how we can fix it. We are also working to improve the diversity of our force, especially within the senior ranks. I hope this message triggers responses and ideas from each of you on things we can do better. 

What should you be doing? 

Like me, acknowledge your right to be upset about what’s happening to our nation. But you must then find a way to move beyond the rage and do what you think is right for the country, for your community, for your sons, daughters, friends and colleagues…for every Black man in this country who could end up like George Floyd. Part of my group’s solution involves helping to bridge the communication and understanding gap between law enforcement and young Black men. You decide what works best for you, where you can have the most meaningful impact and most importantly, what you can stay committed to…we didn’t get here overnight so don’t expect things to change tomorrow…we are in this for the long haul. Vote, protest peacefully, reach out to your local and state officials, to your Air Force leadership and become active in your communities…we need all hands on deck. If you don’t do anything else, I encourage everyone to fight, not just for freedom, justice and equality, but to fight for understanding. You might think you know what it’s like to grow up, exist, survive and even thrive in this country as a Black person…but let me tell you, regardless of how many Black friends you have, or how Black your neighborhood was, or if your spouse or in-laws are Black…you don’t know. 

You don’t know the anxiety, the despair, the heartache, the fear, the rage and the disappointment that comes with living in this country, OUR country every single day. So, take the time to talk to someone – your brand new Airmen, your NCOIC or your Flight Commander - about their experiences so that you have a better understanding of who they are, where they come from and what drives them. Frankly, you owe this to every Airmen, but I’m asking you specifically to pay attention to the Black Airmen in your ranks during this trying time. Don’t misunderstand me, they don’t need, nor do they want any special treatment…but they deserve to be treated fairly and equally, both by our United States Air Force and these United States of America…this begins with you, and I am asking, no fighting, for your understanding. 

Like you, I don’t have all of the answers, but I am committed to seeing a better future for this nation. A future where Black men must no longer suffer needlessly at the hands of White police officers, and where Black Airmen have the same chance to succeed as their White counterparts. Trust me, I understand this is a difficult topic to talk about… 

Difficult…not impossible… 

Difficult…but necessary. 

Who am I… 

I am Kaleth. I am a Black Man who happens to be the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force and I am committed to making this better." 

Happens To Be Chief or Happens To Be Black?

When Chief Wright says: "I am a Black man who happens to be the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force", he has it backwards.  He was the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force who happened to be black.  Or, better yet, you are Kaleth, who happens to be the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force.  We must stop finding our identity in the color of our skin.  One of the greatest achievements of the Civil Rights Movement was that it taught us that the color of our skin is of trivial significance, that it tells us nothing about our character.  Still, racism exist, but not to the extent that the media, or Chief Wright for that matter, wants us to believe.  According to Thomas Sowell, racism is "on life support--kept alive by politicians, race hustlers and people who get a sense of superiority by denouncing others as racist".  You want a cure for racism?  Here it is: Gal 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus".  That is a philosophy of unity.  Unfortunately, Chief Wright is literally creating the problem that he's trying to fight against.  The color of your skin tells me nothing about your character and, like MLK pleaded, it's your character that we should be concerned with.

Greatest Fear?

Chief Wright says: "This, my friends, is my greatest fear, not that I will be killed by a white police officer (believe me my heart starts racing like most other Black men in America when I see those blue lights behind me)…but that I will wake up to a report that one of our Black Airmen has died at the hands of a white police officer".  

For what it's worth, I'd say most everyone's heart starts racing when they get pulled over.  At least, I can testify to that, so can my wife and son.  But why is his "greatest" fear that a black Airmen might die at the hands of a white police officer?  Perhaps this is one of those situations that we can say "All Airmen Matter", because he was leading one of the most diverse military forces in the world so I can guarantee that many of them were wondering why he wasn't as concerned about them.  Many of them likely have police officers in their family too and were probably wondering why he would be worried about their white mom, dad, brother or sister shooting a black Airman.  Did it ever occur to Chief Wright that some of our Reserve Airmen are civilian police officers too?  Did it ever occur to Chief that he lost the confidence of those Airmen because of his sloppy comments?  Again, this is the sort of division his comments can make, regardless if that was his intent or not.  

Quality or Diversity?

Chief Wright says: As I struggle with the Air Force’s own demons that include the racial disparities in military justice and discipline among our youngest Black male Airmen and the clear lack of diversity in our senior officer ranks…I can only look in the mirror for the solution.  

First, if there is a disparity, the question becomes: what's driving that disparity?  Is it unconscious bias?  Maybe.  Are there cultural factors?  Could be.  A combination of factors?  Possibly.  One huge factor that drives crime are fatherless homes and, as research has shown, the black community is plagued by fatherless homes.  If the composition of the military is a reflection of our society, then racial disparities in military justice and discipline among our youngest black Airmen could have roots within fatherless homes. 

Regarding his comment about the lack of diversity in our senior officer ranks, I loathe this mentality.  It implies that our current senior leaders didn't earn that position.  I don't care about the color, ethnicity, or cultural background of the person leading our military.  Diversity of appearance does not guarantee diversity of thought, nor does racial or ethnic diversity mean we're doing things right.  I care that they are qualified to lead our military members in the defense of our country and committed to the ideal that the United States is a beacon of hope for the world.  I don't think this is a racial problem, like Chief Wright seems to think.  It's a heart problem.  Adding more color to senior officer ranks does not fix the heart problem.  Maybe it makes him feel better, but it doesn't actually address the issue he says he's concerned with.  I want qualified leaders that happen to be diverse.  Not the other way around.  

Group Identities

Chief Wright says: You might think you know what it’s like to grow up, exist, survive and even thrive in this country as a Black person…but let me tell you, regardless of how many Black friends you have, or how Black your neighborhood was, or if your spouse or in-laws are Black…you don’t know.  

This is the part where Chief Wright becomes doubly racist.  Not only does he assume that all black people have the same lived experience, but he judges everyone else that is non-black.  He says "you don't know" because you're not black.  That, friends, is the racism that we're fighting against.  Except it's against those who don't even know they're being racist.  They are blind to their own bias.  I have no doubt that Chief Wright's comments were well intended, but somebody has to say something.  So, Chief, you have no idea of my lived experience or the lived experience of all the other black and non-black people.  So, please, stop judging me because of the color of my skin and stop assuming that everyone that looks like you have the same lived experience.  This brings me back to my first point; he's literally creating the problem that he's trying to fight against.  I do not find my identity in the color of my skin, and I wish you didn't either.

The Terror of the USA

Chief Wright says: You don’t know the anxiety, the despair, the heartache, the fear, the rage and the disappointment that comes with living in this country, OUR country every single day.  

Really?  Every day?  That sounds like a place I would leave.  Maybe this really is Chief Wright's lived experience and daily struggle, but this is likely hyperbole.  Nobody that I know or work with lives as though they have the anxiety, despair, fear, rage and disappointment that Chief Wright expresses.  Honestly, maybe Chief Wright needs to turn off the TV for a little while.  The media has a knack for feeding into outrage and folks can certainly turn into outrage junkies.  Surely Chief Wright is aware that more white men are shot by police than black men in this country.  Yes, I'm aware that, per capita, more black men are shot.  But can't we agree that both are concerning?  So, why is there no sentiment for those non-black men, those non-black Airmen?  Why are people so consumed with the color of their own skin that they focus their concern only on those who look like them?

My Lived Experience

Chief, let me invite you understand what's going on with, at least, this white Airman.  As of late, the current political and social climate works hard to make sure that being a white person in America carries with it a certain level of shame.  The burden of "white guilt", the awareness of "white privilege" and "white fragility", unconscious bias, that "all white people are racist", corporate requests to be "less white", the danger of "white freedom" and this new "white allergies" thing, it's all apparently white people's shame to bear.  Now, we have our Senior Enlisted Leader who, instead of pushing back against that racist climate, decides to reinforce that same divisive rhetoric.  It is literally the opposite of MLK's dream that a person "would not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character".  It's a sad, shameful state of our culture and it was disheartening to see Chief Wright fall victim to that mentality and condemn all of the non-black Airmen of which he was to lead.

Who Am I? 

I am an Airman and I happen to be a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force.  

I do not find my identity in the color of my skin, the uniform I wear, or the great country I happen to reside.  

I do not find my identity with a group or community of people that look like me or believe what I believe.  

I do not find my identity in the number of followers, likes, shares or re-tweets on social media.  

I do not find my identity in my successes or failures, challenges or overcomings, 

I find my identity in Jesus Christ.  

You might find this to be a controversial statement and I realize it is, but I want you to know this encourages me to see past trivial barriers of race, gender, ethnicity, orientation, and religion and treat you with intrinsic moral worth, dignity, and respect, as brothers and sisters in arms and image bearers of God. 

Like many others, I am angered to see anyone who is treated without dignity, respect, or moral worth and I am grieved to see any soul lost.

When it comes to who is sitting at my table, I do not believe that a diversity of appearance means a diversity of thought.  

What I care about is what you bring the table.  

Do you bring bitterness, complaints without solutions, a chip on your shoulder, entitlement or narcissism? 

If so, you’ll probably lose your seat.  

Do you bring humility, creativity, respect, open-mindedness, overcoming challenges, eagerness, and gratitude?  

Then you’ll merit a seat at my table.   

I do not assume to know what you have gone through in your life, but what I do know is that we’ve all had our own unique challenges, all of us, and we all continue to overcome new challenges and those trials constitute a new and fresh perspective to bring to the table.

Who Am I?  I am a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force, tasked with leading, mentoring, and developing the next generation of Air Force leaders.

Who Am I?  I am an American, who proudly and gratefully waves the Red, White, and Blue as a symbol of freedom and a monument for those who died for its cause.

Who Am I?  I am a father, husband, brother, and son.  I'm a human being, with all its flaws and failures.

Who Am I?

I am an image bearer of God, whose identity is in Jesus Christ.