The current Personnel Chief at the Department of Defense (DOD) has been linked to the previous diversity and inclusion initiatives, which controversially included vaccine mandates and a program for citizenship for non-citizen service members facing deportation due to criminal activities.
Retired Army Secretary Samuel’s shoemaker raised concerns this week on X regarding Deputy Chief of Military Policy, Stephanie Miller.
Miller is responsible for managing human resource policies impacting over two million military personnel. The shoemaker highlighted that her revised biography removed specific references to diversity, equity, and inclusion, although it still notes her significant roles within DOD related to these topics.
She previously worked as a defense fellow for Senator Susan Collins and was aligned with political figures who have shown opposition to certain military confirmations.
The shoemaker stated that Miller has long influenced military decisions, asserting that her leadership has negatively impacted military readiness and strength.
As the Deputy Director of Military Personnel Policy, she plays a central role in promotions and enlistments. This raises questions about why certain officers seem to advance rapidly. Personnel seeking redress for wrongful discharge are facing significant challenges and hurdles.
Another user on X, identified as Lauren, pointed out that Miller also played a role in developing the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative (IMMVI), which allows a certain number of non-citizens to join the military each year.
During a June 2022 hearing, Miller elaborated on her responsibilities regarding the military naturalization program, noting collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support eligible service members, particularly during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the same hearing, Representative Tom McClintock raised concerns about the processes in place when a deported veteran returns to the U.S. He questioned whether victims of crimes committed by these veterans would be informed of their return, to which DHS representatives provided unclear answers about how cases are handled.
Miller, who assisted non-citizen immigrants in accessing citizenship faster during COVID, said that there were no plans to remove the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for service members during her testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee in September 2022.
Following the meeting, the shoemaker shared insights suggesting that Miller had actively obstructed efforts to reverse some of her initiatives, associating her actions with the removal of conservative voices from the military.
He expressed concern that her approach seemed deliberately targeted to marginalize more religiously conservative elements within military ranks.
The shoemaker and other retired service members met with high-ranking officials, hoping that improvements could be made for unvaccinated personnel. Some participants expressed cautious optimism about future changes from leadership.
He reiterated his belief in a need for accountability within the Pentagon regarding recent policies and actions, arguing for a dedicated task force focused on identifying and rectifying corruption within military ranks over the past few years.
The Pentagon has yet to comment on this situation.
