Judicial Watch Sues for Records on Rebranding of West Point’s DEI Office

(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Defense for information regarding the rebranding of West Point’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office to “Office of Engagement and Retention” (Judicial Watch Inc. v. U.S. Department of Defense (No. 1:24-cv-02941)).

The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after the United States Military Academy at West Point (a component of the Defense Department) failed to respond to an August 28, 2024, FOIA request for:

1. All documents related to the renaming of and/or elimination of West Point’s “Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity” (ODIEO).
2. All documents related to the creation of West Point’s “Office of Engagement and Retention.”
3. All emails related to the matters addressed in Bullets 1 and 2 sent to and from the following USMA officials: Superintendent LTG Steve Gilland, Dean BG Shane Reeves, Commandant BG R.J. Garcia, and Chief Diversity Officer Lisa Benitez.

Reporting in August 2024 detailed the name change:

The West Point Office of “Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity” is now called the “Office of Engagement and Retention”…. On the West Point page, there’s not much change beyond the title …

“It seems games are afoot at West Point to disguise its radical DEI agenda,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

Recently, Judicial Watch sued on behalf of Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services, Inc. (STARRS) against the U.S. Department of Defense for records regarding the U.S. Air Force Academy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plans.

In June 2024, Judicial Watch sued the Defense Department for records regarding the deletion of the words “Duty, Honor, Country” from the United States Military Academy at West Point’s mission statement.

In March 2023, records obtained by Judicial Watch from the Department of Defense showed the Air Force Academy has made race and gender instruction a top priority in the training of cadets. 

In July 2023, Judicial Watch exposed records from the United States Air Force Academy that included instructional materials and emails that address topics such as Critical Race Theory, “white privilege,” and Black Lives Matter. 

In July 2022, Judicial Watch sued the Department of Defense for  records related to the United States Naval Academy (USNA) implementing Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the training of naval recruits.

In June 2022, Judicial Watch received records revealing Critical Race Theory instruction at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point One training slide contains a graphic titled “MODERN-DAY SLAVERY IN THE USA.” [Emphasis in original]. 

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