The Air Force has announced a two-week delay in the testing cycle for airmen set to be promoted to technical sergeant.
This decision comes as the service reviews its study materials, which conflict with guidelines set by the previous administration regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Fortunately, the Air Force does not expect this change to have any impact on the overall promotion schedule.
Rescheduling the Testing Cycle
Originally scheduled between February 15 and April 15, the E6 testing cycle will now run from March 3 to May 1.
This rescheduling allows the Air Force to take the time needed to assess and adjust learning resources to align with the new directive aimed at removing DEI-related content.
Background on DEI Changes
On his first day in office, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order that halted all DEI programs within federal agencies, including those in the military.
In response, various branches of the military moved quickly to purge DEI references from their training manuals and documents.
As part of this effort, the Air Force officially withdrew its handbook and study guides on January 29.
The updated versions, which will exclude the DEI-related material that had been previously included, are slated for release by February 18.
Impact on Promotion Testing
While some questions related to DEI will still appear on the Weighted Airman Promotion System (WAPS) test, these will not contribute to candidates’ scores.
The Air Force explained that omitting these questions entirely would lead to a significant delay of around four months, affecting approximately 6,300 airmen awaiting their promotions.
Therefore, participants are encouraged to answer all questions, knowing that the DEI-related ones won’t impact their final results.
Source: Militarytimes