Pentagon argues US military's 'woke' diversity programs are essential for 'defending the nation' and recruiting the right people after GOP lawmakers urge whistleblowers to report them

 The Pentagon has argued that the military's diversity and inclusion programs are essential for 'defending the nation' and recruiting the right people.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby was asked on Tuesday about recent criticism of the military's 'woke' programs and how Republican lawmakers are urging whistleblowers to now file complaints about them.

'What I can speak to is what we're really focused on here at the Department and that's defending the nation,' Kirby said during a briefing. 'And that means putting in place the right resources, the right strategies, the right operational concepts to do that, around the world.'

He pointed to a recent budget announcement in which the Pentagon laid out how it was trying to buy warships, aircrafts and systems that help modernize and improve how the US defends the country.

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Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that the military's diversity and inclusion programs are essential for 'defending the nation' because it means they can recruit the right people

Kirby said that in order to do that, the military needed 'good people' to help operate and service them.

He added that Defense secretary Lloyd Austin had been 'clear and fairly unapologetic' about wanting to recruit the best talent for the US military.

'If you meet the standards and you're qualified to be in the military and you're willing to raise your hand and serve this country, we want you to be able to do and we want you to be able to do it free of hate and fear and discrimination,' he said.

'We owe you that if you're going to raise your right-hand and volunteer to serve your country.

'There's no apologies for that, no apologies whatsoever for wanting to create that kind of a working environment. And it is a work in progress.

'It's not the kind of thing that you can just say on one day and walk away. You got to keep focusing on it. It's about leadership and it's about how you treat people and how people should be expected to be treated when they – when they wear the uniform of this country.

'We're focused on defending this nation. That means the capabilities, the systems, the programs... but it also means the people.'

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Kirby was asked on Tuesday about recent criticism of the military's 'woke' programs and how Republican lawmakers are urging whistleblowers to now file complaints about them

Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Sen. Tom Cotton launched a new initiative last week to prevent 'woke ideology' taking hold in the US military. 

They shared a 'whistleblower' form for military members to fill out should they encounter any far-left training materials. 

'Enough is enough. We won't let our military fall to woke ideology. We have just launched a whistleblower webpage where you can submit your story. Your complaint will be legally protected, and go to my office and @SenTomCotton',' Crenshaw tweeted. 

'For too long, progressive Pentagon staffers have been calling the shots for our warfighters, and spineless military commanders have let it happen. Now we are going to expose you.' 

The campaign comes just two weeks after ex-Space Force Commander, Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, claimed the Pentagon had sent servicemembers a video saying that 'whites are inherently evil'.

Lohmeier was recently removed from his post after blasting diversity and inclusion training in the military as 'critical race theory rooted in Marxism'.

Crenshaw - a former Navy Seal who lost an eye in combat in Afghanistan - condemned Lohmeier's removal, stating at the time: 'We need to be preparing our warriors to fight and win battles, not how to be (social justice warriors)'.  

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Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Sen. Tom Cotton launched a new initiative last week to prevent 'woke ideology' taking hold in the US military