It is estimated that fewer than 23% of Americans between 17 and 24 are qualified to serve in the U.S. military. The reasons range from obesity and drug use to mental health issues.

Today, only a small percentage of our nation has served in the armed forces, making the U.S. military an exclusive organization.

Yet last week, federal district Judge Richard Bennett ruled that the U.S. Naval Academy’s race-conscious admissions policy did not violate the Supreme Court’s recent decision to curtail affirmative action. Judge Bennett argued that the Naval Academy has a “compelling national security interest in a diverse officer corps.” (RELATED: MEHEK COOKE: Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation Deserves Better Than Weaponized #MeToo)

He is only partially correct.

Never once while in combat or performing special missions underwater have I, nor any of my Special Operations brothers and sisters, ever wondered about the skin color of our battle buddy or dive buddy. We only cared that the person next to us had our backs. The diversity we need in our military lies in our backgrounds and what we bring to the fight, not whether we are black or white or anything in between. I served alongside men and women who did not care about my skin color;........

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