Naval Academy Defends Race in Admissions, Cites Military Strength, Unity

The U.S. Naval Academy is defending its admissions process, which takes race into account, arguing that diversity strengthens the military by enhancing its effectiveness, respect and cohesion.
In a case about whether race can continue to be a factor in military academy admissions, attorneys for the Naval Academy defended their stance amid an ongoing bench trial in Maryland, writing in court papers, “For decades, senior military leaders have concluded that the fighting force is stronger when it is racially and otherwise diverse at all levels. The Armed Forces learned this lesson the hard way.”
This defense comes as the academy faces a legal challenge from Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), a group that previously spearheaded a lawsuit leading to the Supreme Court’s decision banning race-based college admissions. The ruling ended a decades-old policy aimed at expanding opportunities for historically underrepresented groups, causing widespread disruption across the higher education landscape.
However, the decision left the door open for military academies, hinting that national security considerations could grant a potential exemption.
SFFA, founded by conservative activist Edward Blum, later sued the Annapolis-based Naval Academy to challenge the exemption.
The group argues that prioritizing minority candidates disadvantages qualified white applicants and that military cohesion should be built through merit, training, and command structure rather than diversity initiatives.
The Naval Academy, however, counters that diverse leadership reflects American values and strengthens military readiness.
Newsweek reached out to the Naval Academy and Students for Fair Admissions via email for comment.
According to court testimony, the Naval Academy’s current admissions process considers many factors, including grades, extracurricular activities, life experience and socioeconomic status.
In addition, the academy, in court papers, wrote that race often plays no role in the process, but sometimes it comes under consideration in a “limited fashion.”
“Candidates are evaluated with an eye towards the myriad ways in which they might contribute to the Navy or Marine Corps as future officers,” the Naval Academy wrote.
Captain Jason Birch, a Black former Navy SEAL commander who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1999 and currently serves on its admissions board, testified during the first week of trial that his experiences as a Black officer highlights diversity in leadership and creates role models for minority service members, encouraging trust and respect.
Meanwhile, critics like Lieutenant Colonel Dakota Wood, who is a white, retired Marine officer, argue that high performance standards should be the sole criteria for building an effective fighting force, dismissing race as irrelevant.
However, Birch has said diversity among U.S. military leaders reflects core American values, demonstrating that if you work hard and perform well, “regardless of your background, regardless of what you look like, you’ll be put in a position of command and responsibility.”
Birch recounted instances of racist behavior by white colleagues as well as overseas assignments where his racial identity seemed to garner respect from foreign leaders.
This comes as the American military has dealt with “internal racial strife that has risked mission readiness since its inception,” the Naval Academy wrote, saying the organization has made significant progress but still has a way to go.
In addition, the Naval Academy said creating an organization that roughly reflects the country’s demographics is an important step toward eliminating this internal conflict.
This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.