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anonymous, Elbit USA, NH
I'm writing to express my frustration and concern over the current policies and politics surrounding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Elbit. As a GNC engineer, my primary focus has always been on innovation and efficiency within our technical team.
Lately, I've observed that the emphasis on DEI is creating a divisive atmosphere in our workplace. The terms 'diversity' and 'inclusivity' seem ill-defined and are being implemented in ways that appear counterproductive to me. In my opinion, these practices are deviating from the core values of engineering excellence and are instead fostering an environment of unnecessary political correctness.
I don't understand the rationale behind these initiatives, as they seem to be more about adhering to certain ideologies rather than enhancing our company's productivity or work culture. The implementation of these policies feels influenced by Marxist ideas, which I believe are not suitable for a corporate environment like ours.
I'm all for a workplace where everyone is respected and valued for their contributions, but I fear that the current approach to DEI is creating more problems than solutions. We're engineers, and we thrive on clear, logical frameworks. The ambiguity and politically charged nature of our current DEI policies are, frankly, distracting and demoralizing.
I hope my concerns are taken seriously, and I would appreciate more transparency and dialogue on how these policies are shaped and implemented. It's crucial for us to maintain a work environment where all employees can focus on their strengths and contributions, without feeling burdened by external political ideologies.
anonymous, BAE, Nashua, NH
I am writing to express my concerns and experiences at BAE, where I work as an electrical technician. Over the years, I've noticed a pattern in our promotion practices that has been increasingly concerning to me. It seems that in our department, promotions are predominantly given to female employees, and as a male employee, this has made me question the fairness and objectivity of our promotion process.
ok, there is nothing wrong with women! if the best person is getting picked, fine by me. But it just looks like male employees can't advance. Fine, but the problem is we can't ask the question. discussing these observations or asking questions about potential biases is frowned upon or outright discouraged.
The one-sided nature of this dialogue, or rather the lack of it, is what I find most frustrating. I believe in fair and balanced -- I believe in open and honest conversations about these topics. However, the current environment at BAE does not seem to encourage or support this kind of dialogue.
I am concerned about the possible biases in our current promotion practices and the inability to openly discuss these issues without fear of retribution or being misunderstood. I hope that by bringing this forward, we can start a constructive and inclusive dialogue to address these concerns. At least let us talk about it without getting cancelled!
anonymous, Spirit, Kansas
I've spent most of my life as a world-class CNC machinist, working tirelessly to become the best in my field. My journey hasn't been an easy one; I came from a tough childhood, facing challenges that most people can't even imagine. But I've always believed in the power of hard work and dedication. Over the years, I've risen through the ranks at Spirit, my company, honing my skills and proving my worth. It wasn't handed to me on a silver platter; I earned every promotion and recognition that came my way. I've always taken pride in the fact that I'm a black man succeeding in a competitive industry, based on the merits of my performance, not the color of my skin. However, lately, something has been bothering me. It seems that Spirit has started to pander to diversity and inclusion (DEI) policies in a way that makes me uncomfortable. I can't help but wonder if my success is genuinely based on my abilities or if it's because of my race. I've always believed that if you work hard and excel in your field, you will be rewarded accordingly. That's what I've been doing – producing top-notch work, always pushing the boundaries of what's possible in CNC machining. But now, it feels like my achievements are being overshadowed by a constant focus on diversity metrics and checkboxes. I'm angry and frustrated because I know I can't control the way the company chooses to implement its DEI policies. I want to be recognized for my skills, not because someone wants to meet a diversity quota. It's disheartening to see my hard work and dedication reduced to a checkbox on a list. I don't want to be defined solely by my race; I want to be acknowledged for my expertise, my passion for CNC machining, and the countless hours I've put into perfecting my craft. I believe that true diversity and inclusion should recognize and celebrate our differences while valuing individual merit.
anonymous, Raytheon, Tucson, AZ
I never thought I’d be the one to share a personal story online, but here I am, needing to vent and maybe get some advice. I work Raytheon Missile Systems. On the surface, RMS seems like any other major corporation, but it’s a bit different – it’s heavily influenced by a controlling HR.
I’ve always believed in keeping work and personal beliefs separate. But at RMS, it feels like I’m in a constant battle just to stay true to myself. I’ve been facing discrimination, not for my performance, but for my beliefs.
It started subtly, with comments here and there about how I should ‘fit in’ more. The company culture is heavily politicized, and there’s an unspoken rule that if you want to succeed, you need to adopt DEI.
HR is no help either. They’ve been pressuring me to ‘go along’ with everything, saying it’s for the best and that “diversity is good for business”. It’s suffocating. I’m constantly told what to believe, how to act, and it feels like my voice doesn’t matter. It’s as if being a good, hardworking employee isn’t enough – you have to be part of their ideological club too.
The most challenging part? They impose these beliefs in ways that make me uncomfortable. I’m Jewish and my faith supports traditional marriage. We have mandatory meetings and events where we have to say how we are an ally of things that disagree with my religious beliefs. I respect everyone’s right to their beliefs, but when it’s forced upon you, it’s a different story.
I joined Raytheon to work, to contribute to something meaningful, not to be part of a political and religious agenda. I believe in liberal values, in inclusivity, and diversity, but here those words are redefined and used to marginalize my contributions as a white man. I just want to do excellent technical work.
anonymous, Northrop, Baltimore, MD
I’m reaching out because I feel like I’m in a situation where I can’t really talk to anyone in my real life, and I need some advice or maybe just to vent. Northrop Grumman is known for its progressive culture and values, which I generally respect, but lately, things have been getting tough for me.
I consider myself a conservative, and I believe in focusing on work and professional skills in the workplace. However, lately, there’s been a strong push for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Northrop, and it’s becoming overwhelming.
It’s not the DEI itself that’s the problem. I’m all for diversity and treating everyone equally. What bothers me is the pressure to actively participate in ways that go against my personal beliefs. There are constant workshops, seminars, and events centered around topics that I’m not comfortable with, and it’s implied that not participating is not being a ‘team player.’
I’m being nudged to become an ‘ally’ for causes and movements that I don’t fully agree with or understand. It feels like my job now depends not just on my work performance but also on how well I align with these initiatives. I fear that my conservative views, if expressed, would lead to judgment or even repercussions at work.
Years ago, I joined Northrop because of its innovative environment and the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology. Now, I feel like I’m walking on eggshells, trying to hide my true opinions to avoid conflict. Everyone who knows me, knows that I’m not against others expressing their views or the company having certain values, but I feel like there’s no space for differing opinions.
I’m at a point where I don’t know how to balance being true to my beliefs while also adapting to this overwhelming push for DEI. It’s stressful and distracting from the actual work I want to do.
anonymous, Lockheed, Fort Worth, TX
I an African American engineer working in Fort Worth, TX. It’s been a hard road and I never thought I would have risen so far, but I’m reaching out because I’m feeling increasingly conflicted and marginalized in my workplace, not for lack of skill or dedication, but due to the overwhelming focus on race in my company. It undoes all the hard work it took for me to get to where I am.
At Lockheed, there’s been a significant push towards meeting diversity quotas and initiatives. While I understand and appreciate the importance of diversity and inclusion, the way it’s being implemented is disheartening. It seems like HR is more focused on filling quotas than recognizing actual merit. After performance reviews, they shuffle people around to meet these corporate targets, often disregarding our professional accomplishments or suitability for specific roles.
The hiring process is another area where I feel this imbalance. HR doesn’t allow us to make hiring decisions without first screening for diversity targets, which undermines our ability to choose candidates purely based on their technical skills and suitability for the role.
What hurts the most is the constant compliments I receive from HR on my work. It’s clear they are more interested in my race rather than my actual contributions or technical expertise. This kind of pandering feels patronizing and diminishes the value of my hard work and achievements.
As an engineer passionate about serving my country and excelling in my technical field, this situation is demoralizing. We’re currently storing F-35s in a warehouse, a problem that I can’t help but feel could have been avoided with a focus on merit and engineering excellence, rather than on meeting diversity quotas.
The diversity mentoring programs, while well-intentioned, feel like a distraction from the technical work that needs my attention. I understand the importance of mentoring, but when it’s done under the umbrella of fulfilling diversity initiatives rather than genuine professional development, it loses its value.
I’m in a tough spot. I want to excel in my technical role and contribute meaningfully to my team and country. Yet, I feel like I’m constantly battling against a system that values my race over my professional abilities. It’s like I’m fighting an uphill battle to prove that my work stands on its own merit, independent of my ethnicity.
Chad, Boeing, St Louis, MO
I’m turning to you today because I’m in a bit of a dilemma and could really use some outside perspectives. I work for Boeing defense. Our CEO, Ted, is a big advocate for black empowerment, which is great in many ways, but I’m starting to feel a bit uneasy about how it’s being handled in the workplace. That is all he posts about -- people that look like him! Come on!! We are billions in debt, and his focus is on advancing people who look like him and he tells us that is what is good for business. No, smart people are good for business, not bias in the system that hires more people who look like you.
Let me be clear: I fully support diversity and inclusion (not Equity, but that is a different story). I believe in creating a workplace where everyone, regardless of their background, feels valued and supported. However, at Boeing, it seems like the focus on diversity is very one-dimensional, primarily centered around one race.
Our CEO, who I genuinely respect for his integrity and leadership, often preaches about black empowerment. He posts about BEYA, HBCUs, and black history. He also promotes special programs, promotions, and opportunities primarily for black employees. While I see the value in supporting historically marginalized groups, I’m starting to feel like it’s overshadowing the broader diversity and inclusion goals.
As someone who belongs to a different ethnic background (latino), I sometimes feel excluded. It’s like there’s an unintentional message that other groups’ experiences and challenges aren’t as worthy of attention. I’m all for empowering black colleagues, but I also believe that true inclusivity means recognizing and supporting the diversity in its entirety.
I joined Boeing because of its commitment to making a positive social impact, and I still believe in that mission. But I’m struggling with the feeling that by focusing so heavily on one group, we might be missing the point of what true diversity and inclusion are about.
please, I get it's good to look out for your own -- you understand and see the need. can we just be honest with employees and focus on work at work?
anonymous, Lockheed, Denver, Colorado
I lead a team making part of the next generation of satellites at LM. Cool tech, right? This year, when I submitted my team for the annual performance award, here called a "comp adder", HR called me and told me (under "privledge" with no lawyer present!) to swap two white employees and replace them with people of color what they referred to as "more diverse individuals". I hate this coded language. The smart math guy and the woman with experience in experimental test have no diversity because they are both asian, but HR means skin color when they use the word diversity. They said this was because of "adverse impact" policy from Susan Dunnings, someone in corporate law. It was all very threatening. The only people of color I could choose were mediocre employees. one was in danger of an improvement plan. I said I can't swap these folks, but they said the legal risk would be too high if I didn't. How can this be legal? Something about the FAR, and affirmative action audits, etc. I was too upset to understand it all. It was clear they were pushing an agenda and I had no ability to ask questions. I joined this company to be a fair boss and do great technical work. How did this become a political circus willing to sacrifice merit for an agenda? Cloaking all of this in "legal risk" is really rich. Our space business is getting killed by "another company" who has decided to focus on merit and we are "bleeding the patient" when we need to be fighting to win. This is all so demotivating.
Michael, Lockheed, Moorestown
Lockheed is a mess. We used to focus on tech, building stuff and engineering, now RMS is just a big political game. Our boss, Stephanie Hill can't say anything without talking about equity, race-based awards and leftist talking points. It's so demotivating and makes our whole company look a gov subsidy instead of a engineering company. Someone in HR told me they have a war room in Maryland who is looking at all the hiring and promotions and always pushing for more african americans. They said some law suit in 2017 led to hiring the lawyer from NPR to make lockheed more "diverse". What does that even mean? More GNC engineers? More materials scientists? No, more people who look like her. Just look at our bosses LinkedIn feed. She doesn't even know the tech we are building, but she does know a lot about equity. I'm ashamed to be in this company. We could give the government so much more if we were an engineering company.
Jason Doster, Northrop Grumman, Phoenix, AZ
Northrop leadership has fully embraced DEI. 2023 emails to the defense sector include language such as the mission “Aligning DE&I to Defense Systems’ priorities”, lauding the company for integrating “DE&I priorities into our sector’s operations objectives”, pursuing “continuous workforce feedback and demographics data to identify perceived blind spots”, and promoting future launching “an allyship campaign and incorporate DE&I into our business priorities”. Not one mention in the entire treatise was the mission to find and retain the most qualified individuals, regardless of skin color or sex. Also, a significant concentration at Northrop are Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship-ish social support programs that have nothing to do with the mission of a defense contractor, dividing people into: “African Americans, Asian American Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Native Americans, women, people with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ+ employees, young professionals, parents, multiple generations, multi-cultures, environmentalists and teleworkers.” Northrop was initially aiming to divide people along ethno-sexual-centric lines, then diverted, haphazardly throwing in the kitchen sink. None of this has to do with the defense mission, and is immoral. Also, Northrop Grumman Human Resources (HR) Manual (CTM H200) laid out (2023) requirements for diverse hiring panels that include “at least one qualified female and one qualified person of color” for all management band hiring slates. If no qualified persons could be found within these ethnic and sex categories, “approval must be obtained and documented by the assigned company element head of HR”. This HR policy in concert with OFCCP affirmative action audits create a ripe environment for hiring individuals into critical defense sector positions that don’t warrant the job on their own merit. Ref: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jason-doster-phd-99854b2_now-that-the-department-of-defense-dod-activity-7224581641392807936-OMIj/
Jay, UPS, Tinicum, PA
I was with UPS for 9 years: 5 of which as a Buildings & Systems Engineer and 2 as an Industrial Engineer. I automated SQL queries and built programs that identified millions in cost savings that are still used country wide to this day. I had full respect of my peers as well as my team of mechanics.
I dated a female coworker for 2+ years. She started cheating on me on company time while on property and this was seen on security cameras and reported to me by multiple mechanics. Naturally we broke up. Two weeks later the mechanic she cheated on me with lied to corporate HR to get me fired and she corroborated his story. HR fired me despite no proof of any of their allegations (because they were outright lies). Of course they sided with a female despite her treachery and misuse of company time. The HR lady was a foreigner who had mediocre command of the English language and gave me no chance to defend myself. They never even told me what the allegations were and refused when asked. She had made her mind up to defend a fellow female.
In addition to this, I have seen many emails from HR where we were simply not allowed to promote a white male even though he was the most qualified and experienced for promotion. I myself was passed up for promotion a couple times under these circumstances.
Their engineering leadership is completely at odds with graduation rates for females and black engineers and population data. There's a reason the stock has languished for so long. Everyone is a 'yes' man and terrified of being exposed for the imposters they are. The closer you get to the top, the less talent there is but there is plenty of diversity. UPS is often said to stand for 'Usually Pretty Stupid' and this will continue to be the case as long as they keep up their racist and sexist DEI practices.