Amended Air Force Instruction Manual: Changes Explained

Air Force Handbook 1 Restored After Removal, With Changes marijuana-removed sections on diversity, inclusivity, and COVID-19

After three weeks of absence, the Air Force Handbook 1, a crucial resource for Airmen preparing for promotion tests, has been restored on the Air Force enlisted promotion study guides website, dated back to February 15. The change comes with less than two weeks remaining before some Airmen take their tests.

First published on November 1, 2024, the handbook serves as a foundation for Airmen aiming to advance to staff sergeant or technical sergeant, using it to prepare for the Weighted Airman Promotion System (WAPS) promotion fitness examination.

The Air Force stated that the previous version was rescinded, as part of ongoing efforts to adhere to Executive Orders issued by President Donald Trump, who has issued orders to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across the government.

The newly reinstated version removed sections pertaining to diversity, inclusivity, cognitive bias, and COVID-19, among numerous adjustments.

Typically, the testing window for technical sergeant runs from February 15 to April 15. However, the Air Force delayed this window from February 12 to March 3 through May 1. According to Air Force regulations, Airmen must have at least 60 days of access to study materials before their test date, a requirement the handbook now satisfies since no new material was added, and only removed content was revised.

The actual tests will remain unchanged; questions related to DEI will still appear on the exam but will not be scored. In contrast, the staff sergeant testing window from May 1 to June 30 remains unaffected.

The most significant change in the new handbook is the elimination of section 14E, "Fosters Inclusion." Originally a three-page subsection of chapter 14, "Developing Others," 14E asserted that diversity was a military necessity and a crucial asset for the future force. By encouraging leaders to acknowledge stereotypes, appreciate diverse perspectives, and create an inclusive environment, the section aimed to foster diverse teams.

While the Air Force has increased its focus on diversity matters in 2020 following reported disparities in the justice system's treatment of Airmen, remarks related to diversity, inclusivity, and discrimination have been deleted from the handbook. Words such as "gender" and "sexual orientation" have been almost entirely removed, and sections discussing cognitive bias and COVID-19 have been also be taken out.

Retaining sections about trailblazers like the Tuskegee Airmen, Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., and others, the revised version still recognizes their contributions to the Air Force. Yet, it has erased almost every instance of the words "gender" and "sexual orientation," omitting any mention of these topics in formerly relevant sections.

The Air Force Handbook 1, following its restoration, no longer contains sections focusing on diversity, cognitive bias, and COVID-19, as part of a continuation of Executive Orders issued by President Donald Trump.
In the newly reinstated version, the section that encouraged leaders to foster inclusion, originally titled "Fosters Inclusion," has been eliminated from chapter 14 of the Air Force Handbook 1.
The policy-and-legislation change to Air Force Handbook 1 has resulted in the removal of instances where the words "gender" and "sexual orientation" were mentioned, altering its previous content significantly.
General news outlets and political discussions surrounding the Air Force policies have focused on the removal of diversity-related content from the Air Force Handbook 1, with emphasis on its impact on the Air Force's defense and military policy.