The US Air Force's top general says all Americans 'should be outraged' by George Floyd's death and the actions of the police

Ryan Pickrell

June 2, 2020 11:09 PM

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein said in a memo sent to commanders Monday night that every American ought to be "outraged" by George Floyd's death and police misconduct.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein

His memo followed a social media post from Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright speaking out about the pain of racial injustice.
"There is no room for bigotry, hatred or small mindedness in our force. Period. Every member of our team needs to know we have their back," Goldfein wrote in his memo, which Air Force Times first reported.
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Following in the footsteps of the top enlisted airman, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein said in a powerful memo sent out Monday night that every American ought to be "outraged" by George Floyd's death and police misconduct.

"The death of George Floyd is a national tragedy," he wrote in a memo to commanders, the Air Force Times first reported on Tuesday. "Every American should be outraged that the conduct exhibited by police in Minneapolis can still happen in 2020."

The death of George Floyd, a black man who died after a white Minneapolis Police Department officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes last week, has sparked protests across the country.

"We all wish it were not possible for racism to occur in America," he wrote. "But, it does, and we are at a moment where we must confront what is."

"To the Airmen who are mourning, angry, or weary of the battle against racial prejudice, discrimination, bias, and systemic discrimination, Chief Wright and I recognize your pain," he said.

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright who wrote a passionate post on racial injustice Monday afternoon, explaining his personal experiences as a black man, his outrage over what happened to Floyd, and his desire for change.

"As the Air Force's military leadership, we reflect on and acknowledge that what happens on America's streets is also resident in our Air Force," Goldfein wrote. "Sometimes it's explicit, sometimes it's subtle.

"We see this in the apparent inequity in our application of military justice," the general continued, apparently referring to a recent report indicating that the Air Force disciplined black airmen disproportionately.

"We will not shy away from this; as leaders and as airmen we will own our part and confront it head on," he said.

The general wrote that he does not have all the answers, "but I do know there is no room for bigotry, hatred or small mindedness in our force. Period. Every member of our team needs to know we have their back."

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