WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) requested the Air Force brief him on their plans for mixed-sex restrooms, locker rooms, and showers at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s new Special Warfare Training Wing’s (SWTW) $66.6 million 76,000 square-foot aquatics training facility.
“While I understand that those who fight together must train together, this development appears to be more about advancing a radical political agenda that seeks to eliminate all distinctions between the sexes rather than the safety and well-being of airmen,” Rep. Roy wrote to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.
Rep. Roy asked for a detailed description and floorplan of the SWTW’s modified mixed-sex dormitories and facilities and inquired about the Air Force’s policies to protect the privacy of airmen.
Full text of the letter is available here and below:
Dear Secretary Kendall,
I am disturbed by the Air Force’s recent announcement that Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s new Special Warfare Training Wing’s (SWTW) $66.6 million 76,000 square-foot aquatics training facility – funded by the American taxpayer and scheduled for completion in August 2023 – will feature mixed-sex restrooms, locker rooms, and showers. It is perhaps even more concerning that the Air Force is touting this as an important development to strengthen inclusion as part of a larger strategy to build mixed-sex SWTW facilities across the nation.
While I understand that those who fight together must train together, this development appears to be more about advancing a radical political agenda that seeks to eliminate all distinctions between the sexes rather than the safety and well-being of airmen. Therefore, I request a meeting with you and/or Under Secretary Gina Ortiz Jones to discuss this issue further. I also request an official response to this letter from the Air Force that includes a detailed description and floorplan of the SWTW’s modified mixed-sex dormitories and the planned aquatics training facility’s locker room, restrooms, and showers by October 19, 2022. Additionally, please provide information on what policies or guidance the department will provide to ensure the privacy of all airmen is protected.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Chip Roy
Member of Congress