Wrong. That is exactly what they can do. Perhaps you have never served or are unfamiliar with how people are promoted in the military. Promotions to a higher rank are essentially based upon the reviews and recommendations of your superior officer. And being the political nature of today’s military, a superior officer’s rise through the ranks is based upon who he/she recommends for promotion. If they do not promote the preferred minority class in the desired number, their superior officers will not recommend them for promotion either.
How the heck to you think Milley rose to his position? It was not based upon his qualifications but rather his willingness to go along with the political dictates of those above him. That guy is as worthless as tits on a boar, but he towed the line and said and did exactly as instructed in order to succeed.
The military has always had some nepotism in it, but not to the degree that we see today. It has gone from being a meritocracy with the sole mission of fighting and defeating an enemy in combat to a monstrous experiment in political correctness, social engineering and affirmative action.
OK. So he can refuse promote the honkeys further. But can he strip them down or cashier them for being white and male? No misconduct, no cause whatever? Bird Colonel Jive A.S. Honkey is a bird colonel. He will never make full colonel because he’s white. But can he be reduced to private or kicked out of the service altogether? I don’t think so. Maybe on a pretext. Honkey! Your shoes aren’t spiffy shiny. You’re a major now. Something like that. Correct me if I’m wrong.