---
title: "Diversity officer for Special Operations Command allowed back on duty"
description: "U.S. Special Operations Command has restored Richard Torres-Estrada as its chief diversity and inclusion officer."
date: "2021-06-17"
modified: "2021-06-17"
authors:
  - name: "Jeff Schogol"
    job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol.md"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/special-operations-command-diversity-officer-back/"
categories:
  - "Around the World"
  - "News"
  - "United States"
tags:
  - "special operations command"
---

# Diversity officer for Special Operations Command allowed back on duty

![Socom Diversity officer Richard Torres-Estrada](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/17/socomdiversity.jpg>)

U.S. Special Operations Command has restored [Richard Torres-Estrada](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/socom-diversity-officer-controversy.md>) as its chief diversity and inclusion officer after a command investigation into how he was hired that looked into whether he had made social media posts that were reportedly critical of former President Donald Trump determined that he had not violated any laws or Defense Department regulations, said SOCOM spokesman Ken McGraw.

SOCOM initially announced on March 25 that Torres-Estrada would be in charge of diversity, but he was quickly [placed under investigation](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/socom-diversity-officer-controversy.md>) for allegedly making Facebook posts that were [critical of Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)](<https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/03/29/socom-investigating-new-diversity-chiefs-posts-including-one-comparing-trump-hitler.html>).

Media outlets reported that Torres-Estrada had posted a picture showing Trump holding a Bible along with an altered image of Hitler holding a book at a Nazi rally. Another post allegedly showed [police arresting the bears in the “Goldilocks” fairy tale](<https://www.stripes.com/news/us/diversity-chief-for-special-operations-command-under-investigation-for-social-media-posts-1.667753>) along with the caption: “If you still don’t understand how racism works, remember SHE broke into THEIR house. #StopRacism.”

To which, Torres-Estrada allegedly commented, “It’s 2020 and yet…”

“The USSOCOM commander directed the investigation due to allegations that Mr. Torres-Estrada—before his hiring—posted controversial material on social media,” McGraw said on Thursday. “USSOCOM is confident in the hiring process and Mr. Torres-Estrada’s potential to fill this important position.”

*This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.*

### Watch next: How Kirstie Ennis overcame her wounds – both physical and mental

![](<https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=7a326ee3-b538-4a33-857c-a326238cb72e>)

*Featured image: Richard Torres-Estrada. (Source: U.S. Special Operations Command.)*

## Author
Jeff Schogol is the former senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He reported on both the Department of Defense as a whole and individual services, covering a variety of topics that include personnel, policy, military justice, deployments, and technology.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/jdschogol/>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-schogol-188a9317/>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JeffSchogol>)

## More

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- [The Delta Force soldier who died during a 2018 raid in Syria was actually killed by friendly fire](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/delta-force-friendly-fire-syria.md>)
- [SOCOM didn’t consistently document whether more than $800 million in gear met key performance metrics or not](<https://taskandpurpose.com/news/special-operations-command-equipment-evaluation-problems.md>)
- [SOCOM Accidentally Bought Way, Way Too Much Combat Gear](<https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/socom-extra-combat-gear.md>)
- [Special Operations Command review finds deployment and leadership issues but no ‘systemic ethics problem’](<https://taskandpurpose.com/military-life/socom-no-ethics-problem.md>)
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