The New Zealand (NZ) army has removed a winning essay from a defence force writing competition because it argues against ‘woke culture’ within the army. Originally published on an NZ army website on July 1 along with winners of other categories, the essay titled ‘Can the Army Afford to go Woke, Benign Social Progress or National Security Threat’ argues that the postmodern concepts of diversity and inclusion are “antithetical to the Army’s ethos and values.” The essay was removed five days later and replaced by a message from the Chief of Army Major General John Boswell saying he had asked for the essay to be taken down. “I made this decision when it became clear that publishing it was being seen as an endorsement of the views contained within it, which could not be further from the truth,” Boswell said. “This essay was chosen as the winner of the Private Soldier’s …