It is at this point old news that the U.S. military has been massively struggling with recruitment as of late, with a report last year indicating that less than 10% of Americans are even considering entering the service.
This slowdown in new entrants does not seem to have improved, with the Army, Navy, and Air Force all predicting a further collapse in recruitment for 2023, according to the Military Times.
Now, a report by the Daily Caller has revealed that the U.S. Navy is promoting an active-duty drag queen in an effort to bump the crumbling numbers of new entrants.
Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who apparently goes by “Harpy Daniels” when he is performing, proclaimed in Nov. 2022 that the Navy asked him to be its first “Navy Digital Ambassador,” adding in an Instagram post description that he identifies himself as “Non- Binary” and that he will continue to be an “advocate” for “queer sailors.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCNuWJjy-o/
Kelley’s initiative has since concluded last month, with the Daily Caller writing that the Navy is determining how the program may be implemented in the future.
“The Navy did not compensate YN2 Kelley or any others for being Navy Digital Ambassadors,” a Navy spokesperson claimed of the five active-duty personnel who reportedly participated.
The New York Post reported that Kelley has admitted to taking part in drag performances for quite some time prior to joining the Navy.
“I started performing in drag in 2013. Drag had no influence with me joining. It was the Navy I feared that would’ve influenced me to stop doing drag,” Kelley told Carl Herzog of the USS Constitution Museum, according to the outlet.
“For myself, drag has been a passion, an art, and a way to express myself. … Ship life is difficult. Every day fades into one, and high stress and intensity can bring low morale and can cause suicide and bad behavior,” he said.
Robby Starbuck, who describes himself as a producer, a free thinker, and a current congressional candidate, shared a video featuring Kelley’s various efforts to dress as a woman, adding his own commentary as well.
“The military has a huge recruiting/retention crisis because they went woke,” he opined, before noting that he found it “Insane” that the U.S. Navy was attempting to use him for the purpose of attracting new members.
The military has a huge recruiting/retention crisis because they went woke. How did they try to fix it? By going more woke. Meet Joshua Kelley. Drag name Harpy Daniels. U.S. Navy named him Digital Ambassador to recruit new demos to join the Navy. Insane. pic.twitter.com/2DWOAIgWr4
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) May 2, 2023
