Army Uses Transgender Soldier 'Rachel' to Promote Diversity in the Military
As the U.S. Army struggles to fill its ranks, it is extolling the virtues of a transgender officer.
The Army came up 25 percent short in its fiscal 2022 goals, according to KGUN-TV. That comes to about 15,000 troops short. Further, according to Military.com, this fiscal year’s goal of 65,000 new troops is not likely to be met.
“We are not going to make that goal,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said in May. “We are doing everything we can to get as close to it as possible; we are going to fall short.”
Amid the concern, the Army issued a feature about Maj. Rachel Jones, chief of the Army Sustainment Command Cyber Division, G6 (Information Management), who was born a man but has since “come out” as a transgender female.
Prior to coming out, Jones was suicidal. according to the story posted on the Army’s website.
“When I was growing up in the 80s and 90s there was a lot of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. I don’t think many people meant to do that, but it’s something I heard as I was growing up repeatedly. So much so that I was convinced I was inherently evil for being transgender,” Jones said. “The pressure of hiding all of the time was so bad I grew up depressed and suicidal to the point that I always had a plan to end my life.”
In time, Jones realized therapy was needed.
“Since getting into therapy, I was able to detangle my feelings about being transgender and disconnect it with being evil and the suffocating shame. I started to accept and love myself,” Jones said.
“It’s like taking off a very heavy rucksack. While the ruck is on you can’t move like you should, your body aches and you just want to stop. When you take the ruck off, everything feels lighter and easier and there’s a massive sense of relief.”
Jones said there have been no issues since coming out as transgender.
“People here have been amazing. I know how lucky I am to work in an organization with such acceptance and everyone here has been really supportive,” Jones said.
“I was initially a bit fearful of coming out as my true self and how I would be perceived, but I had nothing to worry about. As a Soldier, I’m still treated as a Soldier.”
Republican Rep. Mike Walz said the military has lost its way under the Biden administration, according to a news release on his website.
“Under the Biden Administration, the Pentagon has diverted its focus from lethality and have instead pushed initiatives that have politicized our warfighting ranks and harmed our military readiness,” he said.
“Our military faces the worst recruiting crisis since the Vietnam War because young Americans don’t want to join what was once a trusted institution that has become overly politicized and hyper-focused on DEI initiatives,” he said.
A report on Miltary.com said a Pentagon study reported that only 23 percent of America’s youth could serve due to being overweight, drug use or physical and mental health issues.
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