By Shawn Fleetwood | The Federalist
The military’s obsession with LGBT radicalism and other neo-Marxist ideologies is undercutting its overall readiness.
At a time when war is raging in Ukraine and the Middle East, the U.S. military is busy flaunting its support for LGBT insanity.
The most recent example came earlier this week when Stars and Stripes, a left-wing outlet, revealed that airmen stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea are authorized to wear a “pride morale patch” on their uniforms this month to celebrate leftists’ made-up “pride month.”
A photograph of the patch published by the outlet shows an LGBT flag encircled by a black ring with the words “Osan+” and “Osan Air Base ROK” on it. Capt. Michelle Chang told Stars and Stripes the patch “represents the advancement of the Air Force’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, dignity, and respect within the mission.”
The patch was devised by Osan Plus, a pro-LGBT organization created at the base in October, according to the outlet. Tech. Sgt. Brittany Ortega, the group’s president, said getting the patch approved was easy and added that “our leadership really, really just wants to promote the acceptance of LGBTQ service members and their families.”
As cringe as it may be, Osan Air Base’s promotion of “rainbow jihad” isn’t the military’s most embarrassing display of fealty to LGBT radicalism this month. Stars and Stripes separately reported Friday that Marine Corps Installations Pacific, which oversees branch operations in the Pacific, went out of its way to respond to Facebook users criticizing its post celebrating “pride month.”
One user and alleged service member by the name of Eduardo Flores blasted the command for making the post, writing,
“The USMC does not take pride in a sexual agenda that continues to be shoved down our throats. Servicemembers do not wish to continue being associated with a sexual movement that has nothing to do with the military and what we do.”
An MCIPAC-operated account responded to Flores’ comment with the motto, “Once a Marine always a Marine,” before referencing branch policy on discrimination that includes references to so-called “gender identity.”
The command issued a separate comment claiming it “understand[s] that this is an issue that many people feel strongly about,” but that “supporting pride aligns with the Marine Corps’ values of honor, courage, and commitment.”
A Force in Decline
The military’s infatuation with DEI-style ideology isn’t new. The force has openly commemorated leftists’ rainbow holiday for years, even going as far as using taxpayer money to transport service members to military-sponsored “pride” events.
What defenders of these needless celebrations refuse to acknowledge, however, is that the military’s obsession with LGBT radicalism and other neo-Marxist ideologies is undercutting its overall readiness.
Since Joe Biden assumed the presidency, the military has experienced its worst recruiting crisis since shifting to an all-volunteer force in the early 1970s. Every branch in the service, with the exception of the Marine Corps and Space Force, missed its recruiting targets for the 2023 fiscal year. The Army, Navy, and Air Force missed their goals by roughly 10,000, 7,400, and 2,700 recruits, respectively.
Data obtained by The Daily Caller earlier this year indicates the ongoing crisis is “likely” being fueled by a significant drop in white recruits. Military.com, a left-wing outlet, published similar findings regarding Army recruitment in January. The outlet noted how “[n]o other demographic group” has experienced such a downward trend in recent years, adding that the “rate at which white recruitment has fallen far outpaces nationwide demographic shifts.”
At the same time it’s promoting LGBT insanity, the military is also ignoring critically important infrastructure problems throughout the service. America’s naval fleet is rapidly shrinking, with ships going into retirement faster than manufacturers can produce them. The Pentagon has compounded the problems by spending recklessly on faulty ships and aircraft that experience routine problems and cost millions (if not billions) to repair.
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Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
Actively being made. pic.twitter.com/VUnHoTdupz
— Max Americana (@nogymallowed) June 12, 2024
To allow this is a disgrace to the uniform!🤨 How pathetic!
— DpDakota03,USAF VET 🇺🇸🦅 (@DaveSr59) June 10, 2024
This is a highly controversial political statement which should not be endorsed by the military. It is discriminatory, also, as it implies discriminatory bias towards and for some groups and against others. It is a Cultural Marxist patch based upon hate and entitlement.
— Marcus Aurelius 67 (@Aristotle235) June 9, 2024
The complete politicization of the US military. The establishment is endorsing and promoting one set of beliefs over all others. This absolutely chills free speech within the force.https://t.co/Su698tOztB
— Amy Haywood (@AmyJHaywood) June 11, 2024
The Air Force needs to focus upon winning wars, not sexual orientation! https://t.co/P9ntdedl7j
— 1776th Mess Kit Repair Battalion (Airborne) (@1776MKRB) June 10, 2024
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