Navy Seal who killed Bin Laden criticizes U.S. Navy for using drag queen in recruitment.

The Navy’s Controversial Recruitment Strategy

Former Navy Seal Expresses Outrage Over Drag Queen Recruiter

The U.S. Navy’s decision to use Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, who performs as a drag queen named “Harpy Daniels,” as a digital ambassador to recruit potential candidates has sparked outrage. Robert O’Neill, a former Navy Seal who claimed to have fired the shot that killed Osama bin Laden, expressed his fury on Twitter, stating, “The U.S. Navy is now using an enlisted sailor Drag Queen as a recruiter. I’m done. China is going to destroy us. YOU GOT THIS NAVY. I can’t believe I fought for this bullshit.” Other social media users echoed O’Neill’s anger, calling the decision “beyond disturbing” and “an insult to every veteran and their families.”

The Navy’s Recruitment Struggles

The Navy’s decision to use a drag queen as a recruiter comes as the military struggles to meet its recruitment goals. The U.S. Army missed its fiscal 2022 goal by 15,000 soldiers, while the other branches of the U.S. military, with the exception of the Space Force, “barely made quota or had to pull extensively from their pools of delayed-entry applicants.” Military officials have warned that the recruitment lag will worsen in the next fiscal year.

Defending the Decision

Kelley defended his appointment as a digital ambassador, stating on Instagram, “From joining to 2016 and being able to share my drag experience on my off time with my fellow sailors has been a blessing. This experience has brought me so much strength, courage and ambition to continue being an advocate and representation of queer sailors! Thank you to the Navy for giving me this opportunity! I don’t speak for the Navy but simply sharing my experience in the Navy! Hooyah, and let’s go Slay!” Kelley also said he is “being the representation of people who were oppressed for years in the service.”

The Debate Continues

The controversy over the Navy’s recruitment strategy continues to rage on, with some defending the decision to use a drag queen as a digital ambassador and others expressing outrage. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, it is clear that the military’s recruitment struggles are a cause for concern and will require innovative solutions to address.