Army promotes diversity in military with transgender soldier ‘Rachel’.

U.S. Army Struggles to Fill Ranks, Highlights Transgender Officer

The U.S. Army is facing recruitment challenges, falling 25 percent short of its fiscal 2022 goals, leaving a deficit of approximately 15,000 troops, as reported by KGUN-TV. Military.com also states that the goal of recruiting 65,000 new troops for this fiscal year is unlikely 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.”

Amidst these concerns, the Army has highlighted the story of Maj. Rachel Jones, chief of the Army Sustainment Command Cyber Division, G6 (Information Management), who is a transgender female. The Army’s feature on Jones aims to promote diversity and inclusivity within the military.

Prior to coming out as transgender, Jones struggled with suicidal thoughts, as shared 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.”

However, Jones sought therapy and found a path towards self-acceptance and self-love.

“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 expressed gratitude for the acceptance and support she has received from her colleagues in the Army.

“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.”

However, Republican Rep. Mike Walz believes that the military has lost its way under the Biden administration, diverting its focus from lethality to initiatives that have politicized the armed forces and harmed military readiness.

“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 Pentagon study mentioned in a report by Military.com revealed that only 23 percent of America’s youth are eligible to serve due to factors such as being overweight, drug use, or physical and mental health issues.

Overall, the U.S. Army’s struggle to meet recruitment goals highlights the challenges it faces in maintaining a strong and diverse force.

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