It’s not surprising that she is a Senior Advisor at the McChrystal Group. See after the article for more info.

Retired U.S. Navy Commander Julianna Vida slammed one Republican Party lawmaker’s criticism of the Navy officially using a drag queen to boost recruitment for the military branch.

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital this week, Vida said that Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s assessment that the Navy has become “preoccupied with identity politics” is “destructive” and “undermines” the Navy’s methods of recruiting new members.

Vida, who was in the Navy for over 30 years and currently serves on the Naval Academy Alumni Association Board of Trustees, defended the Navy’s use of drag queen recruiting ads as a “critical” method of welcoming “traditionally excluded segments of our population.”

She noted the recruiting tactic should be “applauded.”

The retired commander’s comments came in response to Tuberville’s recent Wall Street Journal Op-ed, in which he blasted the U.S. Navy for having hired a “nonbinary officer” to be its drag queen “Digital Ambassador” to draw new recruits. . . .

. . . Vida told Fox that the senator’s criticism is a “trope” that really only plays well “to a socially conservative base.”

The former commander claimed that using specific tools to reach out to the LGBTQ community is merely the Navy “Appealing to all people in a society who are willing and able to volunteer their lives to the service of the nation.” .

Vida, who spent eight years of her naval career working at the Pentagon, took issue with the popular critique that the military’s “excessive wokeness” is ruining the institution.

First, the veteran said that talking point comes from

• “people with either little to no active duty military experience of their own,
• military experience from decades past when the world was quite different, and
• politicians or bureaucrats with agendas to pursue that likely do not align directly with the missions of the US military.” . . . (read more on Fox News)

Democrats to Use Pentagon-Funded AI System to Target Pro-Trump Narratives Online (Breitbart)
Democrats have converted an AI project that was initially funded by the department of defense to combat propaganda from ISIS and other extremists, into a tool to track down and counter Trump supporters on social media. The “Defeat Disinfo” group is being advised by retired Army General Stanley McChrystal. . . .

Defeat Disinfo PAC (Influence Watch)

McChrystal, Information Warfare and Trump (Unconstrained Analytics)
McChrystal’s program brings current the unrelenting political warfare effort the domestic Left and deep state actors continue to wage against the American political system under the pretext of opposing President Trump while taking it to another level. In fact, he militarizes it. . . . .

What People Are Saying

(Comments from the article’s comment section)

“Hey Vida, I am a retired 0-6 who spent almost 10 years in the Pentagon – and have almost 15 years in recruiting at both the field level and at Service Headquarters and in OSD. You are just so wrong, but the proof will be in how Navy recruiting does or does not succeed over the next two years with the woke-inspired agenda.”

“This retired Commander is entitled to her opinion, but there are many of us retired Naval Officers that disagree with her assessment. Her 8 years in the Pentagon with a 20 something year career shows she was a staff officer mainly, what combat units did she serve with, what was her combat specialty? The Pentagon is a self licking ice cream cone, what the bosses say is what is followed no matter what and for years we’ve had woke people in charge, just like today. A problem is she is on the Naval Academy Board of Trustees and makes policy decisions; we now know where the wokeness is coming from in the Academy!”

“Like many officers in the military, Vida apparently has little clue about what motivates enlisted men. I served in the Navy long ago and far away. And I can tell you that that ad would have discouraged me from joining the Navy. And I suspect it will not help recruiting enlisted men these days either.”

“YOU ARE WRONG COMMANDER!!! I’m a retired Navy Chief and we are men and women servicing our great country! If you engage in strange acts, do it in private and keep the rest of the Navy out of it. We need to show strength to our enemies.”

“The retired Commander bothers me more than the Drag Queen. It’s a VERY different Navy than the one I was in 50 years ago.”

“Navy execs have lost their minds. They have no common sense and no one would willingly serve under them.”

“I had three kids ready to serve their country. Now all three are abandoning those plans. Hopefully some drag queens will take their place. The U.S. is the laughingstock of the world.”

“Had my grandsons watch it and they want me no part of any military service like this. I served and retired from the AF. This is disgraceful.”

“Commander, you are in denial. You are deflecting the real reason recruitment is down across all branches. As this administration and military leadership continue on this woke path, the traditional conservatives that you apparently don’t appreciate will not be apart of our future military. You know, the typical person willing to put their lives before others. If Disney and Budweiser have recognized the errors of their ways, certainly our government can as well.”

“I was in the Navy from 1979 until retiring in 1999, then got a new career still upgrading the ships and training the crew on their new systems. For the most part the Top Levels have been compromised with WOKE-ISM and they are flooding the Lower Officer Ranks with students from ALL the Liberal Colleges and Universities. Unfortunately Our Country will most likely not win any wars for the next 2 decades.”

“Would you want to enlist in a branch of the service where a drag queen is the face of your branch? Talk about a Bud Light mentality for recruitment. Another epic fail! I served in the 80’s and can tell you that the Navy wouldn’t be on my radar as an option if this is the path they are going down.”

“Hey Commander Juliana – the military is not a social science experiment, not is it an incubator for diversity and inclusion.. It has one purpose – protect the interests of the USA against all enemies. Period. I served in the USN for 10 years and I am now embarrassed to say that I did.”

“The Navy does not need these trans folk entering into service. They are s minority, and their inclusion promotes dissent among the ranks whom understand this is forcing them to accept an abhorrent and mentally defective lifestyle. This commander is so out of touch with the mindset of the rank and file, she’s just as bad as the woke Imbev VP who effectively destroyed Bud as a brand.”

“So I am thinking the Navy should look at what a trans did for the Bud Light brand. Did it bring more BL drinkers? No. Did it alienate the ones that drink BL? Yes. Did the ones that used to drink it boycott it? Yes. This is what’s happening here. Any veteran or retiree, from reading most of the comments, have discouraged their sons/daughters/relatives from serving in the military, myself included.”

“Everyone knows this is about insanity, mental illness, and dysfunctional behavior cannot be tolerated in the armed forces in defense of any nation or even planet.”

“Yeah, well Commander I’m glad you’re retired. You were part of the problem, which is not a surprise if you’re Academy alumni. Y’all were on your cutting edge of woke.”

“As a retired Army vet, I think this is one of the worst decisions the military ever made. I come from a military family and I would never encourage my kids to join today’s military.”

“Vida has drunk the leftist Kool Aid. She was socially promoted in the Navy, sat behind a desk and after 20 years only made O-5. Basically, underperformed. A career of no significant performance.”

“I already steered my adult kids away from Military Service. I’m a Navy Vet with a family military pedigree on both sides dating back to the American Revolution. But I don’t want them drowning or burning to death in the South China Sea fighting for our current degenerate leaders.”

“The United States Navy, an organization with a proud tradition, will never be able to live this mockery down. It doesn’t fit in with their tradition. This just tries to tear it all down. Navy Vet!”

“All I have to say Cdr. you are so full of it and go pound sand. This post is from a soldier who spent 20 yrs active and 8 yrs reserve and 18 months in Nam.”

“Hey, Vida, I didn’t know that welcoming traditionally excluded segments of the population was part of the mission of the military? I thought readiness to defend our country and defeat our enemies was what the military was about. I don’t take her word for anything based upon her foolish, woke statements.”

“I worked for a 3-star female Admiral that implemented time out cards in recruit training. Wonder if you can use those while in battle?”

“I don’t know what the U.S Navy is thinking but it is not the Navy I remember. The direction it has headed is embarrassing and a total disgrace to those that have served our country in the past. Never thought I would see a branch of the military hire a Drag Queen to boost recruitment.”

“This ex-commander makes the case that wokeness is the current mission of the armed services not professionally trained soldiers. Americans see it. Military leaders like her are the problem. FYI…I served!”

“This Commander is just plain wrong. No military can be a cohesive fighting unit if what they are worried about is being “inclusive” and pandering to people who have issues detrimental to safety of the unit. The reason a good military is successful is because the members shed their personal lives while on duty to become a single unit only thinking about the success of the mission. These side skirmishes within the ranks do nothing except divide and distract.”

“As a retired Navy, there’s was only one color in the Navy…Navy Blue; only one sex…sailor. Their primary missions is to keep the sea lanes open and defend America against all enemies both foreign and domestic. No mention of EDI, CRT or Wokeness in the US Constitution.”

“I remember when the Navy tried to recruit me straight out of the Army with pay grade. I was really tempted but just was starting to come down from war in Iraq. If I would have saw this ad it would have been a prompt no thank you. Warriors–this job is meant for warriors not Barbie.”

“Gosh, Yes!! No doubt!! Every seaman wants to be bunked next to the wierd, the strange, the uncompromising liberal squirrel determined to entertain himself at others expense while at sea FOR MONTHS ON END!!”

“So let me get this straight… Instead of trying to recruit people that are selfless, the Navy is now looking for the individuals that are self-centered. ”

“Whatever increases in recruitment they achieve by using a drag queen will be offset at least five-fold in recruitment losses by those who might consider serving but are too put off by drag queens in the military. It’s Bud light all over again.”

“They will put these types in charge of your son and daughter if they join and ram their LGBTQ agendas down their throats! Imagine being rated by someone like this put over you and telling you your Christian values are wrong and you are the problem and need to get with the program? ”

“I was in the Navy and we heard all the “gay” jokes and comments all the time. This recruiting ad will only make things even worse. There’s no way I would join the Navy now, especially after that ad. I can’t believe someone actually thought this was a good idea. I guarantee you the Navy’s recruiting numbers will plummet now.”

“All Navy Seals will strongly disagree and they are far more important than Retired U.S. Navy Commander Julianna Vida.”

“I think the Senator is right and this woman is dead wrong. We, the people deserve to have the best in our military because of the price we pay for it, and do not deserve to pay mentally handicapped persons to have their moment on our dime. I am aghast to think my tax dollars have been spent on trans surgeries in our military. Tuberville is right, we want men and women that have the interests of our country in mind, not the interests of more promotion of this evil movement undermining our society.”

“I think Vida is a retired “trope” boosting the woke democrat party only. Just like Tuberville said, obsessed with woke social justice instead of warfighting. Vida should just go back to retirement.”

“Of course this commander agrees, he/she is part of the infiltration. The destruction of our nation has been an ongoing plan of attack by the left-communist-socialist-progressives you know them as democrats for 60 plus years. It’s going just as planed, just as we were warned back in 1956, our government and its people ignored the threat. What’s disappointing is the people still ignore it. The government is mostly made up if these indoctrinated infiltrators who were raised by American haters communist sympathizers. No turning back the 60 year assault specially when it’s people are naive, ignorant and/or oblivious to what’s going on. When you have a so called commander speak in favor of this immoral act within your US Navy you must say, wow we’re done as a nation.”

“This is exactly why NO ONE in my family tree will enter the military. They are brainwashing and forcing this woke socialist agenda down the throats of our young people. They don’t want Warriors and Alpha Males. They want woke type betas who one day will wear pants and the next day, lipstick, dress, painted nails, and put them in charge of your son or daughter.”

“I can guarantee you that drag queens will not increase military recruitment efforts. Normal men and women do not want deviant, confused and mentally unstable people serving in combat with them.”

“Military light? This is the direction the people in charge of our country’s defense want to take? So how can we possibly trust them with the life and death decisions with young American lives on the line. The generational heritage our family’s military service ends here and now.”

“If the draft were reinstated right now and my two sons were drafted, I would personally drive them to Canada.”

“Yeah….Even though I eventually based my branch decision on the fact that I could easily hike 50 miles if I suddenly found myself in the middle of nowhere, as opposed to swimming that same distance, this new recruitment “tool” would have me running from anything Navy related, and never even considering one of their career paths.”

“US ARMY 1982-1992 Desert Storm Vet, and I personally believe the US Military is not the intimidating professional fighting force is once was, as a result of “diversity policies and all the unnecessary sensitivity training”.”

“The United States government using a drag queen to promote the military is one of the lowest points in American history when it comes to our Armed Forces. What a complete joke and embarrassment.”