The Navy Secretary touted its ships as “beacons in every port of call” for “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” in a message to the force celebrating Pride Month.

In the message to the force, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro highlighted Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay candidate to be elected to state office in California, who was also a lieutenant junior grade. In 2016, then-Navy Secretary Ray Mabus named a ship after Milk.

Del Toro wrote:

In reflecting upon the difficulties of the past, I also want to highlight Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Harvey Milk, who regrettably had to mask his true identity before our beloved Navy forced him out through an ‘other than honorable’ discharge. LTJG Milk went on to become one of the first openly gay candidates elected to public office, before a former colleague assassinated him in 1978. I will never forget sharing my understanding of the details of LTJG Milk’s service with his nephew, Mr. Stuart Milk, and personally witnessing the christening of the oiler USNS HARVEY MILK on 6 November 2021. I am proud to know that HARVEY MILK joins the ranks of present and future USNSs SOJOURNER TRUTH, EARL WARREN, ROBERT F. KENNEDY, LUCY STONE, and JOHN LEWIS as beacons in every port of call for the diversity, equity, and inclusion that we value as a Department and Nation.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion,” or DEI, has become a term encapsulating programs and trainings based on critical race theory, which has its roots in Marxism, according to Christopher Rufo, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Later in his message, Del Toro said LGBTQI+ Sailors, Marines, civilians, and contractors were working to mold the future of the Navy and realize the “limitless possibilities of a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive workforce where everyone can live as their true self and defend our Nation from extremism and any threat.”

The message was tweeted out by the Navy a day after the service’s official account changed its cover photo to a rainbow-colored graphic with the word “Pride” on it. . . . (read more on Breitbart News)

**NOTE the word “Revolution”:

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SUBJ/DEPARTMENT OF NAVY 2023 LGBTQI+ PRIDE MONTH//

RMKS/1.  The Department of the Navy (DON) joins the 
Nation in celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, 
Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride 
Month during the month of June.  

This year's widely discussed theme, "Peace, Love, 
Revolution," reflects the wave of societal 
transformation through which the LGBTQI+ 
community first found freedom and 
inherent pride, which they LGBTQI+ have further 
developed in the decades since.  

It is through their efforts that we can further 
realize a culture across the DON where everyone 
is treated with dignity, respect, support, and 
equal opportunity.

Members of the DON's LGBTQI+ community have 
served from every base, ship, shipyard, and 
facility.  Pride Month holds great importance 
to this community and their allies as it 
commemorates the Stonewall Riots of 1969 as a 
foundation for LGBTQI+ individuals to discover 
and celebrate their inherent pride.  

In reflecting upon the difficulties of the 
past, I also want to highlight Lieutenant 
Junior Grade (LTJG) Harvey Milk, who 
regrettably had to mask his true identity 
before our beloved Navy forced him out through an 
"other than honorable" discharge. 

LTJG Milk went on to become one of the first 
openly gay candidates elected to public 
office, before a former colleague 
assassinated him in 1978.  

I will never forget sharing my understanding 
of the details of LTJG Milk's service with 
his nephew, Mr. Stuart Milk, and personally
 witnessing the christening of the oiler USNS 
HARVEY MILK on 6 November 2021.  

I am proud to know that HARVEY MILK joins 
the ranks of present and future USNSs 
SOJOURNER TRUTH, EARL WARREN, ROBERT F. 
KENNEDY, LUCY STONE, and JOHN LEWIS as 
beacons in every port of call for the 
diversity, equity, and inclusion that we 
value as a Department and Nation.

Today, LGBTQI+ Sailors, Marines, civilians, 
and contractors work alongside their 
colleagues to develop creative solutions 
to today's complex naval challenges, and 
they stand in defense of our Nation to 
execute our mission and defeat our adversaries.  

Together, we are molding the future of 
the DON and realizing the limitless 
possibilities of a collaborative, diverse, 
and inclusive workforce where everyone 
can live as their true self and defend our 
Nation from extremism and any threat.

I encourage you to learn more about the 
cultural heritage and contributions 
of the LGBTQI+ community to our Nation at 
https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/diversity/lgbt.html.

2.  Released by the Honorable Carlos 
Del Toro Secretary of the Navy.//

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