In late June, the U.S. Army, through the Army Sustainment Command’s Public Affairs office, published a story about one Major “Rachel” Jones, pictured above, who is the Army Sustainment Command Cyber Division chief, G6 (Information Management). Jones is transgender, and the story has generated massive online criticism from almost everyone in the online world, including Jordan Peterson, and others.
The ASC Public Affairs story, entitled “Living authentically saves Soldier’s life,” explains that Jones:
struggled with depression and suicidal ideation for most of her life. Today, she is living her truth and is no longer battling depression or suicidal thoughts…Before coming out privately to her therapist, Jones lived every day deeply depressed and suicidal…”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…Even when deployed, the greatest threat to my own safety was myself,” [Jones] said.
The story also posted a photo of Jones on the job:
In classic military Orwell-speak, the “Army Sustainment Command (ASC) provides globally responsive strategic logistics capabilities and materiel readiness to enable Combatant Commanders to conduct the full range of military operations. ASC is the Army Materiel Command’s (AMC) single face to the field and synchronizes and executes logistics. ASC is the Army materiel enterprise’s decisive edge generating sustainment readiness from the strategic support area to the tactical point of need.”
I think this means ASC is in charge of making sure that Army troops on the front lines have the bullets and other munitions they need to successfully fight a war. And one of their key Division Chiefs, in charge of the computers and software used to make that happen, is Rachel Jones. So what’s the problem?
Where to begin.
First, how did Jones, or anyone for that matter, ever meet the mental health standards to be admitted into the armed forces in the first place when he “struggled with depression and suicidal ideation for most of h[is] life,” “lived every day deeply depressed and suicidal,” and “grew up depressed and suicidal to the point that [he] always had a plan to end [his] life.” The military, obviously, can be a very stressful environment, not the least of which is that you face death from time to time, either in the combat environment, or from mother nature herself. Stable, well-adjusted individuals who can cope with that kind of stress are who are needed, not people who are chronically depressed and suicidal. In fact, such individuals are not only a danger to themselves and others in a wartime environment, but consume massive amounts of military medical resources that are required elsewhere for maximum combat effectiveness. It is stating the obvious to say that such individuals should not be serving in the military.
Second, how did Jones pass the pre-deployment medical screening required to ensure that those who deploy overseas, potentially into hostile war zones, are not suicidal and a threat to themselves, others, and the mission?
Third, how does Jones pass the Army Physical Fitness Test or meet the Army’s Height and Weight Standards. Officers who are out of standards have a corrosive effect on combat effectiveness that can affect an entire command and should not be tolerated.
Fourth, why does the Army’s own photo profiling Jones should Jones holding two pride flags, and not American flags, which are nowhere to be seen in the story.
Fifth, I would like to state for the record that when I was Commanding Officer of USS Toledo (SSN-769), an attack submarine, I did not have a purple whale plush toy on my desk. Just saying.
In all seriousness, this is the latest example, in a continuing string of disturbing developments, of the U.S. military prioritizing the individual over accomplishing the mission, as we have reported:
In my opinion, the U.S. military has completely lost its focus on prioritizing combat effectiveness. Profiling military personnel with significant self-reported mental health issues, including suicide, does little to convince me otherwise.
Unsurprisingly, others have noticed too and reacted to the Jones story:
Stay tuned.
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