US Navy Admiral Michael Gilday defended non-binary sailor LTJG Audrey Knutson amid criticism from some Republican lawmakers. The Navy’s diversity and inclusion training has been criticized, but Adm. Gilday emphasized the importance of building a warfighting team and noted that LTJG Knutson volunteered to deploy on the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Key Points
- LTJG Audrey Knutson, a non-binary sailor, was defended by Adm. Michael Gilday amid criticism from some Republican lawmakers.
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The Navy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion training has been criticized by some Republican lawmakers.
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Adm. Gilday emphasized the importance of building a warfighting team and noted that LTJG Knutson volunteered to deploy on the USS Gerald R. Ford.
Background
LTJG Audrey Knutson’s story was shared on the Navy’s Instagram page last week. In a video, Knutson expressed pride in serving as non-binary, highlighting their grandfather’s service in the Navy during World War II.
Criticism from Republican Lawmakers
Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted a portion of the clip, captioning it “While China prepares for war, this is what they have our US Navy focused on.” Sen. Tommy Tuberville continued attacking the video at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, stating he had “a lot of problems with the video.”
Admiral Gilday’s Defense
Adm. Michael Gilday defended LTJG Audrey Knutson, emphasizing that it is the job of a commanding officer to build a warfighting team. He noted that Knutson volunteered to deploy on the USS Gerald R. Ford and will likely deploy again next month.
Quotes
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“We ask people from all over the country, from all walks of life, from all different backgrounds to join us,” said Adm. Gilday.
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“I’ll tell you why I’m particularly proud of this sailor,” said Adm. Gilday. “So, her grandfather served during World War II, and he was gay and he was ostracized in the very institution that she not only joined and is proud to be a part of, but she volunteered to deploy on Ford and she’ll likely deploy again next month when Ford goes back to sea.”
Context
The criticism from Republican lawmakers comes amid concerns about the military’s diversity, equity, and inclusion training. However, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gil Cisneros stated that such training has been a part of the military for decades, and the military’s top enlisted leaders emphasized that combat lethality remains their focus.
Some Republican lawmakers have attacked the military for being too “woke,” claiming it has been one of the causes of the military’s poor recruiting numbers. Despite a recent Army survey showing only 5% of potential recruits were concerned about “wokeness,” Republican Rep. Cory Mills and others went after the Defense Department on its diversity, equity and inclusion training at a House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing.
Response from Under Secretary of Defense
In response to the criticism, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Gil Cisneros stated that diversity and equal opportunity training have been a part of the military for decades. At another hearing, Sgt. Maj. Of the Army Michael Grinston emphasized that the military’s focus remains on combat lethality, even with additional training on diversity and inclusion.
Adm. Gilday’s Defense
Adm. Michael Gilday defended LTJG Audrey Knutson, saying he is “particularly proud of this sailor.” He emphasized that it’s the job of a commanding officer to build a warfighting team.
