Despite ongoing struggles with recruiting shortfalls, the U.S. Army has quietly delisted its 2021 recruitment campaign video “The Calling”, featuring a soldier with two lesbian mothers.
Aimed at increasing diversity in U.S Army recruitment, the now-delisted video was part of a series to attract a broader range of recruits under President Joe Biden’s administration and highlighted the story of a soldier named Emma, raised in a same-sex household.
The video narration detailed her journey from childhood, emphasising her upbringing and the values she learned from her two moms. Despite not being completely removed from YouTube, the delisting makes the video less accessible, as it no longer appears in search results or recommendations.
Speaking with Military.com, U.S. Army Marketing Spokesperson Laura DeFrancisco explained that the removal was due to the expiration of music rights for the campaign. However, this move occurs against the backdrop of the U.S. military’s broader struggle with recruitment, particularly in attracting younger and more diverse individuals.
The campaign had faced criticism from some political figures at its launch. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) notably contrasted the U.S. Army’s ad with a portrayal of Russian soldiers, suggesting that a “woke, emasculated military” might not be ideal. Such sentiments were echoed by Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), a former Green Beret, who criticised the Pentagon under Biden’s administration for being “overly politicised” and too focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives at the expense of military readiness.
The U.S. Army’s ongoing recruitment challenges were highlighted last year when it fell significantly short of its recruitment goals. The combined military recruitment deficit amounted to 41,000 troops, with the U.S. Army alone missing its target by 10,000 recruits. This shortfall has raised questions about the effectiveness and direction of current recruitment strategies, including the use of inclusive advertising campaigns like “The Calling.”
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