The U.S. Army base Fort Bragg in North Carolina is being renamed to Fort Liberty in accordance with the Biden Defense Department’s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-government-and-politics-2c635453129124a462ea79691e634ce9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">push</a> to scrub the military of Confederate memorabilia, garnering harsh pushback from some veterans.
The renaming occurred in a small ceremony on Friday at the base, with signs being changed and the fort’s website <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/army-renames-fort-bragg-fort-liberty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">edited</a> to reflect the new name “Fort Liberty,” which was chosen out of 188 names by the Naming Commission. The base has been named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg since 1918.
The removal and/or replacement of Confederate statues and memorabilia, such as the name &#8220;Fort Bragg,&#8221; has been the subject of debate for decades. The Fort’s website attempts to assuage the concerns that many veterans have that their heritage is being erased by the renaming, <a href="https://home.army.mil/liberty/index.php/fortbragg-renaming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explaining</a> to veterans:
&#8220;No act can take away from the heritage this installation’s service members created while stationed here or anywhere else, serving our nation. We understand the original name’s prestige in the eyes of some of the Soldiers, Families, and our nation, was built upon the bravery and dedication of those who served here, not because of an obscure, incompetent, ill-tempered Confederate general’s legacy. Nevertheless, our nation’s representatives felt a need to move on from that name and put the redesignation into law, and we are abiding by that law.&#8221;
Despite the fort’s reassurances, many soldiers who serve at the fort or have served previously are heavily critical of this decision, as many see it as a part of their history, with many feeling their service has been dishonored as the Fort where they served is being erased by bureaucrats in Washington.
This sentiment is shared by soldiers of all races, as black Army veteran George Postell Jr., who served at the base for more than four years, explains, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/army-base-renaming-fort-bragg-liberty-dcfe8bd9eeaa8373d2338bf99a4cac69" target="_blank" rel="noopener">per</a> the AP, “I shared my blood, and I know a lot of my other brothers that did the same for the namesake of Fort Bragg,” Postell said. “To me, it will always be Fort Bragg, no matter what they call it.”
U.S. Army veteran and president of the Fayetteville chapter of the NAACP James Buxton Jr. agrees with the renaming, but calls the replacement name “Liberty” an “off the wall” decision. Buxton had a creative solution: To keep the original name of Fort Bragg and instead dedicate the fort to Union General and accomplished U.S. representative Edward Bragg as a compromise that both retains the historical significance of Fort Bragg while acknowledging the suffering that that name might have caused to many African Americans.
This is just the first base to be rebranded by the Naming Commission appointed by Congress with the ultimate goal of renaming nine military bases across the country featuring Confederate soldiers and generals as part of their titles. The project is estimated to cost about $62.4 million, according vice chairman of the Commission and retired Army Brigadier General Ty Seidule.
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According to The American Battlefield Trust, Braxton Bragg was a <a href="https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/braxton-bragg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key figure</a> in the Confederate war effort in the Deep South, scoring minor victories in the early war against the Union in battles such as Chickamauga and Stones River, but rarely scoring a decisive blow against the Union. Bragg resigned as a general in the Confederate army as he suffered a crippling defeat in the Battle of Chattanooga, removing any possibility for Confederate control in Tennessee and losing thousands of men. Bragg served the rest of the war as a military advisor and plantation owner, where he owned over 100 slaves.
The renaming process is set to be completed by December 31.

Fort Bragg Sign

Fort Bragg Renamed As Biden DOD Pushes To Remove Confederate Memorabilia

Biden Administration

Confederacy

Military

Race

Slavery

U.S.

U.S. Army

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/military">U.S. Air Force</a> warned military units against heavy reliance on autonomous weapons systems last month after a simulated test conducted by the service branch using an AI-enabled drone killed its human operator.
The Skynet-like incident was detailed by the USAF&#8217;s Chief of AI Test and Operations, Col. Tucker&#8217; Cinco&#8217; Hamilton, at the Future Combat Air and Space Capabilities Summit held in London between May 23 and 24, who said the drone that was tasked to destroy specific targets during the simulation turned on the operator after they became an obstacle to its mission.
Hamilton pointed out the hazards of using such technology — potentially tricking and deceiving its commander to achieve the autonomous system&#8217;s goal, according to a <a href="https://www.aerosociety.com/news/highlights-from-the-raes-future-combat-air-space-capabilities-summit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog post</a> reported by the Royal Aeronautical Society.
&#8220;We were training it in simulation to identify and target a [surface-to-air missile] threat,&#8221; Hamilton said. &#8220;And then the operator would say &#8216;yes, kill that threat.&#8217; The system started realizing that while they did identify the threat, at times, the human operator would tell it not to kill that threat, but it got its points by killing that threat. So what did it do? It killed the operator. It killed the operator because that person was keeping it from accomplishing its objective.&#8221;
&#8220;We trained the system – &#8216;Hey, don&#8217;t kill the operator – that&#8217;s bad,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;You&#8217;re gonna lose points if you do that.’ So what does it start doing? It starts destroying the communication tower that the operator uses to communicate with the drone to stop it from killing the target.&#8221;
Hamilton, who serves as the Operations Commander of the 96th Test Wing, has been testing different systems ranging from AI and cybersecurity measures to medical advancements.
The commander reportedly aided in developing the life-saving Autonomous Ground Collision Avoidance Systems (Auto-GCAS) systems for F-16s that can take control of an aircraft heading toward ground collision and other cutting-edge automated jet technology that can dogfight.
The U.S. Department of Defense&#8217;s research agency, DARPA, announced the ground-breaking technology during the Defence IQ Press interview in December 2022.
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&#8220;We must face a world where AI is already here and transforming our society,&#8221; Hamilton <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/4a33gj/ai-controlled-drone-goes-rogue-kills-human-operator-in-usaf-simulated-test" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;AI is also very brittle, i.e., it is easy to trick and/or manipulate. We need to develop ways to make AI more robust and to have more awareness on why the software code is making certain decisions.&#8221;
&#8220;AI is a tool we must wield to transform our nations … or, if addressed improperly, it will be our downfall,&#8221; Hamilton added.
However, the question of ethical and moral behavior continues to head the forefront of the autonomous systems replacing man-operated machines.
The New Scientist <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2360475-us-air-force-is-giving-military-drones-the-ability-to-recognise-faces/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> earlier this year that the Department of Defense sparked fear into some Americans after the agency signed a contract with a Seattle-based firm to install autonomous drones with face recognition technology for intelligence gathering and for missions in foreign countries. It is unknown if the software has been rolled out yet.
&#8220;You can&#8217;t have a conversation about artificial intelligence, intelligence, machine learning, autonomy if you&#8217;re not going to talk about ethics and AI,&#8221; Hamilton said.

96th Operations Group change of command

USAF Chief Says AI-Drone Killed Human Operator During Simulation Test: Report

USAF Chief Says AI-Controlled Aircraft Kills Human Operator During Simulation Test: Report

Artificial Intelligence

Drones

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Military

A recruiter for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a>’s Royal Air Force referred to white men looking to join the air force as “useless white male pilots,” according to emails obtained by several British media outlets.
The comments were reportedly made by Squadron Leader Andrew Harwin in an email discussing board placements for ushering recruits through training.
“I noted that the boards have recently been predominantly white male heavy. If we don’t have enough BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] and female to board then we need to make the decision to pause boarding and seek more BAME and female from the RAF,” Harwin, who worked at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/raf-pays-out-after-order-to-avoid-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-v0gvhp3sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> wrote in a January 19, 2021, email.
“I don’t really need to see loads of useless white male pilots, let’s get as focused as possible, I am more than happy to reduce boarding if needed to have a balanced BAME/female/male board,” he added.
One RAF source <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/31/stop-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-raf-told/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Telegraph that the “email clearly demonstrates the endemic culture that was created by the senior leadership to chase ridiculous diversity statistics that were patently unachievable.&#8221;
A later email from January 19, 2021, said that the recruiting pool for minorities and women had been “drained.”
“From 336 Cs [candidates] we have c10% female, 5% BAME which we will burn through quickly using the boarding profile proposed,”  the email said.
Thirty-one men will be compensated roughly $6,000 each as a result of their training being delayed due to diversity quotas, <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/raf-recruiters-were-advised-against-selecting-useless-white-male-pilots-to-hit-diversity-targets-12893684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Sky News.
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“The RAF has identified 31 individuals that missed out on payments due to their entry/course dates being delayed. These individuals have been contacted and all have received the payments that they were due,” the RAF said in a <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/raf-pays-out-after-order-to-avoid-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-v0gvhp3sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
It also said in its statement that it would continue to push for more “under-represented” groups into the force, yet said that selections would continue to be merit-based.
“All individuals joining the Royal Air Force were and are selected on merit and any individuals that were advanced to their training courses had already passed the selection process. There was no compromise of entry standards and no impact on the front line or operational effectiveness,” the RAF said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-royal-air-force-stops-hiring-white-men-to-keep-with-diversity-quotas-female-head-of-recruiting-quits-in-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Air Force Stops Hiring White Men To Keep With Diversity Quotas, Female Head Of Recruiting Quits In Protest</a>

Centenary Parade And Flypast to Commemorate The Royal Air Force’s 100th Birthday

RAF Squadron Leader Disparaged ‘Useless White Male Pilots’ In Emails About Increasing Diversity: Report

RAF Squadron Leader Disparaged 'Useless White Male Pilots' In Emails About Increasing Diversity: Report

Diversity

Racial Bias

U.K.

World

Because of my father, my family spends part of every Memorial Day at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Captain John Thomas Greenplate (1954-2017) is buried there, and while he was not killed in action, he rests alongside many who were — and many more who would have, if they had been called upon to do so.
Dad was the son of a World War II veteran who survived the Battle of the Bulge. He was the younger brother of an Army combat engineer who served in Vietnam. Even though the Vietnam War was all but over by the time he graduated high school in 1972, it never sat right with him that he had not also put on a uniform.
Throughout my childhood, two things were sacred: God and country. There was no quicker way to anger Dad than to disrespect or dishonor either – a lesson my younger sister learned when she intentionally sang the national anthem off-key in exaggerated fashion. Dad very quietly asked her never to do that in his house again.
It wasn&#8217;t until he was 44 — and technically too old to serve – that he applied for an age waiver and got it, and took a direct commission into the U.S. Army Reserve just three months after I enlisted. He went to his officer training course the same summer that I went through Basic Combat Training, and he deployed to Afghanistan three years later.
<div id="attachment_559759" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-559759" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-559759 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-432x576.jpeg" alt="Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery" width="432" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-432x576.jpeg 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-225x300.jpeg 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-7-scaled.jpeg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px" />Photo: Virginia Kruta</div>
Dad&#8217;s birthday was June 2nd, but he never had much interest in celebrating that. All of my life – both before and after his military service — he was more interested in celebrating Memorial Day, which often fell within a week of his birthday anyway. Now that he&#8217;s gone, it only seems fitting that we do so in his place.
So we go to the ceremony and we stand under the flag, flown at half staff to honor the dead – and we talk to the veterans who have come out to salute their brothers in arms. Uniform white grave stones stretch as far as the eye can see in every direction, every one of them a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who was willing to sacrifice everything for a greater cause.
<div id="attachment_559757" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-559757" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-559757 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image2-2-768x576.jpeg" alt="Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image2-2-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image2-2-300x225.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image2-2-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image2-2-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Photo: Virginia Kruta</div>
It makes you feel small to stand in such a place — and then to be hit with the realization that this military cemetery is just one of many in the United States and all over the world.
Almost two years ago now, I stood with my son in the middle of the Henri-Chapelle American Military Cemetery in Plombieres, Belgium – and the feeling was the same. The silence surrounded us even when crowds of people were present. White marble crosses <a href="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/Video.mov" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stretched as far</a> as the eye could see. Most included the name and unit of the fallen soldier, but some simply read, &#8220;Here rests in honored glory a comrade in arms known but to God.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_559755" style="width: 401px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-559755" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-559755 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-391x576.jpeg" alt="Unknown soldier, Henri-Chapelle American Military Cemetery, Plombieres, Belgium." width="391" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-391x576.jpeg 391w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-204x300.jpeg 204w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-768x1131.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-1043x1536.jpeg 1043w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-1390x2048.jpeg 1390w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/image0-8-scaled.jpeg 1738w" sizes="(max-width: 391px) 100vw, 391px" />Photo: Virginia Kruta</div>
We spend this day remembering those who fell so that we who remain can stand tall — and although it is fitting to mourn those we may have personally lost, it is also fitting to remember the words of the late General George S. Patton Jr.: &#8220;It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.&#8221;
Thank God that such men lived, indeed. It&#8217;s because they did that we do.

Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery

On Memorial Day: We ‘Thank God That Such Men Lived’

Memorial Day

Soldiers

The drag queen hired as a “digital ambassador” for the United States Navy lashed out at critics who have slammed the Navy for using him in a bid to shore up sagging recruiting numbers.
Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, aka “Harpy Daniels,” posted a TikTok video in which he showed a tweet from podcaster Graham Allen, who tweeted: “This is not the same military I served under. Our enemies LAUGH at us.” Allen also showed Kelley in his different drag outfits.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This is not the same military I served under…
Our enemies LAUGH at us. <a href="https://t.co/XPa8ta7Q1p">pic.twitter.com/XPa8ta7Q1p</a>
&mdash; Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrahamAllen_1/status/1653486849212534799?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“Basically, just, you know, D-G-A-F,” Kelley said.
“You want to tear down service members and use my content without a tag so you don&#8217;t look homophobic or transphobic,” Kelley wrote to Allen on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrwrSTkLM0q/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>. “You only want to support the military when it benefits you and doesn&#8217;t involve queer people. Yet the military is the largest diverse and adaptable organization in use.”
&#8220;You don&#8217;t actually care, you just need more followers, more content and more people to praise someone who only creates toxic environments and hate,” Kelley charged. “You don&#8217;t care if I get death threats, people wanting to harm me or spread disinformation. You only want the spotlight.”
“Well, as a service member, a queen and an open queer person, you don&#8217;t scare me and you won&#8217;t stop the LGBTQ+ community [from] thriving,” Kelley continued. “Haters only hate when we&#8217;re winning.”
Former U.S. Navy Seal Robert O’Neill, credited with firing the shot that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011, expressed his fury over the U.S. Navy using a drag queen to advocate for Navy recruits.
“Alright. The U.S. Navy is now using an enlisted sailor Drag Queen as a recruiter. I’m done,” Robert O’Neill, who said that he fired the shot that killed bin Laden in 2011, tweeted. “China is going to destroy us. YOU GOT THIS NAVY. I can’t believe I fought for this bulls***.”
“You’re doing it wrong, @USNavy,” he added. “Talk to someone [who’s] actually done something! Not yeomen with t*** and a D***!”
Kelley, 29, who identifies as &#8220;non-binary,&#8221; became one of five Navy &#8220;Digital Ambassadors&#8221; in a pilot recruitment program that lasted from October to March.
“From joining to 2016 and being able to share my drag experience on my off time with my fellow sailors has been a blessing,” Kelley <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCNuWJjy-o/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Instagram in November. “This experience has brought me so much strength, courage and ambition to continue being an advocate and representation of queer sailors! Thank you to the Navy for giving me this opportunity! I don’t speak for the Navy but simply sharing my experience in the Navy! Hooyah, and let’s go Slay!”
Mairead Elordi contributed to this article.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-cant-believe-i-fought-for-this-bulls-navy-seal-who-killed-bin-laden-blasts-u-s-navy-using-drag-queen-to-recruit">‘I Can’t Believe I Fought For This Bulls***’: Navy Seal Who Killed Bin Laden Blasts U.S. Navy Using Drag Queen To Recruit</a>

Close-up of man’s hands with makeup palette

‘We’re Winning’: U.S. Navy Drag Queen Boasts He ‘Doesn’t Give A F***’ About Critics

Drag Queens

U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy hired an active-duty sailor and drag queen to be the face of the Navy&#8217;s campaign to fight dropping recruitment.
Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley, 29, who identifies as non-binary, became one of five Navy Digital Ambassadors in a pilot recruitment program that lasted from October to March.
Kelley&#8217;s drag queen name is &#8220;Harpy Daniels.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The U.S. Navy hired this non-binary drag queen as a “digital ambassador” to try to recruit people <a href="https://t.co/l3LIEtndVD">pic.twitter.com/l3LIEtndVD</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1653481253650288652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“From joining to 2016 and being able to share my drag experience on my off time with my fellow sailors has been a blessing,” Kelley <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCNuWJjy-o/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Instagram in November when he announced his Digital Ambassador appointment.
&#8220;This experience has brought me so much strength, courage and ambition to continue being an advocate and representation of queer sailors!&#8221; he told his more than 8,000 followers. “Thank you to the Navy for giving me this opportunity! I don’t speak for the Navy but simply sharing my experience in the Navy! Hooyah, and let’s go Slay!”
In his Instagram video, Kelley said he is &#8220;being the representation of people who were oppressed for years in the service.&#8221;
The Navy recruitment campaign in which Kelley participated was &#8220;designed to explore the digital environment to reach a wide range of potential candidates,&#8221; a Navy spokesperson <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2023/05/01/us-navy-drag-queen-recruitment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Daily Caller.
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“The Navy did not compensate YN2 Kelley or any others for being Navy Digital Ambassadors,” the spokesperson said.
The campaign ended in April, and the Navy is now deciding what the program will look like in the future, the spokesperson said.
Navy recruitment is plummeting despite the military branch&#8217;s attempts to recruit more Gen Z sailors.
The Navy is <a href="https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2023/03/13/navy-seeks-to-increase-end-strength-amid-recruitment-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hoping</a> to recruit more than 5,000 more officers and enlisted sailors in 2024, which would bump the branch from fewer than 342,000 up to 347,000 sailors.
The service had to dip into its delayed-entry pool of applicants in order to make its recruiting goals last year.
This year, the Navy is expected to recruit 6,000 fewer recruits than its target, <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2023/05/01/us-navy-drag-queen-recruitment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti&#8217;s testimony to House lawmakers last month.
Kelley <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2018/08/30/sailor-by-day-performer-by-night-meet-the-navys-drag-queen-harpy-daniels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">served</a> as an administrative supervisor aboard the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, where he has performed in drag for his fellow sailors.
He <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/navy-drag-queen-harpy-daniels-serving-looks-country-n905056" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entered</a> the lip sync competitions put on by the Navy&#8217;s Morale, Welfare and Recreation department, Kelley said. After he made it to the lip sync competition’s finals, he asked to perform every night, he said. Kelley also noted that he won second place in the competition and was awarded a $1,000 Navy Exchange gift card.
Kelley&#8217;s videos on Instagram and TikTok show him dressed in drag queen makeup, wigs, and various colorful drag costumes.
He previously <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2018/08/30/sailor-by-day-performer-by-night-meet-the-navys-drag-queen-harpy-daniels/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Navy Times that he joined the Navy in 2016, partly inspired by his father, a 24-year senior chief Navy counselor.
Before joining the service, drag performing was not paying well for him, he told the outlet.
&#8220;With drag being my number one passion, it quickly became costly,&#8221; Kelley said. &#8220;On top of just struggling to make ends meet and then pay college loans, the Navy became a great option to get myself situated in life.&#8221;

62nd Anniversary Of Pearl Harbor Attack Commemorated In Washington

Navy Hires Active Duty Drag Queen To Combat Sinking Recruitment

National Security

Does President Joe Biden want us to lose a major war? That&#8217;s the question after Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm told Congress that she wants an all-electric military vehicle fleet by 2030. Senators called the plan &#8220;laughable&#8221; while pointing out that the big winner if this were to happen would be America&#8217;s top adversary: China.
&#8220;I do, and I think we can get there, as well,&#8221; Granholm testified before the Senate after Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-energy-secretary-doubles-down-on-electrifying-us-militarys-vehicle-fleet-2030-we-can-get-there" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> if she supported an &#8220;All EV Fleet&#8221; proposal. &#8220;I do think that reducing our reliance on the volatility of globally traded fossil fuels where we know that global events like the war in Ukraine can jack up prices for people back home … does not contribute to energy security.&#8221;
Afterward, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) <a href="https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6326401012112" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox Business that the plan was ridiculous — but an unsurprising result of Biden&#8217;s personnel policy choices.
&#8220;This is what happens when you have a president who puts activists in place of this country instead of putting real people who&#8217;ve been there, done that,&#8221; he said.
Mullin went on to explain why the idea is just not feasible or practical.
&#8220;I mean, just think about this,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;re gonna have — we&#8217;re gonna go to war. We&#8217;re going to have electric vehicles &#8230; none of us have ever heard of EMP before  — electromagnetic pulses,&#8221; he said sarcastically, in reference to weapons that can wipe out electronics. &#8220;But not besides that, we&#8217;re going to be out in a battlefield where they don&#8217;t really have what you&#8217;d consider charging stations. So to charge the fleet — we&#8217;re going to be pulling these huge diesel generators to charge the fleets — and when they go down, instead of just simply running up there and pull it for fuel. No, we&#8217;re gonna have to sit there for hours [while] these batteries charge.&#8221;
Mullin also pointed that America would be depending upon the Chinese Communist Party to create the super-charged batteries that would be needed to power these batteries. EV batteries rely on critical minerals — a <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/12/14/rare-earth-mines-00071102#:~:text=As%20of%20today%2C%20China%20accounts,firearms%2C%20radars%20and%20stealth%20aircraft." target="_blank" rel="noopener">field</a> in which China overwhelmingly dominates the market.
&#8220;This makes zero sense but in a woke president that you have in President Biden in his woke cabinets,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;These are the kind of results and ridiculous comments that you have.&#8221;
On Sunday, Ernst also slammed Granholm for her suggestion.
&#8220;You don’t fight a war that way,” Ernst <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/04/30/joni-ernst-slams-biden-push-for-u-s-military-all-electric-vehicles-you-dont-fight-a-war-that-way/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> to during a radio interview. The Iowa senator argued that Biden was putting climate change ahead of excellence.
“This administration has taken it to the extremes with this climate agenda,” she said. “We are not focusing on the lethality of our American military. Instead, they are focusing on green energy and climate change.&#8221;
Ernst, like Mullin, also pointed out that this plan would only benefit China.
That raises the question, why does it always seem like the Biden administration wants policies that favor China while putting America last?
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Jennifer Granholm

‘Laughable’: Biden’s Energy Secretary Wants All-Electric Military Vehicles Within A Decade

China

Chinese Communist Party

Electric cars

electric vehicles

Joni Ernst

Oklahoma

Billionaire and legendary hedge fund manager Ray Dalio has a stark warning for the West: The U.S. and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/communist-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China</a> are on the brink of war.
Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, has spent more than four decades dealing with Chinese businessmen and its government, and is cautioning the world that relations between the two countries are worse than ever. As flagged by Fox Business, Dalio recently returned from a business trip to China and published a memo dissecting the current world order.
&#8220;What I mean when I say that the US and China are on the brink of war is that it appears that they are close to having a sanctions war and/or military war that neither side wants but many believe will probably happen because a) each side is very close to the other’s red lines, b) each side is using brinksmanship to push the other at the risk of crossing each other’s red lines, and c) politics will probably cause more aggressive brinksmanship over the next 18 months,&#8221; Dalio wrote in that memo.
He added that the two countries are &#8220;beyond talking.&#8221; Dalio noted that even the president&#8217;s own party is divided in how to treat China — as evidenced by former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi&#8217;s trip to Taiwan. U.S. politics will push America closer to war with the Red Dragon, he predicted.
&#8220;The hawkish political influences in the United States will exert more pressure on the relationship over the next 18 months because of the emergence of the 2024 election season,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That will be  a very risky period because China and the US are now already on the brink of war.&#8221; As a result, a number of red lines could be crossed that could escalate conflict either on the ground or economically.
He added that the world is also looking to China for leadership, as much of the globe believes that the U.S. is on the decline under Biden.
&#8220;While there is a wide range of views among various countries’ leaders, there is a growing belief among Chinese and many other countries’ leaders that the United States is in decline, plagued with domestic issues,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;They believe that for this reason the US is no longer adequately guiding the world order, and, as a result of this void, the world is headed for a period of great disorder.&#8221;
This could perhaps be evidenced by officials such as France&#8217;s President Emmanuel Macron meeting with Chinese Communist President Xi Jinping.
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&#8220;There is a strong belief that the world is desperately in need of stronger multilateral 1) leadership, 2) systems, and 3) institutions, and that China is very likely to play a leading role in helping to provide these, but that disorder will likely precede a more peaceful new world order,&#8221; Dalio said.
The hedge fund manager is not alone in his predictions. Atlas Organization founder Gordon Chang <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/billionaire-investor-ray-dalio-china-brink-war-beyond-ability-talk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Fox Business&#8217; Maria Bartiromo that China&#8217;s recent actions increase the possibility of military confrontation.
&#8220;When you have China engaging in dangerous intercepts of the U.S. and other militaries in the region, anything can happen. And we have a military that is not prepared to deal with the probable scenarios,&#8221; Chang said. &#8220;General Mike Minahan on that January 27th leaked memo talked about war with China in 2025. … Well, it could very well be before that.&#8221;
Dalio also said that in speaking with other world leaders, many believe that the U.S. is trying to drag them into war against Russia while China is trying to &#8220;facilitate peace.&#8221;
His full memo can be <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-i-think-going-1-china-us-relations-2-other-countries-ray-dalio/">read here</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Joe Biden, Ray Dalio, Xi Jinping

Here’s Why Billionaire Ray Dalio Says America And China Are On Brink Of War

Here's Why Billionaire Ray Dalio Says America And China Are On Brink Of War

Communist China

Global Politics

Joe Biden

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NFL</a> fans showed off their love for the country and those who serve the United States when they broke out in chants of &#8220;USA! USA!&#8221; at the start of the 2023 NFL draft in Kansas City as members of the military were introduced to the crowd.
In video that appeared on YouTube on Friday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell took to the stage at Union Station to announce that the start of the second day of the draft would begin after welcoming 31 players to the NFL from Thursday night&#8217;s first round.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s go Kansas City,&#8221; Goodell said to the hundreds of thousands of fans gathered at Union Station who could be heard yelling and hollering. &#8220;Well, looking out here tonight, thank you Kansas City for your passion. Thank you for being here.&#8221;
WATCH:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="2023 NFL Draft Second Round Live Stream | Day 2 Full Show" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YKhe0Q5Akcw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&#8220;And welcome back to night two of the 2023 NFL Draft,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Last night, in front of 125,000 people here in Kansas City and 34 million viewers, we welcomed 31 extraordinary players into the NFL family.&#8221;
&#8220;Tonight, as you can see, I&#8217;m joined by some current players and legends who will help us select the next generation of players that&#8217;s joining the NFL,&#8221; Goodell continued. &#8220;Also on stage are active duty service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, and Marine Corp.&#8221;
As the commissioner continued to introduce the military members, the crowd cheered loudly and clapped before they started chanting &#8220;USA! USA! USA!&#8221;
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Several members of the military were also seen cheering and chanting along, &#8220;USA!&#8221;
Wide shots of the crowd around Union Station and closeups of those next to the stage showed one person after another continuing the chant of &#8220;USA!&#8221; as it got louder and louder.
The second round then kicked off with the Pittsburgh Steelers on the clock first with their first pick going to Joey Porter Jr., CB (Penn State), the son of one of their legendary players, Joey Porter. It was followed by Will Levis QB (Kentucky), who went to the Tennessee Titans, who surprisingly remained on the board at the end of round 1.

NFL Draft 2023.-1jpg

WATCH: NFL Fans At 2023 Draft Start ‘USA!’ Chant As Military Members Are Introduced

WATCH: NFL Fans At 2023 Draft Start 'USA' Chant As Military Members Are Introduced

Draft

Entertainment

Lawmakers in the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/north-carolina" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Carolina</a> House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation on Wednesday to prevent state-controlled enterprises from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China</a> and other adversarial nations from owning land intended for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/farming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agriculture</a> or property near <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military</a> bases.
The bill, entitled the North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act, asserts that state officials have an <a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2023/Bills/House/PDF/H463v3.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interest</a> to guard farmland from “the potential of adversarial foreign government control” in order to ensure a “safe, abundant, and affordable supply of food” for residents of the state and the nation. Entities in which more than half of shares are <a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-15/subtitle-A/part-7/subpart-A/section-7.4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controlled</a> by China, Russia, Cuba, North Korea, or Venezuela would also not be permitted to purchase or lease any land within 25 miles of a military installation or any agricultural land.
“As someone who grew up on a family farm, preserving North Carolina’s farmland is a top priority,” North Carolina State Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, a Republican and the primary bill sponsor for the North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act, said in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VoteBalkcom/posts/pfbid023bddBB618Vxvi3ubrZHsGPAtoQgNqMvaYjG3mP13iiKyAxoeziMJrQkB127sCbZXl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “Our state’s agricultural land is one of our most important assets and it is common sense that we protect it from foreign governments that do not have America’s best interests in mind.”
North Carolina presently has more than 518,000 acres of farmland held by foreign entities, according to a <a href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2020_afida_annual_report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Department of Agriculture, an amount which increased by nearly 11,000 acres between 2019 and 2020. Chinese entities own slightly less than 1% of acres held by foreigners in the United States; investors from Canada meanwhile own roughly 32% of agricultural and non-agricultural land held by foreigners while citizens of other allies, such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, represent 31% of land held by foreigners.
Officials have nevertheless cited national security risks from recent Chinese purchases of agricultural land. Lawmakers in South Dakota, who also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/south-dakota-to-restrict-purchases-of-farmland-by-china-and-other-nations-who-hate-us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moved</a> last year to prevent Chinese entities from purchasing land in the state, are particularly concerned about the acquisition of farmland near Ellsworth Air Force Base. The purchase of land near Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, where some of the nation’s secure drone technology is located, last year by Chinese food company Fufeng Group likewise raised <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pompeo-warns-communist-chinese-entities-buying-farmland-near-u-s-military-bases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerns</a> of potential espionage.
The North Carolina Farmland and Military Protection Act mentioned military facilities such as Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base as locations where entities controlled by adversarial nations cannot purchase property.
Chinese entities composed 6% of foreign residential real estate purchases in the United States between April 2021 and March 2022, according to an <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2022-international-transactions-in-us-residential-real-estate-07-18-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from the National Association of Realtors. Some 3% of residential properties acquired by Chinese buyers were in North Carolina.
The move from North Carolina lawmakers comes as tensions between the United States and China worsen over several recent espionage efforts from the communist nation, including a spy balloon that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chinese-spy-balloon-collected-intelligence-from-sensitive-military-sites-sent-back-to-beijing-in-real-time-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traversed</a> the continental United States and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tiktoks-parent-company-in-china-planned-to-use-platform-to-track-locations-of-specific-americans-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a> of social media platform TikTok collecting data on American citizens.
Members of Congress recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/republican-senators-call-on-biden-to-sanction-chinese-tech-firms-that-assist-communist-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressed</a> senior Biden administration officials to sanction cloud services offered by Huawei and Alibaba, while some officials are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/defense-officials-worry-about-new-chinese-espionage-threat-report-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerned</a> that sensors mounted on seaport cranes manufactured by ZPMC could grant Chinese authorities access to data regarding items shipped for military operations.

North Carolina Goat Farm

North Carolina Lawmakers Unanimously Move To Stop Chinese Entities From Buying Up Farmland

North Carolina Lawmakers Unanimously Approve Bill To Block Certain Chinese Farm Investments

Agriculture

Farmers

North Carolina

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Energy</a> Secretary <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-granholm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jennifer Granholm</a> voiced support on Wednesday for transitioning the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/military" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military</a> to exclusively rely upon <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/electric-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">electric vehicles</a> before 2030.
Granholm affirmed her faith in the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> proposal in a <a href="https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-receive-testimony-on-the-department-of-energy-and-national-nuclear-security-administration-atomic-energy-defense-activities-in-review-of-the-defense-authorization-request-for-fiscal-year-2024-and-the-future-years-defense-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hearing</a> for the Senate Armed Services Committee in which Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) pressed her on whether the policy would hinder the lethality of the military. She insisted that electrification would decrease vulnerability to worldwide turbulence in the fossil fuel sector.
“I do think that reducing our reliance on the volatility of globally traded fossil fuels, where we know that global events such as the war in Ukraine can jack up prices for people back home does not contribute to energy security,” she commented. “I think energy security is achieved when we have home-grown, clean energy that is abundant.”
White House officials have indeed suggested an increase in electric vehicle reliance over the past two years as part of a broader renewable energy adoption in the federal government. President Joe Biden vowed in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/04/22/remarks-by-president-biden-on-earth-day-and-at-signing-of-an-executive-order-strengthening-the-nations-forests-communities-and-local-economies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speech</a> last year that his administration would “start the process where every vehicle in the United States military” would become “climate friendly.”
“You know, in my view, this crisis, as I said, is a genuine opportunity,” he added. “An opportunity to do things we wanted to do, and only now it’s become so apparent.”
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks likewise <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2838082/deputy-secretary-of-defense-dr-kathleen-hicks-remarks-at-wayne-state-university/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asserted</a> two years ago that creating a “zero emissions non-tactical vehicle fleet” and optimizing “energy use in our tactical vehicles” is a necessary part of the military’s climate mission. “Tactical vehicle electrification, initially through hybrid electric technology, has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it should also provide significant operational capability,” she claimed. “Electric vehicles are quiet. They have a low heat signature, and incredible torque, and because they tend to be low maintenance with fewer moving parts. They have the potential to reduce logistics requirements, all with these attributes can help give our troops an edge on the battlefield.”
Electric vehicles nevertheless require charging infrastructure and are currently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/only-20-of-americans-very-likely-to-buy-electric-for-their-next-car-even-as-some-states-want-100-adoption" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seen</a> by some as less reliable than internal combustion vehicles. Sen. Angus King (I-ME) introduced a <a href="https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-introduces-bill-to-electrify-military-vehicle-fleet-cut-carbon-emissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> last year to require at least 75% of the 174,000 non-tactical vehicles used by the Defense Department to be electric or zero emission since most of the government’s annual emissions come from the agency. The bill, however, did not suggest electrifying tactical vehicles.
Senior officials in the Biden administration have pursued similar objectives in other federal agencies such as the Postal Service, which will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/postal-service-buys-nearly-10000-electric-vehicles-as-biden-pushes-for-electrified-federal-fleet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">acquire</a> 66,000 electric vehicles by 2028. The administration has established the overall goal of procuring only zero emission light-duty vehicles for the federal fleet by 2027 and will <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/09/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-proposes-new-standards-for-national-electric-vehicle-charging-network/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extend</a> the standard to all federal vehicles by 2035.
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The Biden administration, which has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a “whole-of-government effort” to reduce carbon emissions and incentivize renewables, has also introduced new emissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/climate-alarmists-senator-tim-scott-blasts-energy-department-over-new-power-standards-for-certain-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules</a> for gas stoves, air conditioners, and mobile homes.
The EPA most recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-unveils-proposal-for-landmark-nationwide-crackdown-on-gas-cars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposed</a> vehicle emissions standards that would aim to increase adoption of electric cars, effectively inducing a 56% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions for light-duty vehicles, as well as a 44% decrease for medium-duty vehicles. The regulations would attempt to change market conditions such that electric vehicles constitute the majority of new sales for light-duty vehicles and nearly half of new sales for medium-duty vehicles by 2032.

Energy Secretary Granholm Supports Making The Military All-Electric By 2030

Energy Secretary Granholm Supports Completely Electrifying The Military By 2030

Department of Energy

Energy

Executive

Politics

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-defense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Defense</a> officials extended the organization’s contract with an electric flying taxi company on Tuesday, moving U.S. Air Force aviators one step closer to remotely piloting cargo and people using advanced aircraft technology from the ground.
Joby Aviation, a company developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, announced the $55 million extension, raising the contract&#8217;s total value with the USAF up to $131 million.
&#8220;This extension of our contract with the Department of Defense is an important milestone for both Joby and the broader eVTOL industry,&#8221; Paul Sciarra, Joby&#8217;s executive chairman, told <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/04/25/air-force-evtol-taxi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios</a>.
The agreement requires the company to deliver and operate up to nine of its five-seat, low-noise aircraft that operate on zero emissions to the military branch and other federal agencies, including NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Joby officials said in a news release that Edwards Air Force Base in California would likely receive the first two aircraft by early 2024.
Among demonstrating a range of potential logistic use cases, including cargo and passenger transportation, Joby officials expect Edwards Air Force Base to become the first U.S. military base to station electric air taxis.
Sciarra said the contract marks the first delivery of eVTOL aircraft to customers, the first training of non-company pilots on an eVTOL, and likely the first revenue-generating operations of eVTOL in the U.S. and potentially the world.
&#8220;These are real aircraft deployed in real situations against real use-cases, so we&#8217;ll get invaluable feedback and operational experience far in advance of commercial operations,&#8221; he said.
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Four Air Force pilots became the first Air Force personnel to remotely fly the advanced aircraft from the ground last week, which included transitions from vertical to wingborne flight.
The announcement comes amid Air Force officials working with several eVTOL manufacturers through the <a href="https://afwerx.com/agility-prime/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Agility Prime</a> program, which aims to transform how public-private partnerships can deliver &#8220;trailblazing technology at speed,&#8221; JoeBen Bevirt, founder and CEO of Joby, said in a <a href="https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-aviation-to-deliver-aircraft-to-edwards-air-force-base/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news release</a>.
&#8220;As well as allowing us to explore the wide range of potential use cases across the U.S. government, our defense partners have also provided us with high-impact support as we prepare for commercial operations in 2025,&#8221; Bevirt said.
The Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps have all expressed interest in the capabilities of eVTOL aircraft since the officials established Agility Program in 2020.
Bipartisan members of Congress penned a <a href="https://panetta.house.gov/sites/panetta.house.gov/files/documents/2023.02.23_DOT_AAM%20Leadership%20Letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> in February to the Department of Transportation, calling for stronger U.S. leadership in Advanced Air Mobility.
&#8220;We are at a pivotal time in aviation. In just a few short years, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) and other forms of emerging aviation technologies will be operating in our National Airspace System (NAS), changing the way in which goods and people move within rural and urban areas,&#8221; the letter reads.
Lawmakers argue the new era of aviation could usher in an estimated $1 trillion and 400,000 new jobs to economies worldwide.
Last month, the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/032023-National-Aeronautics-ST-Priorities.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signaled</a> its support for the aircraft technology, identifying clean aviation as a top priority.
Axios reported that Joby is <a class="gtmContentClick" href="https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-completes-second-stage-certification-process/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-vars-link-text="undergoing" data-vars-click-url="https://www.jobyaviation.com/news/joby-completes-second-stage-certification-process/" data-vars-content-id="4fcf2047-5590-463b-8581-7944646b97f8" data-vars-headline="Electric &quot;air taxis&quot; are headed to the U.S. Air Force" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link">undergoing</a> an FAA process to certify its aircraft for commercial civilian flights.

Electric Air Taxis To Revolutionize Military, Commercial Flights In Near Future: Report

Air Travel

Department of Defense

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