‘Tell me this isn’t real’: US Army strikes again with cringe horoscope social media ad

The Pentagon may not be sure if UFOs are aliens, but it certainly seems to believe in astrology. After shrugging off criticism of its new 'woke' ads, the US Army is doubling down with an Instagram story touting the zodiac.

“Wondering what your zodiac sign says about the kind of soldier you could be in the army? You'll just have to click through our Instagram story to find the answer because our lips are sealed over here," said the post, with subsequent slides listing the assignments that supposedly best matched the potential recruits’ horoscopes.

“I know you’re going for diversity but...” tweeted Defense One editor Kevin Baron, adding a link to a satirical article from The Onion.

Comments to Baron’s tweet ranged along the lines of “Please tell me this isnt real?” and “I wanted this to be fake so badly,” to “This is evidence that the terrorists have already won.”

It wasn’t any better on Instagram, either: “Not again.” “Please no.” “Please God no.” “This is sad.” “This is what the army has become. Glad I retired.” “Stop.”

Last month, the army was blasted over a series of animated recruitment ads dubbed 'The Calling', seeking to appeal to women and minorities in line with the Biden administration’s policy to promote “equity” in all things. 

A mashup of one of the ads – featuring a woman named Emma who grew up “with two moms” – with Russian and Chinese recruitment videos was retweeted by Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) who criticized the American “emasculated military.” 

Cruz was then blasted by online Democrats for spreading “Russian propaganda.” That sentiment was echoed over the weekend by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who said such “talking points” could be “capitalized” on by US “adversaries” like China and Russia.

The military was doing a “great job of recruiting the right kinds of people,” Austin told CNN. 

“We represent the United States of America. We ought to look like America and not only in the ranks,” he added, “but our leadership should look like America.”

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