WASHINGTON — Recruiting is a known issue within the Department of Defense. While many branches have tried to lean on the core benefits of military service, such as pride, honor, personal fulfillment, and “free” healthcare, the results have not been fruitful. But the Navy has employed a novel approach, recruiting technologically adept virgins, or incels, to join the intelligence community, in what has been coined as the “Incel to Intel” initiative. 

“Incel”, short for “involuntarily celibate”, also encompasses the rage, sadness, and disenchantment that many young, usually white, men feel when they view the world at large. One may wonder why the Navy would try to onboard these potentially volatile men into the ranks. Lt. Ula Sigmundsdóttir, an intelligence officer who frequently works with Navy human resources, has the answer. 

“These guys are losers, right?” Sigmundsdóttir said. “But they are also consumers of tons of news (fake and otherwise), they are extremely computer savvy, and they can hyper-focus on stalking someone — all ideal for the intelligence community.”