Original Story Posted on July 1, 2021
From Las Vegas Strip singer, to cruise ship performer, and now a public affairs officer for the United States Army, 1st Lt. Janeen Phelps has come a long way.
Born to a military family, Janeen wanted to enlist once she was out of high school; but her father encouraged her to pursue a different career.
Years later, after singing around the world, Janeen still felt called to serve her country... and found a way to join the Army, earn two master's degrees, and keep singing.
Her voice is featured in a new Army recruiting video that has become controversial by critics who accuse it of being too woke, focusing more on the cause of diversity than fighting wars.
Phelps is the daughter of a Vietnam War-era veteran, and her father initially discouraged her from enlisting as a teenager. Phelps said he told her, "the Army is going to be there; go get your education."
A decade later she enlisted and assured her father that "the Army he served in at that time is different than the Army now."
Janeen Phelps, 1st Lieutenant, U.S. Army Reserve
