How a photo of a gun with a backward scope became a Navy embarrassment

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE COMMANDER OF THE USS JOHN S. MCCAIN – CAMERON YASTE – AND THE U.S. NAVY ARE BEING MOCKED ONLINE.

THIS AFTER THE NAVY POSTED A PHOTO OF YASTE TO IT’S OFFICIAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT – SHOWING HIM FIRING A RIFLE WITH THE SCOPE ON BACKWARDS AND THE LENS CAP ON.

THE TEXT UNDER THE ORIGINAL PHOTO POSTING SAID “HIGHLIGHTING THE AMAZING WORK OF OUR U.S. NAVY SAILORS! FROM ENGAGING IN PRACTICE GUN SHOOTS, CONDUCTING MAINTENANCE, TESTING FUEL PURITY, AND PARTICIPATING IN SEA AND ANCHOR DETAILS, THE US NAVY IS ALWAYS READY TO SERVE AND PROTECT HASHTAG READINESS”

GUN USERS AND ADVOCATES SAY – THE PHOTO IS EMBARRASSING FOR NOT ONLY YASTE BUT ALSO THE MILITARY BECAUSE IT SHOWS A LACK OF FIREARMS COMPETENCE FROM THE COMMANDER OF A NAVAL WARSHIP AND CITADEL GRADUATE.

“U.S. NAVY JUST KILLING IT ON INSTAGRAM” ONE USER ON X wrote.

“THIS IS MAX CRINGE” ANOTHER USER POSTED.

“IT’S SO BAD IT HAD TO BE DONE ON PURPOSE” A THIRD WROTE.

GEORGIA REPRESENTATIVE MIKE COLLINS MOCKED THE NAVY IN A POST – BY POSTING A PHOTO OF A PISTOL WITH AN EDITED BACKWARD BARREL ON IT – WRITING “NAVY’S NEWLY ISSUED SIDEARM.”

SEVERAL OTHER USERS WROTE OPINIONS ABOUT HOW THE PHOTO EITHER COULD’VE BEEN PHOTOSHOPPED OR EVEN A JOKE.

THE NAVY HAS SINCE TAKEN DOWN THE PHOTO – AND HAS POSTED SEVERAL OTHER ONES – HIGHLIGHTING THEIR CREWS IN THE RED SEA, PHILIPPINE SEA AND PACIFIC OCEAN.

THE NAVY RESPONDED TO THE ERRORS OF THE PHOTO IN OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WRITING “THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT OUR RIFLE SCOPE ERROR IN THE PREVIOUS POST.”