Britneys new bodyguard wanted to go to Iraq... instead he's a male nanny?

At the U.S. Naval Academy, Perry Taylor was addressed as "midshipman." Now, though, he's known as Perry Poppins.

The 28-year-old Easton native has popped up in supermarket tabloids as the male nanny -- or "manny" -- for Britney Spears, who has a 9-month-old son, Sean Preston, and is pregnant.

"Actually, he's more of a bodyguard," says Taylor's mother, Caroline Moncure-Taylor, a Washington real estate agent. Moncure-Taylor told The (Baltimore) Sun that Taylor has worked for the 24-year-old pop singer for less than a month.

For Star magazine, which featured Spears and Taylor on the cover of its June 19 issue, he's "Britney's Sexy New Stand-In Husband!"

"He's good with kids and he's always there when he's needed -- unlike Kevin!" the tabloid continues, referring to Kevin Federline, Spears' husband, who is an aspiring rapper.

Born in Alexandria, Virginia, Taylor spent most of his childhood in Easton. He started for the Navy lacrosse team in his senior year and had hoped at one time to become a Navy SEAL.

"He is physical, active and fun-loving," his mother said.

He served on the USS Iwo Jima and at the end of his five-year commitment decided to pursue security jobs, hoping to go to Iraq or Afghanistan as a private contractor. But he ended up doing security work in California.

Moncure-Taylor says she learned about his job with Spears about three and a half weeks ago.

Friends from Easton were surprised by Taylor's career move.

"I think we're all in shock," said Bill Champion, whose son grew up with Taylor.

cnn