Posted on 10/04/2017 12:58:51 PM PDT by jazusamo
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is demanding the Army kick out the West Point graduate whose pro-communist social media posts are under investigation.
In a letter to acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, Rubio questioned how someone with the officer’s social media history received a commission and said the Army should immediately nullify the commission and pursue all available disciplinary options under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“While I strongly believe academic institutions must respect the exchange of ideas and allow students to voice their opinions, members of the military who harbor anti-American views and express their desire to harm our country and its leaders are unfit to serve and defend our nation—and certainly should not enjoy the privilege of attending or graduating from an institution such as West Point, a taxpayer-funded military academy,” Rubio wrote.
At issue are photos 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone posted online last week from his May 2016 West Point graduation. In them, he is wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt under his uniform and has “communism will win” written under his cap.
Further social media posts from Rapone surfaced calling Defense Secretary James Mattis “evil” and “vile” and saying he will “happily dance” on the grave of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.).
The Army said last week is it investigating and that the posts “in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army."
Rapone is currently assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, according to Army Times . He previously enlisted as an infantryman in 2010 and served in Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in 2011, but was “removed for standards” from the regiment later that year. He went to West Point the next year.
In his letter, Rubio said West Point should revoke Rapone’s degree and that he should have to pay back his tuition.
“It is extremely concerning that someone who so often expressed such hostile views towards the United States’ system of government was able to obtain a commission,” Rubio wrote in the letter publicly released Wednesday. “Rapone’s revolutionary ideas were harbored long before he was commissioned as an Army Second Lieutenant. Were West Point administrators or faculty aware of his views and behavior?”
Rubio added that he assumes the incident is “an extreme embarrassment” to West Point and the Army. He also asked what West Point is doing to ensure something like this does not happen again.
“The Army’s premier officer commissioning source must ensure an individual like Spenser Rapone is never given the opportunity to lead or serve beside American soldiers,” he said.
I agree.
You can’t trust this guy in our armed services.
“Rapone is currently assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, according to Army Times . He previously enlisted as an infantryman in 2010 and served in Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in 2011, but was “removed for standards” from the regiment later that year. He went to West Point the next year.”
Man, I feel bad for those guys in the 10th. They have to follow this POS orders.
They haven’t kicked him out yet?
Trump should just send orders through the command chain to cashier the guy and bring charges against him if possible.
When I was in the big A I remember seeing a company commander with a very nicely needle-pointed framed picture that said “F*** Communism”. Two years ago he probably would have been reprimanded.
Amnesty Senator Rubio is trying to act like he’s loyal to the country.
If Rapone was ‘removed for standards’ from his Ranger Regiment, how in the **** was he allowed to start at West Point the next year????
Kicked out of the Ranger Regiment and up to West Point? Can someone ‘splain this one? Bizarre.
Kick him out and make him pay for his West Point education.
This should have been done within 24 hours of discovering this enemy within. Terrible to think we paid for this misfit’s expensive education, when those in charge certainly knew of his hatred of America.
My thought exactly.
Cause it was 2011, the third year of Obama.
I was hoping Trump would make a statement on this, so the Dems would defend communism, while defending kneeling for the national anthem and mocking prayer for the Las Vegas victims. It’d be a trifecta.
I was hoping Trump would make a statement on this, so the Dems would defend communism, while defending kneeling for the national anthem and mocking prayer for the Las Vegas victims. It’d be a trifecta.
But what if they have compelling stories?
If Rapone was ‘removed for standards’ from his Ranger Regiment, how in the **** was he allowed to start at West Point the next year????
Yeah, I’m think the same. Must have been no PT at Obama’s West Point. What a mess the kenyan left us.
A white Major Nadal . . .
I only wonder why it has taken this long for a congressman to demand this commie’s removal from his commission.
Good for Rubio.
Is the Army so Clinton/Obamaized, that they can’t get rid of a pos like this without a Senator saying, “Flush this pos out of our Army!
I think the guy should go. I also think he’s Rubios Sister Soulja. It’s easy to preen about things that are self-evident.
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