Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Lloyd Austin: rank has its privileges
American Thinker ^ | 19 Jan, 2025 | Mike McDaniel

Posted on 01/19/2025 5:48:39 AM PST by MtnClimber

It’s long been known that in the military, rank has its privileges, and none are more privileged than flag officers—generals and admirals. As it turns out, the most privileged of all is the Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, a former general.

It has long been known Austin went AWOL for an unspecified “medical procedure. He didn’t bother to tell President Biden he was “out of the office” and incapacitated, nor did he bother to tell just about anyone else. Any veteran, and anyone actively serving in the military, understands being AWOL is a career ender. It’s just not something one does. It’s a betrayal of one’s sworn duty, of their oath and of those depending on their presence . The potential consequences of a Secretary of Defense just disappearing could be catastrophic. So of course, Austin apparently suffered no discipline for his vanishing act.

But now we learn Austin wasn’t AWOL just once, but no fewer than three times.

He violated the Federal Vacancies Reform Act in December, 2023, in January, 2024 and again in June 2024. The Senate Armed Services Committee isn’t amused. From a letter they sent to President Biden:

For days in December, January, and June, no one in Congress or in your administration knew that Secretary Austin was unable to perform the functions and duties of the Secretary, or that Deputy Secretary Hicks was the acting Secretary…

At the time of these absences, your administration was still reeling from a Chinese intelligence and reconnaissance balloon sailing across the United States, Putin continued his violent and illegal war on Ukraine all the while rattling the nuclear saber, and violent Islamic terrorists and other Iran-backed extremists were ramping up for an historic assault on Israel, emboldened by your disastrous abandonment of Afghanistan.

The world was far from stable

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans; Society
KEYWORDS: awol; bidenreich; leftism; lelloyd; lloydaustin; mikemcdaniel
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last
To: MtnClimber

We salute the rank, not the man right Lloyd?


21 posted on 01/19/2025 7:28:38 AM PST by kawhill (He would never eat it. He knew it was stolen.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AndyJackson

From one dead letter box to another dead letter box.


22 posted on 01/19/2025 7:53:13 AM PST by FoxInSocks ("Hope is not a course of action." — M. O'Neal, USMC)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Lurker

Yes. Recall & Court-martial. At minimum he gets hit with significant fine. A reduction in his retirement rank would seem to be in order.


23 posted on 01/19/2025 8:24:55 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber
Melanin protected.
24 posted on 01/19/2025 8:47:36 AM PST by Major Matt Mason (Everyone that voted Trump/R in '24 needs to show up in '26.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kawhill
We salute the rank, not the man right Lloyd?

LOL, I used that line quite a few times when I was a butterbar at Hahn AB. It seemed that Air Force senior NCOs had this notion that Army 2nd Lieutenants were not to be saluted.

I never took it personally, except for the fact that it occurred outside our barracks, in full view of my soldiers. Obviously, I couldn't let that pass.

It wasn't just me, but it happened to the other LT's in my battery.

25 posted on 01/19/2025 8:56:18 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

General Officer is nothing more than a political appointment.


26 posted on 01/19/2025 9:23:39 AM PST by moreisee (The Media is the enemy.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

COURT MARTIAL HIM!!


27 posted on 01/19/2025 9:31:23 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PGalt

When Austin had one his military uniform and all the medals and geegaws that were on it, he looked like a THIRD WORLD THUG DICTATOR!


28 posted on 01/19/2025 9:32:41 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

I am often inclined to put the best construction on things. In this case Austin chose a path that would not cause alarm and would not inform any adversaries of weakness.

>donning flame suit<


29 posted on 01/19/2025 10:48:06 AM PST by Fester Chugabrew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Arthur Wildfire! March; Berosus; Bockscar; BraveMan; cardinal4; ...

30 posted on 01/19/2025 3:25:55 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Tallguy

“A reduction in his retirement rank would seem to be in order.”

E-1 sounds about right.

L


31 posted on 01/19/2025 4:09:10 PM PST by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: MtnClimber

It would have been superfluous to tell Joe he was going in for a cuttin’. But it would have been helpful to let his deputy and some of the Joint Chiefs know.


32 posted on 01/19/2025 4:22:30 PM PST by lurk (u)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-32 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson