Dempsey: Military Must Remain Apolitical
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs has a message for those who wear and have worn our country’s uniform: “We are not elected to serve; rather, we elect to serve.”
American Forces Press Service (“Dempsey: Political Activity Erodes Public Trust in Military“):
Using the uniform for partisan politics erodes the trust the American people have in their military, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey said today.
During a discussion with reporters aboard a C-17 returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff addressed a question about a group of Navy SEALs who have put together a political action committee.
Dempsey has been outspoken that service members have truly earned their right to vote, and that all Americans are entitled to private and personal opinions.
But, the chairman said, he and his fellow members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are the stewards of the profession of arms, and must ensure service members don’t cross an important line. ion.”