[Future Snake Eater]

The caveats to 1) and 2) are that you don’t do it in uniform or in an official military capacity. Individuals can have and express opinions. If I get on the news in uniform and do it, then there’s a real problem there.

Unless your name is Watada, of course.

[ClearCase_guy]

I understand what you're saying. But the guy never talked about uniforms and he never talked about official capacity. He was pretty darn clear that higher ups were watching for people with un-correct opinions and that retribution would follow.

This wasn't about the Hatch Act. He was seriously nervous about trying to express an official position with which he was having a hard time. Also, he didn't make any effort to say it was a written position, a position passed by congress, a position endorsed by courts -- nothing like that. He just said (pretty much) if you're smart, you'll just keep your opinions to yourself.

[SkyPilot]

The caveats to 1) and 2) are that you don’t do it in uniform or in an official military capacity. Individuals can have and express opinions. If I get on the news in uniform and do it, then there’s a real problem there.

Correct, but it also depends on the double standards of the day. I mean, without Double Standards, liberals would have no standards at all.

Pentagon To Allow Service Members To March In Uniform In Gay Pride Parade

Pentagon: Service members now allowed to wear uniforms in gay pride parades The Pentagon on Thursday issued a military-wide directive saying it was making an exception to its policy that generally bars troops from marching in uniform in parades.