Posted on 02/03/2021 4:30:45 PM PST by RoosterRedux
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered a DOD-wide stand down to discuss the problem of extremism in the ranks, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said today. Austin and Army Gen. Mark A, Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with service civilian leaders and service chiefs to discuss the problem of extremism. Kirby noted that some of the extremists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 were active duty service members and others were military veterans.
Kirby was quick to say that "the vast majority of men and women who serve in uniform and the military are doing so with honor, integrity and character, and do not espouse the sorts of beliefs that lead to the kind of conduct that can be so detrimental to good order and discipline and in fact is criminal."
Still, Austin said in the meeting with military leaders that while the numbers may be small, they are not as small as anyone would like. "No matter what it is, it is … not an insignificant problem and has to be addressed," Kirby said during a press gaggle in the Pentagon.
The stand down will occur over the next 60 days, Kirby said. This is so "each service, each command and each unit can take the time out to have these needed discussions with the men and women of the force," he said.
There is much that needs to be hammered out including the details of the training that will go along with the stand down and what the secretary and all in the military want to accomplish. The stand down is similar to safety stand downs that units may have, Kirby said.
Austin called extremism in the ranks a leadership issue, and "it's got to be a leadership issue down to the lowest levels, small unit leadership all the way up to him," Kirby said. "So if you consider it a leadership issue, then maybe there will be some potential solutions there to allow us greater visibility."
This is a thorny problem, one that has raised its head in the past. There is a DOD Instruction aimed at this very problem — DODI 1325.06 "Handling Dissident and Protest Activities Among Members of the Armed Forces."
The DOD Instruction expressly prohibits military personnel from actively advocating for and participating in supremacist, extremist or criminal gang doctrine, ideology or causes, Kirby said.
There are questions that need to be answered, like what constitutes extremist activity? What is permissible in looking for extremists in the ranks?
In the meeting today, Austin made it clear that he is still mulling over how he wants to organize the effort to attack the problem from an institutional perspective, the press secretary said.
The secretary may establish a task force to get after the problem or perhaps another way. "He hasn't ruled anything in or out," Kirby said.
I am absolutely astonished at the speed of the undoing of America...had no ideal it would come this fast.
You are so correct. It is distinctly unAmerican to simply bend the knee.
I suspect over the last 4 years, the military became less effective. Something tells me we are in effective "Stand down" mode, already.
If this works for them, we officially lost EVERYTHING under The Stable Genius™, who promised to drain the swamp. Reminder: He FAILED. And he failed MISERABLY. I am so disgusted.
Looks like a return to brain washing our troops. I guess the military wants to make sure that everyone believes in the Biden way.
My advice to personnel getting close to the end of their service contract is to get the hell out while the getting is good.
Biden is know good for the U.S. and his replacement is bound to make things worse.
Nothing dishonorable about departing after your contract expires.
Proof I am right... https://i.4cdn.org/pol/1612415971485.jpg
What this is is a desperation move because the military is ignoring him. They have taken control of the country and he and Biden are out of the loop.
All the white guys should leave the armed forces and let the diversity clowns do the fighting. It would be fun to watch them using the wrong end of a weapon to shoot.
B-21 anyone?
Similar to a halt of the pipeline.
For one particular State.
Or would it be considered necessary war fighting hardware?
Pro-white? You’re purged. Now you have by definition an explicitly anti-white military. You’re already in a war, and your uniform is your skin color.
Bombers aren’t used against the domestic population. Those resources would be transferred to assets that can occupy streets.
Meaning by by B-21
That said, who is going to be paying for the breach of Contracts for Pipeline much less B-21?
Never mind, that would be us not the joe stolen administration.
Wow. That is very telling.
MAGA and Trump?
Guess we are a real problem with their agenda?
SECDEF wearing a CAB. Wasn’t aware many 3-stars came under fire in the Green Zone...
Here’s my ‘you kids stay off my lawn take’ on this: When I went into the army in the mid 80’s the ‘boogy men’ we were told to root out of our formations were ‘neo-Nazi skinheads’, centered around norther Idaho IIRC. Later, it was black and Hispanic gang ‘infiltration’ of units to get “combat training”.
Then, the ‘boogy men’ were disgruntled white loners (McVey and his lot).
Then, it was those who would criticize Bill the ‘Rapist in Chief’, and all us ‘homophobes’. Later, it would be those who dared not toe the ‘Islam is peace’ narrative.
At the end of my time (25 years later) they were gunning for the legions of Alcohol-fueled, PTSD ridden zombies who were one flashback away from mass murder and sexual assault.
I missed out on the transgender’s and women in combat units celebrations, but I imagine they were a real blast.
Thing is, if all these ‘boogy men’ were real (and in a big enough organization, chances are there are always a few) there exists a pretty damned good tool to deal with it.
It may surprise Biden, who is so proud of his “army JAG lawyer” dead son/stage prop, but the military operates under the ‘Uniformed Code of Military Justice’. Believe it or not, the UCMJ covers most/all of this if commanders had the guts to enforce it.
SECDEF should know this already. Makes me wonder if there is another agenda at work here?
Nah...
Same here brother! I was stationed in West Berlin 66-69. Had some WW2 guys for senior officers and NCO’S. The absolute best people humanity has to offer!
We also had an infantry First Sergeant who did 3 tours in Nam. He came up to me before our ARTEP began, saying "LT, I don't know squat about Air Defense Artillery."
I asked him, "you know how to set up a CP, don't you?" Then I laughed and said, "that's all you need to worry about. I'll handle the ADA part of it (I was acting XO and Maintenance Officer for that ARTEP).
It turned into a real cluster foxtrot the second day, when the BC gave a Vulcan platoon incorrect coordinates, and the Platoon Leader took it verbatim...obviously a 2nd LT...lol.
When I got back from making my rounds, the First Sergeant was sitting on a tree stump, head in his hands. He told me, "it's all over". I said, "talk to me Top, what's going on."
We pulled it out (barely) the third and final day. I really got on the platoon leaders the second night, telling them in no uncertain terms what their soldiers would do the next day, i.e. put on a dog and pony show. I had led 3 of the 4 platoons through their ARTEPS when I was a platoon leader, so I knew the drill.
What I didn't know was the Team Chief was standing outside our CP, and heard everything I said. When I encountered him shortly after our meeting, I thought, "oh crap." Instead, he smiled at me and said, "that was beautiful, LT."
I noticed Facebook is archiving posts. Used to be you could delete them straight away. Now, you have to work around the system to get them deleted.
Would transgendered members of the military be considered extreme?
Depends, if they like Trump or not!
Job well done!
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