Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Marine Rebuked for Performing at Donald Trump Rally in Uniform
Military.com ^ | Dec 01, 2015 | Hope Hodge Seck

Posted on 12/04/2015 9:24:23 AM PST by Fundamentally Fair

A Marine who recently performed the national anthem at a Donald Trump presidential campaign rally has been told to cease further uniformed campaign activities.

Cpl. Jason Perkins, a reservist with Combat Logistics Battalion 451 out of Charlotte, North Carolina, awed crowds at a Nov. 21 campaign rally for the Republican candidate in Birmingham, Alabama, with a booming rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner," which he performed in his dress blue uniform.

But when a video of the performance began circulating online, members of the military quickly pointed out that he was in violation of regulations prohibiting troops from wearing their uniforms to political events.

Marine Forces Reserve spokesman Capt. Andrew Chrestman said the command had reached out to Perkins after his campaign performance.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: Alabama
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next last
Standard Training and Knowledge:

Department of Defense regulations prohibit uniformed members of the armed forces from engaging in partisan political activities that "imply or appear to imply official sponsorship, approval or endorsement" of a candidate. Military personnel are allowed to take part in most political activities as long as they do not do so in uniform or as an official representative of the military, the Pentagon policy states.

1 posted on 12/04/2015 9:24:23 AM PST by Fundamentally Fair
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

But when Obama let UNIFORMED service members march in a gay “pride” parade ...


2 posted on 12/04/2015 9:27:46 AM PST by SJSAMPLE
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair; Jane Long; BlackFemaleArmyCaptain; Black Agnes; djstex; mkjessup; visualops; ...

PING....


3 posted on 12/04/2015 9:27:58 AM PST by HarleyLady27 (TRUMP SUPPORTER 100% from day ONE!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

“Military personnel are allowed to take part in most political activities as long as they do not do so in uniform or as an official representative of the military, the Pentagon policy states”

My understanding was that active duty personnel were forbidden to become party officials, i.e., delegates, precinct chairs, etc.

I’ve long been of the opinion that the same restriction should apply to all government employees.


4 posted on 12/04/2015 9:30:03 AM PST by jdege
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

5 posted on 12/04/2015 9:30:52 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Little children have imaginary friends. Modern liberalism has imaginary enemies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdege

Believe it is the Hatch Act that covers this.

KYPD


6 posted on 12/04/2015 9:31:12 AM PST by petro45acp (Better mental health screening GOPe? Really? They had that in the soviet union...for dissidents!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: jdege

Military in uniform are not to take part in politics. Obvious reasons. But they work for their government paycheck They can vote. Their absentee ballots regularly get confiscated by democrats in general election. Same outrage should apply to that. More.

Reason should apply also to anyone depending on government for their income. Anyone receiving food stamps or welfare should not be allowed to vote.


7 posted on 12/04/2015 9:35:32 AM PST by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

But marching in a gay parade in uniform is AOK from the DoD


8 posted on 12/04/2015 9:36:58 AM PST by 2banana (rrian Army which was)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: petro45acp

As a matter of fact, the Hatch Act has been amended to cut out a lot of partisan political activity. Of course the severity of the punishment for violation will be determined on a case by case basis.


9 posted on 12/04/2015 9:39:34 AM PST by gov_bean_ counter (Donald Trump = Elmer Gantry (w/o the booze) + Huey Long (w/o the sweat and Southern accent))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

1344.10 specifically applies to active duty service members - this guy is a reservist.

In fact, the reason this guy is still a corporal is that the UCMJ does not apply to reservists when not in drill status: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/punitivearticles/a/ucmjsubject.htm

A lot of people (especially active duty people) don’t realize this. As a former reservist myself, I made sure I knew the rules.

The only thing this guy actually did wrong that I can tell is wear his dress blue alphas, he should have been wearing his bravos.


10 posted on 12/04/2015 9:43:03 AM PST by Echo4C (We have it in our power to begin the world over again. --Thomas Paine)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stanne

:: Military in uniform are not to take part in politic ::

Singing the National Anthem is “engaging in politics”? Whoda thunk.

If he was active-duty and sung the National Anthem in his street clothes, he’d be looking at the same CO and explaining his dereliction.


11 posted on 12/04/2015 9:44:19 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastophic Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym defines the science.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

It's Here!


Click The Pic To Donate

Please Donate And End The FReepathon

12 posted on 12/04/2015 9:51:00 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (The Fed Gov is not one ring to rule them all)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cletus.D.Yokel

No one watching him sing the National Anthem is going to assume he is an official representative of the Marines or US Military.


13 posted on 12/04/2015 9:51:17 AM PST by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Cletus.D.Yokel

I don’t intend to argue the point brake it up with UCMJ

I will say this. The military itself is not a democratic system. Nor is the Catholic Church, for that matter. Being on government subsidies for income should preclude some rights as well. For the same reasons.

It’s just the way I see it. I’m not arguing


14 posted on 12/04/2015 9:54:06 AM PST by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

I agree. As Marine’s we have to live up to a higher standard.


15 posted on 12/04/2015 10:00:12 AM PST by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stanne

:: If he was active-duty and sung the National Anthem in his street clothes, he’d be looking at the same CO and explaining his dereliction ::

Please look at this and understand that I am intimately familiar with the scenario I proffer.


16 posted on 12/04/2015 10:01:43 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastophic Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym defines the science.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Cletus.D.Yokel

If you’re so familiar then look it up in a different section of UCMJ. Military members have the right to vote and they certainly have the right to work for politics after getting out of the military but while on active duty no

I’ll just say not for argument just as observation, the military enjoys protection with this rule
Anyone accusing the military for working for one CIC or another is wrong. It’s not a private mercenary group for anyone


17 posted on 12/04/2015 10:08:57 AM PST by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

Some things are worth getting in trouble for


18 posted on 12/04/2015 10:21:58 AM PST by bigbob ("Victorious warriors win first and then go to war" Sun Tzu.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Echo4C; jagusafr
1344.10 specifically applies to active duty service members - this guy is a reservist.

The beauty of FR is that we have lots of experts that can weight in.

jagusafr is an Air Force Reserve judge advocate…

Sir? Does 1344.10 apply? If not, what does?

19 posted on 12/04/2015 10:36:03 AM PST by Fundamentally Fair (Pictionary at the Rorschach's tonight!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Fundamentally Fair

Ping to see the answer. I’m betting that when he puts on the uniform UCMJ applies regardless of drill status.


20 posted on 12/04/2015 10:47:27 AM PST by cizinec (Liberty is the only political "party" that deserves our loyalty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-32 next 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
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

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