Interesting article in the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot - Chairman Of Joint Chiefs Says To Military: Stay Out Of Politics. While I applaud the Chairman, the timing seems a little suspect. Some how I don’t remember a similar message in 2006 or 04, 02, 2000. In fact, I cant ever remember one. Me thinks the Chairman doth protest too much..........
WASHINGTON--With Americans passing through "a highly political time right now," the nation's top military officer reiterated Monday that he wants to make sure "that everybody in uniform stays out of politics."
Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, urged a group of Pentagon-detailed officers to avoid "getting pulled in, even inadvertently," to the presidential race and other political contests.
"That doesn't mean don't vote. Please do vote," he said. But "leaders need to understand what the rules are" and keep their political leanings to themselves.
Hmmmm....considering the EXACT OPPOSITE has been taking place since at least 1994 the sudden reminder of THE LAW comes as a surprise!
Mullen's remarks at an "all hands call" of several hundred members of the Pentagon's Joint Staff were in line with warnings he first sounded in an essay last month and has underscored in recent speeches, including a commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy, his alma mater.
"The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times and in all ways," Mullen wrote in the essay for Joint Force Quarterly, a military journal. "It is and must always be a neutral instrument of the state, no matter which party holds sway...
"What the Nation expects is that military personnel will, in the execution of the mission assigned to them, put aside their partisan leanings. Political opinions have no place in cockpit or camp or conference room. We do not wear our politics on our sleeves."
Gosh I remember many years of this being true but some point after President Clinton was elected it suddenly became ok to say really really partisan things. Many were in direct violation of Article 88 (Contempt Toward Officials) of the UCMJ which states:
"Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct."
We seemed to have just remembered this because Article 88 might as well have been removed from the MCM in the late 90’s.
The part about the SecDef got remembered though. For many, the excesses of Secretary Rumsfeld were too much and they said so. Article 88 charges quickly followed. Any defense of General Shinseki was dealt with swiftly and brutally. Or not so swift but just as brutal. Ask MG Taguba.
Capt. John Kirby, a spokesman for Mullen, said the presidential contest and the extent to which troops can become involved in it "comes up very, very frequently" when the admiral appears before military groups.
At one appearance this spring, Mullen wrote in the Joint Force Quarterly essay, a Marine asked him, "Are you endorsing any of the candidates? And if so, which one and why?"
Since the Vietnam era, service members and military veterans have increasingly identified with the Republican Party. A survey last fall by the Military Times newspapers found that 49 percent of service members described themselves as Republicans while a little more than 14 percent called themselves Democrats.
Hmmmmm....maybe that is because you face less harassment for being openly homosexual than being openly Democrat (which by extension means you are also of questionable sexual orientation!!!!). No closet liberal in their right mind would admit anything to Army Times! I'll bet half the 14% of "Democrats" were actually hard core Rethuglicans messing with their coworkers (seen it).
The same survey, however, indicated a growing skepticism in the ranks about President Bush, a Republican. A little more than 40 percent said they approved of his handling of the war in Iraq, and 38 percent disapproved.
Apply Beer Math – 38%=76%.
Presidential candidates Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama are sharply divided over the war.
Republican McCain is among the most prominent supporters of the "surge" strategy put in place by Bush last year. He argues that it has created security improvements that are giving Iraqi leaders a chance to create a stable, democratic state in the heart of the Middle East.
Democrat Obama opposed the surge and has called for a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
I truly find it interesting because the Rethugs have been SOOOOO vocal since 2000. Since I joined in 86 I had seen s slow subtle change in how people conducted themselves until around 97-98. In the late 80’s there was a general consensus that President Reagan had been good for the military, especially in raising our status in the eyes of the general population. There was open praise for what he had done for the military and in most cases, it was well deserved. Most of it was directed at the man, not the party and there was very little sniping at Democrats. That started to change in 94 when "draft dodger" started to be associated with the Commander In Chief. As the son of someone killed in Vietnam, I had very mixed feelings about President Clintons method of getting out of Vietnam but he was my CINC and I kept my feeling to myself. By the time the 96 election rolled around the quiet grumbling had turned into open talk of "who you should vote for" and anti-Democrat diatribes. By the time the Lewinski scandal broke anyone with even the slightest praise for the administration was marked and the 2000 election might as well have had an official DoD ticket. Most sickening to me were the post September 11th months when military leaders openly participated in bashing of any and all who questioned the Administration. Standing side by side with people who had "other priorities" to bash as unpatriotic or worse any and all who did not march in lock step. This cheer leading continued into 2004 when to my dismay and shame I saw leaders openly campaigning for political candidates – all Republican – and proudly parroting administration "talking points." I had friends who participated in illegal "letter to the editor" campaigns to sell the "good news" about Iraq. I saw Bush/Chaney bumper stickers appear everywhere, including on military equipment. Mere mention of John Kerry without "Swiftboat" propaganda earned you an interrogation of your political leanings and any hint of liberalism likely lead to "professional development" or "mentoring" lectures about evil Democrats. Had I been willing to participate in some of the illegal activities, I likely could have gotten a cushy and important job and probable early promotion. I saw a friend get selected below zone (early) twice despite being out of shape (cardinal sin in the military) and having few qualifications other than being morally pliable. I decided to keep my integrity and soul.
So now suddenly we have remembered that we are suppose to be for the people, of the people and by the people. That is a good thing, but too long in coming. The stain the last 8+ years of open contempt toward duly elected officials will long tarnish the military as an institution. It saddens me that an institution I love has drifted so far from its core values that we have to receive scolding’s from our most senior leader. I am sadder that I no longer trust his motivations.