Argh!
I had to get this experience off my chest, and who better to sympathize/strategize with than the dailyKos community?
First off, I am an active-duty military officer, stationed in Europe. I like my job, and I love the experience of living overseas. But what happened at work today really set me off. (And before I begin, I'd like to note that I am sending this off from my computer at home, and NOT speaking as a representative of the military.)
One of the other officers in my building sent an e-mail to a distribution list that I'm on, with nine anti-Kerry pictures. (Standard political propaganda... Dumb and Dumber movie poster with Kerry/Edwards, Kerry as James Dean in Rebel without a Message, etc.) He was forwarding something he had received from a relative of his. I was just dumbfounded to think that he thought this was okay.
First of all, I wrote him back telling him how pissed-off I was and that he shouldn't be pulling that kind of crap in the military. (He hasn't responded.) Then I looked up
DoDD 1344.10, "Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces on Active Duty." Well, lo and behold there is was written down for everyone.
4.1.2. A member on active duty shall not:
4.1.2.1. Use his or her official authority or influence for interfering with an election; affecting the course or outcome of an election; soliciting votes for a particular candidate or issue; or requiring or soliciting political contributions from others.
<snip>
Enclosure 3
E3.3. EXAMPLES OF PROHIBITED POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
<snip>
E3.3.6. Allow or cause to be published partisan political articles signed or written by the member that solicits votes for or against a partisan political party, candidate, or cause.
<snip>
E3.3.9. Participate in any radio, television, or other program or group discussion as an advocate for or against of a partisan political party, candidate, or cause.
So it looks like that between that rule, those two examples, and the general spirit of the Directive that he was in the wrong. (Obviously) Of course he's totally within his rights to have his opinions, and I wouldn't even care if he sent that crap to other Republicans that also found it funny. But remember that it's just a Directive, and not a significant violation of military law. Now I wonder what would violate military law?
From the Uniform Code of Military Justice
TITLE 10--ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A--General Military Law
PART II--PERSONNEL
CHAPTER 47--UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE
SUBCHAPTER X--PUNITIVE ARTICLES
Sec. 888. Art. 88. Contempt toward officials
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.
Now what makes me think that if I sent the same type of e-mail except with anti-Bush pictures I would likely get "counselled" by my command?
This happened once before, when an enlisted sailor sent a political cartoon to the same distribution list. The last time I e-mailed her right back with my concerns, and she immediately sent out an apology to the whole list. I thought that would probably take care of it.
I think I'm going to bring it up with the command's voting officer and see if he'll send some guidance out to the whole command, but I'm going to wait a day and see if the officer concerned apologizes (or at least talks) to me about it.
Any other suggestions from you Kossacks?