Extremism in the U.S. Military

[ClearedHot]

Extremism 'Has Reared Its Head' in Air Force Special Operations, General Says

I am a few years removed from service but in my 26 years I never encountered a single case.  Obviously this type of thinking has no business in the military, just wondering if anyone has actually seen anything like this or is it yet another over-reaction witch hunt?

 

[B52gator]

In my very limited time, I never did either.  A few friends I work with now who were in the Navy said that ships definitely have gangs from all ends of the color spectrum.  A Marine I work with said racism is pretty rampant but to me the topic de jour of extremism in the military screams witch hunt and overreaction.  

[Tank]

“Extremism 'Has Reared Its Head' in Air Force Special Operations, General Says”

“Slife cautioned that he doesn't think extremism is a widespread problem in AFSOC, though he does not have data showing its extent. But though he sees no signs of a "five-alarm fire," he acknowledged there is a problem in the U.S. military with extremism and said the command is not immune.”

****   Which is it?   ****

 

I personally do not and have not seen the extremism that the news is talking about.  

Edited March 1, 2021 by Tank

[B52gator]

Remember when human trafficking and sexual assault were supposedly rampant in the military and SARC CBTs trumped Ops? Good times. Alt-right Extremism” in the ranks is just another example of blowing these things out of proportion. Is it present like sexual assault and human trafficking are/were? Yes, and perpetrators should be dealt with accordingly, but the military isn’t full of Nazi human trafficking rapists.


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[Prozac]

Thank this guy....

FWIW I agree that this will likely get way more play than it deserves & you guys shouldn’t have to take time out from hacking the mish to do CBTs de jour. Just saying images like this don’t help the cause. 

[jazzdude]

Older article, but paints the picture.

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/amp/ncna1010221

Probably not a wide spread problem, but it's there, and pressures to meet recruiting quotas don't help the situation.

[Lawman]

Remember when human trafficking and sexual assault were supposedly rampant in the military and SARC CBTs trumped Ops? Good times. Alt-right Extremism” in the ranks is just another example of blowing these things out of proportion. Is it present like sexual assault and human trafficking are/were? Yes, and perpetrators should be dealt with accordingly, but the military isn’t full of Nazi human trafficking rapists.


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This....


I can say I did meet an Oathkeeper/Alt-Right/whatever label crazy person actively serving in a position of senior influence during my time in the military. He was a CW4 and literally in a position to influence a lot and had a soapbox to do so from while he was presiding over young impressionable flight students to discuss constitutional authorities and other dreamed up nonsense during the Obama era.

The difference between the BS being reported and reality was he didn’t last long. He was subsequently smashed in place when he decided to open his mouth on a monthly basis for what we that were willing to make sworn statements referred to as “Brant’s Rants.”

Extremists do exist for sure, same as rapists, racists, creepy dudes that play with My little Ponies, and plenty of other weirdos. The problem is the media won’t report that we don’t tolerate them, just that they exist and therefore must be an epidemic.


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[17D_guy]

15 minutes ago, Lawman said:

Extremists do exist for sure, same as rapists, racists, creepy dudes that play with My little Ponies, and plenty of other weirdos. The problem is the media won’t report that we don’t tolerate them, just that they exist and therefore must be an epidemic.

In my little part of the AF early on (MSG) I ran into a few blatant racists, who were really passive aggressive about it.  Never met a rapist, but I know 4 guys who got charged for it.  I was in Comm...plenty of creepy bronies and now weebs with their waifus.

In "ops (cyber)" I didn't have out-right racists.  I had people that were making ignorant decisions that looked really racist.  We educated (somewhat forcefully and directly) and problems were solved.

God I loved ops so much more.  Calling people out on their bullshit was so much easier (and getting called out was much more helpful).

[ViperMan]

5 hours ago, MyCS said:

You don't have to look far in the AF. Some CCs have a bias toward blacks. Which is why they are court martialed at higher rates. Just look in the mirror...

Link? Stats? Evidence? Genuinely curious to see numbers that differ from those in society at large. Thanking you up front.

[fueL2Fight]

22 hours ago, Tank said:

****   Which is it?   ****

I personally do not and have not seen the extremism that the news is talking about.  

You can see why people would make the connection though right...? Capitol rioters carried a rebel flag with them onto the Senate floor and every tenth car that comes through Hurlburt has a rebel flag.... I mean even Archer stopped using "ISIS" after it became associated with extremism.

[Tank]

2 minutes ago, fueL2Fight said:

You can see why people would make the connection though right...? Capitol rioters carried a rebel flag with them onto the Senate floor and every tenth car that comes through Hurlburt has a rebel flag.... I mean even Archer stopped using "ISIS" after it became associated with extremism.

I can see the connection and I guarantee there are racist people and extremist people in the military.  I just don’t see it around the people I presently work with and I haven’t seen it with the people I have worked with.  
 

Hell, I’m originally from Iowa, have been called a Yankee and don’t see the appeal of the rebel flag.  To some people in the South, the rebel flag is not a symbol of hate (this is a discussion for another day).  I have been told that it’s “heritage, not hate” and “southern pride”.  Again though, I’m in no way defending the rebel flag!
 

Whatever the flag means, I just picture the driver of every truck with the rebel flag on it looking like the attached pics.  

[fueL2Fight]

13 minutes ago, Tank said:

Whatever the flag means, I just picture the driver of every truck with the rebel flag on it looking like the attached pics.  

But it's not.... It's hard to dismiss when it's GS13s & 14s and plenty of active duty in roles of responsibilities... Are you going to ban it? Probably can't. But man, it's not great to be dismissive about it.

[Tank]

21 minutes ago, fueL2Fight said:

But it's not.... It's hard to dismiss when it's GS13s & 14s and plenty of active duty in roles of responsibilities... Are you going to ban it? Probably can't. But man, it's not great to be dismissive about it.

That’s the thing, I have seen the rebel flag flown by both black and white people.  

Is it still considered a symbol of hate if a rebel flag is on a the truck being driven by a black person?  I had a black guy in my squadron from TX who drove a big ass F-250 with 6” lift, 35” tires and the back window was covered by a rebel flag sticker.  Still considered a hate symbol?

Again, I’m not defending it and I probably am being dismissive about it because it doesn’t affect me like it does some people.  I never grew up around it and it really wasn’t until I was stationed in MS that it became so prominent around me.  I don’t see it anywhere on my base and I really don’t see it (minus a handful of people) in the town I live in.  
 

also, why can’t you ban it?  I would think, especially in today’s day and age, that a wing/base CC has the right to ban symbols like the rebel flag from being shown on their base.  If the DoD says that the rebel flag is a hate symbol, then ban it!

Me personally, I would rather let the people fly the flag and plaster it all over their vehicles because then I know who they are and where they’re possible coming from.  That’s just me though.  

[jazzdude]

Hell, I’m originally from Iowa, have been called a Yankee and don’t see the appeal of the rebel flag.  To some people in the South, the rebel flag is not a symbol of hate (this is a discussion for another day).  I have been told that it’s “heritage, not hate” and “southern pride”.  Again though, I’m in no way defending the rebel flag!

Southern heritage/pride of what?...
Could just as easily fly their state flag to show a heritage connection without the drama/baggage of flying a confederate flag used in open rebellion against the US

[jazzdude]

But it's not.... It's hard to dismiss when it's GS13s & 14s and plenty of active duty in roles of responsibilities... Are you going to ban it? Probably can't. But man, it's not great to be dismissive about it.

The Marine Corps has banned it from their installations, so there's already precedent for doing so.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/06/06/marine-corps-bars-public-display-of-confederate-flag-on-installations/

As a result, a new MARADMIN message instructs Marine Corps commanders across the entire service to “identify and remove” displays of the Confederate battle flag on Marine bases. This applies to bumper stickers, clothing, mugs, posters, flags and other items depicting the Confederate battle flag in public and work spaces on Marine Corps installations.

Exceptions include works of art or historical displays where the flag is depicted but is not the “main focus of the work,” state flags and license plates that include images of the Confederate flag, and Confederate soldiers grave sites.

[Tank]

30 minutes ago, jazzdude said:

 

 

Southern heritage/pride of what?...
Could just as easily fly their state flag to show a heritage connection without the drama/baggage of flying a confederate flag used in open rebellion against the US

 

Totally agree!

I’m just quoting what people have told me on why they fly the flag.  I’ve actually seen rebel flags with “It’s Not Hate, it’s Heritage” and “Southern Pride” and “Sons of the Confederacy” and probably the most stupid, “The South Will Rise Again” stitched on to them.  
 

The only flag I fly and have ever flown is the flag of the United States!

Edited March 2, 2021 by Tank

[pawnman]

2 hours ago, fueL2Fight said:

You can see why people would make the connection though right...? Capitol rioters carried a rebel flag with them onto the Senate floor and every tenth car that comes through Hurlburt has a rebel flag.... I mean even Archer stopped using "ISIS" after it became associated with extremism.

Capitol rioters also carried US flags, so...

[MCO]

1 hour ago, jazzdude said:

 

 

The Marine Corps has banned it from their installations, so there's already precedent for doing so.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/06/06/marine-corps-bars-public-display-of-confederate-flag-on-installations/
 

 

Air Force did the same, but in standard Air Force fashion instead of just banning that flag they banned all flags except American flags and Air Force flags.

[MCO]

2 hours ago, fueL2Fight said:

You can see why people would make the connection though right...? Capitol rioters carried a rebel flag with them onto the Senate floor and every tenth car that comes through Hurlburt has a rebel flag.... I mean even Archer stopped using "ISIS" after it became associated with extremism.

By that logic we can’t fly 13 star American flags because kaepernick and Nike say it’s a symbol of extremism and hate. It seems today it doesn’t matter what you intend with your symbol, words, or opinions, only what the person most offended by them thinks you meant.

And I’m not advocating flying confederate flags everywhere.

[jazzdude]

Air Force did the same, but in standard Air Force fashion instead of just banning that flag they banned all flags except American flags and Air Force flags.

Redirect fire...DoD implemented that policy, AF just executed the policy. Plus, several other flags are still authorized as well.

[MCO]

38 minutes ago, jazzdude said:

 

 

Redirect fire...DoD implemented that policy, AF just executed the policy. Plus, several other flags are still authorized as well.

 

 

 

I stand corrected! Maybe I just assumed it seemed like something the Air Force would do when the guidance came down.

[M2]

Better damn well believe we're gonna fly our flag!

Come and take it! 

[SocialD]

On 3/1/2021 at 9:53 AM, Prozac said:

Thank this guy....

 

Ah yes, the time honored, tried & true leadership method of one guys shits their pants and everyone wears diapers.  A fan favorite amongst the AF...always has a positive impact! 

[kaputt]

2 hours ago, SocialD said:

 

Ah yes, the time honored, tried & true leadership method of one guys shits their pants and everyone wears diapers.  A fan favorite amongst the AF...always has a positive impact! 

Not to mention it’s a guy who was no longer even actively serving. 

Edited March 4, 2021 by kaputt
Can’t type

[Sua Sponte]

There’s extremism in the military. It’s usually hidden due to obviously the punitive actions that could be dealt if displayed. I’m somewhat shocked at the amount of senior ranking people I know who come out as full-flagged racist once they retire.