Active Duty
Military: One Simple Rule
(After service like any other American)
What the Country Should Do
(including Donald Trump)
Somewhat timely subject: Is the military being dragged
into the political race? If so, how, but more importantly, what is the long-term
impact, if any?
For example, Chairman, JCS, Marine
Corps General Joseph Dunford recently reminded current senior officers (those still on
active duty) to remain apolitical so that the next Commander-in-Chief (CINC) has
the trust and the confidence that the military in his own words: “… is completely loyal and
completely prepared to do what must be done. Importantly, as an
institution, the American people cannot be looking at us as a special-interest
group or a partisan organization. I will exercise my right to vote, but no one knows the lever
I pull.”
(My insert: I totally agree with that statement and I believe it
still applies across the board at least from my view and experience and
watchful eyes and ears over the years).
Gen.
Martin Dempsey (more from him here) and others, including Duke University military historian Peter Feaver,
all acknowledge that political participation by retired generals and admirals
is not new.
For example:
Army Five-Star General Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was a Republican, is still the
most-recent former General Officer to be elected president although Retired
Army General Wesley Clark ran for the White House as a Democrat in 2004. Then Retired Army General Colin Powell served as Secretary of State under President
George W. Bush, and he had been seen as a prospective presidential candidate in
the past. So all that is not new.
However, (now that infamous however
or but): However, the difference many critics argue is that when
Generals run for office, they become politicians and are held accountable by
the public.
In the current cases we see
and hear today, retired officers are simply using their military status to
endorse a candidate without being held accountable by the public.
My final note:
I can agree with this all except the final premise about NOT being accountable
to the public if they speak out after service. Retired officers or enlisted
members of the Armed Forces for that matter have served the nation faithfully
and loyally and speaking out after retirement should not have any restrictions.
As far as being accountable to the public – not a deal breaker of an issue of
great concern.
They have from my experience served
the public and the nation as a whole in a bi-partisan, non-threatening political
fashion while on active duty being accountable to their chain-of-command the
country. That is has been and should remain so.
After their service, all bets
are off. They are and should remain free to speak their minds openly anywhere
and at any time just every other American exercising that right of free speech. They have protected and earned that right, but after service is the key point.
Related – FYI:
PRI -
NPR -
The Hill -
Thanks for stopping by – hope you enjoyed the stay.
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