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A short thread with a few reflections on the 6 January Insurrection for Army leaders at all levels:
1. It has to be addressed… directly. Silence implies approval or apathy; no one gets a pass on insurrection. 1/9
1. It has to be addressed… directly. Silence implies approval or apathy; no one gets a pass on insurrection. 1/9
2. There is a difference in “Partisan” and “Political.” The organizational structure, mission, and civilian government oversight of the armed forces make it a political institution. We have a political purpose. 2/9
Expressing outrage against those who would attempt to violently interfere with the function of our democratic process is not (and should not be) a partisan issue; we all have a stake in this. 3/9
3. We have dangerous extremists in our ranks and have a responsibility to identify and remove them. We cannot have servicemembers providing support of any kind to anti-democratic, seditious organizations. 4/9
4. The above issue, coupled with the presence of so many veterans (and probably AD personnel) at the Capitol, highlights deep cultural problems that are just as serious as those outlined in the FHIRC report. 5/9
There are correlations between the ideology and attitudes of those who would seek to disenfranchise other citizens and those who would harass/assault their own comrades-in-arms. 6/9
5. Leaders need a plan to inform and educate their soldiers. Still thinking about what this can/should look like, so looking forward to your ideas. I think part of it relates to a proper understanding of #2 above. 7/9
Solders need a better understanding of civic responsibility and their political role. As good citizens, they cannot shun political matters, but have to educate themselves on partisan issues using GOOD sources of information/news. 8/9
They need to understand the history and ramifications of their enlistment/commissioning oath. Like I said, still mulling over this last point, so I would welcome your specific ideas on how we educate and inform soldiers. 9/9
