Military Provides Training On Extremists Preying on Servicemembers

 The military has been training service members on the dangers of right wing extremist groups, and how they may target service members and veterans, for years. That includes, yes, even under George W. Bush’s Pentagon." John Stolz, Iraq War Veteran

This is follow up to our article on a group that questions the constitutionality of our government to the extremes of recruiting active duty troops to take the Oath Keepers Oath that leads to the expectation that Our Troops disobey the orders of the duly elected civilian leadership in their Chain of Command.

We at VT make the assumption the Oath Keepers fits the definition of a right-wing group as used by DoD. It is up to DoD, the FBI, and Homeland Security NOT VT to determine if Oath Keepers warrants attention or not.

I don’t’ see eye to eye on all the positions taken by John Stotz, Co-Founder and Chair of VoteVets.org, and a young leader of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans community, especially his views on Afghanistan. However, I respect John’s views even if I don’t agree with all of them. That aside, when John or any other young Iraq and Afghanistan War Vet says something that makes common sense, who can argue with him?

Below is an extract of John’s reply to the American Legion when it demanded an apology from Homeland Security for an assessment that extremists groups prey on young Veterans. The truth be told at least one group that questions civilian authority over our military and that our government is ignoring the U.S. Constitution poses just such a threat by recruiting not only Veterans but moreso active duty Troops. We see nothing wrong with believing our government is not following the U.S. Constitution, even most of us at VT can agree with this notion, however recruiting our active duty troops against our government is not the way to fix the problem.

ROBERT L. HANAFIN
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired     
Military Training On Extremists Preying on Servicemembers There was a big hubbub manufactured by the American Legion and Republicans surrounding the Department of Homeland Security finding that there is a possibility that returning veterans who were facing issues reintegrating into society could be recruiting targets for extremist groups.

The report makes no claim that veterans at large would seek out extremist groups, or would cause violence. It just makes the fairly logical conclusion that extremist groups who might be seeking to cause violence, but don’t have the skills, may seek out those who do have military training in addition to the usual profile of the types of people they seek out.

Well, that was it. The uproar from the right was fast and harsh:

"To characterize men and women returning home after defending our country as potential terrorists is offensive and unacceptable." – Rep. John Boehner R-Ohio.

"The department is engaging in political and ideological profiling of people who fought to keep our country safe from terrorism, uphold our nation’s immigration laws, and protect our constitutional right to keep and bear arms," Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla.

"You have a report from Janet Napolitano and Barack Obama, Department of Homeland Security, portraying standard, ordinary, everyday conservatives as posing a bigger threat to this country than al Qaeda terrorists or genuine enemies of this country like Kim Jong Il." – Rush Limbaugh

And, the American Legion chimed in with "outrage," especially that Timothy McVeigh was mentioned in the report. [Another Republican mouth piece. VT. Ed.]

"I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are." – David K. Rehbein, National Commander, the American Legion

Interestingly, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which pretty much always is tied at the hip to the Legion, disagreed.

"The report should have been worded differently, but it made no blanket accusation that every soldier was capable of being a traitor like Benedict Arnold, or every veteran could be a lone wolf, homegrown terrorist like Timothy McVeigh. It was just an assessment about possibilities that could take place," said Glen Gardener, National Commander of the VFW.

So why the rare schism between the Legion and VFW here? Because the VFW, in this case, is acting like a reality-based organization.

I hate to break it to Republicans, and to the Legion (which knows this, or should), but the military has been training service members on the dangers of right wing extremist groups, and how they may target service members and veterans, for years. That includes, yes, even under George W. Bush’s Pentagon.

You can view Power Point presentations of these trainings here and here. (PowerPoint required)

For those who don’t have PowerPoint, here’s the gist of it.

The 2d Battalion, 46th Infantry warns its members:

"Soldiers are prohibited from active participation in organizations which promote supremacist causes, attempt to create illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, gender, religion, sex or national origin, advocate the use of force or violence, or otherwise attempt to deprive individuals of their civil rights."

Geesh, you’d think that the military thought there could be a problem with service members being recruited by extremist groups which advocate violence, or something.

Another Army presentation lays out what it calls "Right Wing Ideology":

· America is in moral and religious peril

· Satanic forces are about to seize control of the world.

· Religions other than their own are false and not important.

• Anti-government [a lot of this going around since election of the first Black President].

In a slide shortly thereafter, the Army presentation uses Timothy McVeigh – specifically – as someone who bought into this ideology and used his military training to cause harm to his nation and his people.

Another Army presentation lays out what it calls "Right Wing Ideology":

· America is in moral and religious peril

· Satanic forces are about to seize control of the world.

· Religions other than their own are false and not important.

• Anti-government [a lot of this going around since election of the first Black President].

In a slide shortly thereafter, the Army presentation uses Timothy McVeigh – specifically – as someone who bought into this ideology and used his military training to cause harm to his nation and his people.

Oh my goodness, why does our Pentagon hate America and the military?!

The fact of the matter is, most military members and veterans – a vast majority – are good and decent people who only want to honor their nation. That’s never going to change. What’s also true is that extremist groups are always trying to infiltrate our ranks to get training, and if they cannot do that, they look for those out of the military who might be able to help them.

We who served in the military know it, which is why the military is constantly vigilant, and always training men and women to recognize extremists and keep away from them. The report from DHS says nothing new or different than what’s been said by the Armed Forces for years, with not so much as a peep from the Republicans or American Legion. The only thing new and different here is the [new] President. [A mixed race President at that. VT. Ed]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jon Soltz, Co-Founder and Chair of VoteVets.org, is a leader of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans community and is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From May to September 2003, Soltz served as a Captain during Operation Iraqi Freedom, deploying logistics convoys with the 1st Armored Division. During 2005, Soltz was mobilized for 365 days at Fort Dix New Jersey, training soldiers for combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. He also served his country with distinction in the Kosovo Campaign as a Tank Platoon Leader between June and December 2000. Soltz is a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College with dual degree in Political Science and History. He has completed graduate work at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Jon Soltz has quickly become one of the most authoritative voices on veterans issues and military issues. He has been interviewed by national outlets such as the Associated Press, Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, TIME, Newsweek, among others, and in dozens of local outlets.

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.