Monday, April 12, 2010

You think the military hasn't dealt with this before?

Headline: "Tea Party Movement Spreads To Military"

These military "Oath Keepers" are swimming with sharks without a lifegaurd.

Doesn't anyone remember the Vietnam War? All those military types who suddenly became conscientious objectors? They refused their duty assignment ("Failure to Go"), were court-martialed and kicked out.

Here's how it's going to happen today. Our good NCO here is going to have a file opened on him by his First Shirt, and the first thing going into it will be a Letter of Reprimand. This will lay the groundwork for future disciplinary action.

If our NCO recieves orders for Iraq and refuses to go, he will also be Failing to Obey a Posted Order or Regulation (this is known as "Failure to Go.") His CO will then tell him to report for departure. If our NCO refuses, he is not disobeying an order from his Commander in Chief, he is disobeying an order from his direct Commanding Officer.

Our NCO is now in hot water indeed. It's no longer political; it's now very military and is called Insubordination. At this point his First Sargeant and his CO will be fed up with him, and will just want to get rid of him. We are now looking at the likely possibility of an Article 15--at least--where he will be reduced in rank, his pay deducted, and de-selected for re-enlistment. He will be relieved of his duties and given some dead-end position where he will be probably counting marbles or something equally meaningless. And all of this without fanfare.

At this point our NCO's career is over. He can mouth off all he wants, but it means nothing. He's no longer in a position to influence his subordinates--he has none--and his compatriots are going to steer clear of him like a Jonah.

His supporters outside of the military, who have little or no real political influence, will likely make him a martyr. But the folks in the military, in the Marine Corps, they will know the real story, and what our NCO really represents: Oath Breaker.