active military @ political event

[nehemiah]

o well... just more screeching, i guess. liberal whinging... blah, blah, blah... whatever you right wingers wanna post to try and stifle dissent.

but since when does the military work for the republican party? benito would be so proud.

tiny little baby steps, eh?


Uniformed soldiers at GOP event raise hackles
Photo published in Coloradoan sparks debate of Pentagon's rules

A picture of a Marine dressed in uniform at Larimer County's Republican Lincoln Day Dinner has touched off a firestorm from national political writers and Web bloggers who say the party is using the military as public relations props.

The Fort Collins Coloradoan ran the photograph on Saturday of U.S. Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave introducing Marine Sgt. Brandon Forsyth, dressed in uniform, at the organization's Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday night.

A Department of Defense directive, however, prohibits active military personnel from participating in partisan political meetings while in uniform. Forsyth was one of two uniformed soldiers at the event.

Forsyth could not be reached for comment Monday.

The directive also states that in ambiguous cases, active-duty soldiers are to avoid any activities that seemingly associate the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security directly or indirectly with partisan political activity.

The Larimer County Republican organization said that because it merely honored the soldiers instead of requiring their participation, they did not violate the code.
http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060307/NEWS01/603070304/1002


DoD regs are at --> http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html2/d134410x.htm

[35Pete]

I think that you are mistaken here buddy. The military naturally supports the republicans, by a 50:1 majority. They are just naturally expressing themselves, that's all.

[г]

A Department of Defense directive, however, prohibits active military personnel from participating in partisan political meetings while in uniform. Forsyth was one of two uniformed soldiers at the event.

Hey, Pete...what part of the above didn't you understand ?

Madonna can express herself, if you're in the military, there are rules. If they showed up at a Hillary Clinton rally, you'd be the first to scream bloody murder about it.

[Ru]

The military naturally supports the republicans, by a 50:1 majority.

Out of what orifice did you pull that ratio? There is no way it is even close to being that high.

[г]

Speaking of orifices, he must have got it where Ticat's **** comes out of

[sukie]

"(The soldiers) were not there endorsing a candidate, and they were not speaking," said Nancy Hunter, chairwoman of the Larimer County Republicans. Hunter said the organization seeks out Iraq and Afghanistan veterans each year to honor at the Lincoln Day Dinner. Forsyth attended the dinner as someone's date and was asked at the last minute to be honored, Hunter said.

"I am very proud we had them there," Hunter said. "I'm very proud of any military we'd have there."

Harry Campbell, commander of Post 1781 of the Fort Collins Veterans of Foreign War, said the VFW discourages members from taking partisan positions while in uniform but ultimately thinks the soldiers at the Lincoln Day dinner did nothing wrong.

Musgrave, however, should have known better, said John Jones, chairman of the Larimer County Democratic Party.

"It's clear to anyone with common sense this is an attempt to get votes," Jones said.

Musgrave, who served as the mistress of ceremony, was only handed the agenda at the dinner, Hunter said.

"The best info the congresswoman received is there is no violation in honoring Iraqi veterans, and that's what happened," said Guy Short, Musgrave's chief of staff. "It's unfortunate people are trying to make political hay out of an attempt to honor veterans of the Iraq war."

[jjm19672000]

I think that you are mistaken here buddy. The military naturally supports the republicans, by a 50:1 majority. They are just naturally expressing themselves, that's all.

It's not quite 50:1.

[uppy]

o well... just more screeching, i guess. liberal whinging... blah, blah, blah... whatever you right wingers wanna post to try and stifle dissent.

but since when does the military work for the republican party? benito would be so proud.

tiny little baby steps, eh?


Uniformed soldiers at GOP event raise hackles
Photo published in Coloradoan sparks debate of Pentagon's rules

A picture of a Marine dressed in uniform at Larimer County's Republican Lincoln Day Dinner has touched off a firestorm from national political writers and Web bloggers who say the party is using the military as public relations props.

The Fort Collins Coloradoan ran the photograph on Saturday of U.S. Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave introducing Marine Sgt. Brandon Forsyth, dressed in uniform, at the organization's Lincoln Day Dinner on Friday night.

A Department of Defense directive, however, prohibits active military personnel from participating in partisan political meetings while in uniform. Forsyth was one of two uniformed soldiers at the event.

Forsyth could not be reached for comment Monday.

The directive also states that in ambiguous cases, active-duty soldiers are to avoid any activities that seemingly associate the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security directly or indirectly with partisan political activity.

The Larimer County Republican organization said that because it merely honored the soldiers instead of requiring their participation, they did not violate the code.
http://coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060307/NEWS01/603070304/1002


DoD regs are at --> http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/html2/d134410x.htm


Nehemiah is right on the money....No political activity while in uniform.

[billsrdue2002]

Gitmo Bush also brought out the DOD Guns to blast the backlash on the Dubai Port Deal.

When did Gitmo Bush and Gitmo Dick sell our Department of Defense to the UAE?

[Stealth01]

Having been a First Sergeant, I can speak to this a little.

The legality of it is a gray area. This was an instance where a political party was honoring a veteran, not the other way around. The spirit and intent of the rule is to prevent the appearance of the military working for or endorsing one party or the other, and if some people (besides politicians, who have ulterior motives for everything) got the impression that was the case, then the sergeant was wrong. However, it is not unusual to see military members in uniform in these instances, be it the democratic or republican party honoring them.

So I suspect the legal eagles will punish the sergeant.

As to it being a baby step toward a monarchy, don't be a paranoid idiot.

[Canisius85]

Wasn't it you that said you weren't allowed to criticise the administration while you wore the uniform?

[Stealth01]

Officers are not allowed to criticize ANY elected official. At all. Uniformed or not. Enlisted is more of a gray area, but they've leaned toward enforcing the same rules on enlisted.

[TRIPLE P]

http://www.smartania.com/reviews/stormtroopers.jpg

[Stealth01]

Nah, we don't get body armor, remember?

[ckg68]

Nah, we don't get body armor, remember?

And you can get tagged for paying for it...never mind if it saved your life. There was a guy who got his arm wrecked,among other things,and it saved him. In the haste to evac him,the armor was left behind-and the paperwork was never filed explaining why it was damaged. So,when he was discharged(against his wishes),he got a bill for $700-which he paid.(When word got out about his plight,thousands of dollars came in-he later donated it to a family displaced by Hurricane Katrina.)

[uppy]

Why do I think this thread is a trap ? This question came up in the Pat Tillman
thread and the answer is NO politcal agenda while on duty or in uniform.

[shiva2999]

Except if you're the President. Then you can use the military like a cheap whore.

Mission Accomplished!

[Canisius85]

Officers are not allowed to criticize ANY elected official. At all. Uniformed or not.

What do you mean by uniformed or not? Even after retirement?

And by any official, do you mean state and local as well or just federal ?

[35Pete]

Out of what orifice did you pull that ratio? There is no way it is even close to being that high.
Yeah, you're right. It is probably closer to 90:1. Our boys in uniform are very partriotic and have a natural revulsion for anti-american traitors so that explains the high ratio.

[ckg68]

Yeah, you're right. It is probably closer to 90:1. Our boys in uniform are very partriotic and have a natural revulsion for anti-american traitors so that explains the high ratio.

Then I guess nearly 3 out of 4 troops in Iraq are anti-American traitors,since they want to start withdrawing from Iraq. And only 23% think we should stay as long as it takes.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18321988-23109,00.html

[35Pete]

Then I guess nearly 3 out of 4 troops in Iraq are anti-American traitors,since they want to start withdrawing from Iraq. And only 23% think we should stay as long as it takes.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18321988-23109,00.html
Phony propaganda and you know it. Real Americans support wasting the enemy. It is the American thing to do.

[Canisius85]

Please define a real American.

Because by my count, I'm about four years older than you, which gives me four more years seniority in this country.

[35Pete]

Please define a real American.

Because by my count, I'm about four years older than you, which gives me four more years seniority in this country.
Well. You just proved that age and wisdom are not a 100% correlation. Just curious. Were you a humanities major in college? I'll bet that you were.

[Canisius85]

International Relations with a minor in Criminal Justice.

(but I read a lot of Shakespeare!)

[35Pete]

International Relations with a minor in Criminal Justice.

(but I read a lot of Shakespeare!)
Ohh christ. That explains everything. You were not educated. You were INDOCTRINATED. Should have picked a non-humanities major that would have taught you to think for yourself. And yes. I did take some international relations electives. And the profs were leftist as hell.

[Canisius85]

Ohh christ. That explains everything. You were not educated. You were INDOCTRINATED. Should have picked a non-humanities major that would have taught you to think for yourself. And yes. I did take some international relations electives. And the profs were leftist as hell.

That's funny...because a couple of mine are now in the CIA.

(Oh and by the way...I took a course in art history/appreciation too!)

:gay:

[35Pete]

CIA = Christians In Action.

Come on 85'. You know that I am messing with you. :)