This is definitely an opportunity for plebes-to-be (and swabs, doolies, rats, & knobs) to consider just how pervasive social media are, and the potential for consequences that used to be unthinkable.
Most recently, in Mankato, MN, a
man lost his job with Archer Daniels Midland after the racist PMs he sent to a Black Lives Matter account were spread widely on Facebook. For emphasis: he sent
private messages.
Others have
lost their jobs as well, although I am not aware of military leaders who've been disciplined. (Maybe you guys are all so much better at self-restraint!)
My point is not to start a debate about whether any individual case is right or not (please don't; they really have been done to death). Young people have really grown up with this new phenomenon of instant and wide access to so many opinions and facts and pieces of information. You must also be aware of the possible unintended, and increasingly uncontrollable consequences for what used to be inocuous, knockoff comments made on FB, Twitter, & Pinterest. Even Snapchat is capture-able now, and don't even assume you're anonymous on YikYak, either, because
you're not. I'm willing to bet 99.5% of these people are okay people who work pretty hard, go to school and pay their taxes, try to support their families, and made one really bad choice that they'll be explaining for a long time to future employers and landlords. Just don't be That Guy. If there's a way for someone who doesn't like you or one of your opinions or something you support to mis-interpret, it's not a matter of whether that will happen but when.