Soldiers in Uniform during DNC Roll Call

Two junior enlisted in a political photo op creates holy hell and Army investigation..... Chairman of Joint Chiefs in a political photo op that very likely violated several citizen's Freedom of Speech rights...crickets, no investigation. I hope these junior enlisted and everyone in their chain of command are able to use this for their defense just like the General did!

“I should not have been there,” Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a prerecorded video commencement address to National Defense University. “My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”
I was waiting for that to come up. I think Milley was taken unawares. I have no problem with a reasonable explanation for a mistake, either by the general or the Samoans. Just don't make the mistake a second time in the near future.
 
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In 1986, I had the honor of taking a unit of Marines to join some sailors to line the stairs of the San Francisco City Hall as "window dressing" for the politicians who were jostling to be part of the re-commissioning of the USS Missouri. Somehow, I was tasked with calling all assembled to attention for the event and stood there alongside the men as the elected officials (including Mayor Diane Feinstein) made their remarks. I got a kick of how she jumped when I barked out the command to attention in the large room!

While I can't be seen in the picture, this is a picture from the event and the scene.

I always felt it was close to the line we are discussing in this thread. You can read some of the mid-1980's political issues this event stirred up in this article.
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What really stunk was when the TV cameras were turned off and the politicians all moved upstairs for a banquet, we were all told to leave and get back on the buses. No food, water, head calls, nothing. Basically... we are done with you. Get out.

I agree the Army soldiers should not have been part of this Democratic convention roll-call camera shot. But sometimes the line can be fuzzy.
 
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In 1986, I had the honor of taking a unit of Marines to join some sailors to line the stairs of the San Francisco City Hall as "window dressing" for the politicians who were jostling to be part of the re-commissioning of the USS Missouri. Somehow, I was tasked with calling all assembled to attention for the event and stood there alongside the men as the elected officials (including Mayor Diane Feinstein) made their remarks. I got a kick of how she jumped when I barked out the command to attention in the large room!

While I can't be seen in the picture, this is a picture from the event and the scene.

I always felt it was close to the line we are discussing in this thread. You can read some of the mid-1980's political issues this event stirred up in this article.
.

What really stunk was when the TV cameras were turned off and the politicians all moved upstairs for a banquet, we were all told to leave and get back on the buses. No food, water, head calls, nothing. Basically... we are done with you. Get out.

I agree the Army soldiers should not have been part of this Democratic convention roll-call camera shot. But sometimes the line can be fuzzy.
At least you were involved in the commissioning of a ship and not a purely political event.
 
Two junior enlisted in a political photo op creates holy hell and Army investigation..... Chairman of Joint Chiefs in a political photo op that very likely violated several citizen's Freedom of Speech rights...crickets, no investigation. I hope these junior enlisted and everyone in their chain of command are able to use this for their defense just like the General did!

“I should not have been there,” Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a prerecorded video commencement address to National Defense University. “My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics.”

As fewer and fewer Americans actually serve in the armed forces, Americans embrace and cherish the military more and more. Particularly politicians - of both political parties. It used to be almost mandatory that to seek elected office you had to be a veteran. Now, almost none have military experience. And have been involved in partisan politics from age 12 on. The ability to say "no" to the military is gone, lest an elected official be called "against the troops".

Oddly, from the 1940s-1980s when a much, much higher percentage of American manhood had served, the military wasn't held up to the hero-hood status of today. Why? Lotsa ex-GIs knew the military wasn't always perfect, it made mistakes, there was lots of inefficiency, waste, corruption, unfairness, racism (much more than today), anti-Semitism (ditto), etc. Politicians didn't over-hug the military, 'cause most candidates were veterans themselves & didn't need to.
 
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