Imagine that you have an opinion as a naval officer on the disgusting mess unfolding in Afghanistan.
If so, the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) wants you to keep quiet about it:
In an email from the ONI's Chief of Staff, ONI members were reminded that per a Uniform Code of Military Justice and Department of Defense Directive clause they cannot disrespect senior government leadership. This includes the President, Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, and more.
The military has strict consequences for insubordination, but there's two points to note.
First, this policy was more relaxed under Trump, allowing ONI members to speak against Orange Man Bad if they wanted.
Per the same uniformed personnel policy, ONI members cannot participate in partisan political activity or distribute partisan political literature. An internal ONI member told The Daily Wire that these policies were more relaxed under the Trump administration and recalled retired officers condemning the former President.
Second, ONI wants RETIRED personnel to stay quiet as well. From their email:
Even for civilians, you are reminded of the danger that your public comments will/could be attributed to ONI or the Department of Defense. While you are entitled to your opinion and to share your opinion amongst those you know and trust, being too vocal in criticism of, say, the President or members of the military and civilian leadership may reflect poorly on ONI. It is important to share your opinions, if you choose to do so, in a professional manner that does not call into question your employment, the Department of Defense, or the federal government as a whole.
Again, I know the military has a chain of command and those who wear the uniform do not have unlimited freedom of speech.
But this looks an AWFUL lot like a military covering for an authoritarian-yet-ineffective president who needs to demand rather than earn respect.
Shameful!
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