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Related: About this forumExtremism in the ranks: Veterans and the insurrection - CBS Sunday Morning
Whoever coined the phrase "Once a Marine, always a Marine" did not have this in mind: A Marine Corps veteran using the Marine Corps flag to attack a Capitol police officer. Thomas Webster is one of more than 30 who have served in the military now charged with crimes at the Capitol.
"It doesn't take an army to do what happened; it takes people with some skill set to lead those others," said former FBI Agent Tom O'Connor, who spent two decades investigating extremists.
"Extremist elements in the United States have long tried to recruit former military and former law enforcement into their ranks for their skill set."
And for the mindset of a culture trained to resort to violence when all else fails.
Army veteran Stewart Rhodes founded a group called Oath Keepers in 2009. "All you veterans out there, you've got to stand up," he said in a video on the conspiracy theory-spreading website InfoWars. "Lead your local community in watching over their own backyards, over their own neighborhoods, and over their own towns."
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/extremism-in-the-ranks-military-insurrection-oath-keepers/
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Will be on 60 Minutes, too, I think
Maraya1969
(22,480 posts)And whatever benefits go along with that?
DetroitLegalBeagle
(1,923 posts)Once discharged, that's it. Whatever it says on your 214 is what stays. The VA has a mechanism to upgrade anything other then a dishonorable for VA purposes, but that's it. Now retirees are different, in some circumstances they could be recalled to active duty and court martialed. But that's a pretty rare occurrence.
soldierant
(6,868 posts)and one which calls for somepretty rare action in response.
So if there were retirees, or "Fleet Reserve," I feel strongly that they should be recalled and CMed. the oath to defend the Constitution does not expire. I say this as a veteran.
pfitz59
(10,381 posts)then Leavenworth
Cozmo
(1,402 posts)llashram
(6,265 posts)had to CMA and my comrades' ass against the VC-NVA and assholes like this. Still have to. SHAMEFUL.
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)Some can find something else that gives them worth. A nice garden. Going hiking, raising chickens and a garden. Something that gives you pleasure and occupies your time. To others, who must have watched too many Hollywood movies, its still aggression and power that they believe will save the day. None of it is necessary, but these bored boys need to feel like they are doing something. That hero complex, and its all about meeeeee nonsense.
Lame, sad and dangerous.
question everything
(47,479 posts)Young men (mostly) who spent years hiding, fighting, planning all of a sudden they won and are unable to deal with, say, building infrastructure, working government institutions, diplomatic relations etc.
Corgigal
(9,291 posts)It was just going to be a violence party.
However, I see a lot of 50 to 60 year old people attempting to play war games. Still grabbing for a honor they either think they got, or this time it will make the difference.
Sad to be so miserable in your current life, that some con artist, you fell for, makes you feel alive.
Thought you were going to do something. Aging isnt for the light of heart.