Article

2020-02-14 Government

Navy Punishes Sailors Over 'Make Aircrew Great Again' Patches Worn at Trump Speech

[Mil.com] Sailors who showed up to a speech by President Donald Trump wearing patches playing off the commander in chief's famous campaign slogan have been punished -- along with some of their superiors -- for violating a Pentagon order that bars troops in uniform from participating in political events.

Eighteen sailors and officers assigned to the Guam-based Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 were informed days after Trump's Memorial Day address on the amphibious assault ship Wasp that they were suspected of violating Pentagon policy. Nine of them had attended the speech sporting flight suits with red patches that said, "Make Aircrew Great Again."

Journalists attending the speech posted photos of the patches on Twitter, prompting questions about whether the uniform devices violated Defense Department policy requiring troops to remain apolitical while in uniform. The patches featured the president's likeness, along with the riff on Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

Military.com obtained a copy of the 103-page investigation into the incident, which was launched just days after Trump's speech, through a Freedom of Information Act request. It found that, while the sailors didn't intend for the patches to make a political statement, they still broke the rules.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-02-14 08:28|| || Front Page|| [10 views ] Top

#1 A discreet ship-to-shore phone call from the CNO or his #2 could have easily handled this, but noooo.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-02-14 09:03|| 2020-02-14 09:03|| Front Page Top

#2 Military personnel get trained about this, then watch their superiors like skelly, mcbastard and mcravin do the exact opposite. And anyone is surprised. Meanwhile, perpetually "strapped" police departments nationwide pay out settlements for 1A and 2A (and other A) rights violations because supposedly "trained" officers either don't know or consciously choose not to follow the law.

S P I T

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-02-14 09:41|| 2020-02-14 09:41|| Front Page Top

#3 A "103-page investigation". There you go--you want to make the armed forces more efficient, start with bullshit like that. It doesn't take 10 minutes to determine that policy was violated, and it doesn't take 10 minutes more to realize that this offense is worth getting worked up about. Slap the offenders with a trivial admonishment and get back to business.

Posted by Crusader 2020-02-14 10:10|| 2020-02-14 10:10|| Front Page Top

#4 Stop dragooning service members into being props for a photo-op would be a good start. Yes, wearing the patches was stupid, but that is a different issue.

Posted by magpie 2020-02-14 15:18|| 2020-02-14 15:18|| Front Page Top

#5 Service members turning their backs to the CinC would not be punished at all. Unless it was Bath House.

Posted by M. Murcek 2020-02-14 15:36|| 2020-02-14 15:36|| Front Page Top

#6 Of course the journalists punched down and attacked the servicemen. Their job is to punch up, but instead they chose to speak truth to the powerless. Fuck journalists.

Posted by Herb McCoy 2020-02-14 16:10|| 2020-02-14 16:10|| Front Page Top

#7 Yupp. Fuck journalists.

Posted by Dron66046 2020-02-14 21:03|| 2020-02-14 21:03|| Front Page Top

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