Do accusations about Operation Vigilant Eagle have a basis?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:16:06 -0500

There are rumors that Operation Vigilant Eagle, targets veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. That they are being viewed as potential domestic terrorist threats because they may be “disgruntled, disillusioned or suffering from the psychological effects of war.”

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Feb 4 at 2016 6:34 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 18:34:24 -0500

SGT Frank Leonardo what this is nuts, but reality. We should not be labeled because we have face the onslaught of terrorism and performed our DUTY HONOR COUNTRY selfless service to the Nation.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2016 6:56 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 18:56:28 -0500

Can you post a link to that story?

Response by SGT Frank Leonardo made Feb 4 at 2016 7:03 PM

SGT Frank Leonardo — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 19:03:18 -0500

https://youtu.be/bRxb5pQB_T0

Marine arrested for Facebook posts sues government

Brandon Raub, a 26-year-old decorated Marine veteran, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan was arrested and put into a psychiatric institution in August l...

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 4 at 2016 7:07 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 19:07:19 -0500

This is another one of those stories which sounds plausible but the only citations I can find are coming from bloggers and cannot be independently verified. That's not to say that they're not true but I wouldn't want to cite them and then have our more left-leaning friends blast us for using "bogus" reports to impugn their icons.

The plausibility is based in the many utterances of the Left that impugn the right-leaning ideology embraced by most members of the military services. Indeed, there were well-documented reports of government agents targeting veterans in the past (as reflected in the CBS report that I embedded in this response).

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/dhs-domestic-terror-warning-angers-gop/

DHS' Domestic Terror Warning Angers GOP

Republican Lawmakers, American Legion Call Reference To Susceptible Veterans Unacceptable, Unfair

Response by CW4 Guy Butler made Feb 4 at 2016 8:02 PM

CW4 Guy Butler — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:02:47 -0500

Goggle is your friend... Raub was detained by Chesterfield police based on complaints about his Facebook postings, and ordered to undergo evaluation:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/former-marine-detained-after-alleged-facebook-threats/

It includes a quote from one of his former platoon leaders:

The Richmond Times Dispatch quoted an Internet posting by a former platoon commander, Sean Lawlor, who served with Raub in Iraq. The paper said that Lawlor called Raub an "excellent Marine" but quoted Lawlor as also saying, "Knowing the man that he is, I believe that he fully intended to act on the threats he was posting…We may never know, but the fact that law enforcement intervened may have kept Brandon from doing something extremely destructive."

Ex-Marine Held for Alleged Threats

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2016 8:19 PM

SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:19:11 -0500

This is the first I have heard of this in any fashion.

Response by SGT Marcus King made Feb 4 at 2016 8:23 PM

SGT Marcus King — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:23:25 -0500

It's my opinion, perhaps a bit conspiratory, that this idea is being introduced into conversations in our society is an attempt to stigmatize people to not trust us. It makes the narrative more believable if we actually do become targets if people can recall vague references of the idea "vets cant be trusted" are in their memories, whether true or not.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2016 8:30 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:30:51 -0500

https://www.rutherford.org/publications_resources/john_whiteheads_commentary/operation_vigilant_eagle_is_this_really_how_we_honor_our_nations_veterans

The Rutherford Institute :: Operation Vigilant Eagle: Is This Really How We Honor Our Nation’s...

Response by GySgt Carl Rumbolo made Feb 4 at 2016 8:37 PM

GySgt Carl Rumbolo — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:37:56 -0500

Have you tightened your tin foil hat? Seriously I have heard this 'story' repeated a number of times and find no substance. Please cite actual verifiable instances with sources that can be checked - include names and dates, specific federal, state or local authorities involved. No, blogs, second hand accounts and somebody's second cousin's brother said his sister saw do not count.

Response by LCDR Bruce Cooley made Feb 4 at 2016 8:39 PM

LCDR Bruce Cooley — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:39:56 -0500

Yes it is. In my humble opinion....it comes from a group of people who believe or were raised hearing that "....rules don't apply to you, you're special..." and have a serious case of "Superiority Complex". They think that because they 'learned' in high school / college that all persons involved with the military are somehow inherently 'violent'...."....otherwise, why would they join the military??" Put those all together, and anyone questioning their 'champion' (In terms of the left side of the political spectrum) then they obviously are "Dangerous and damaged individuals" who cannot be trusted. To a smaller degree, they think that all who disagree with their "enlightened" policies 'must have' PTSD or a mental illness. They do not believe in, or trust, "American Exceptionalism" as a concept, and definitely not as an actionable idea. Remember, in there eyes....we've caused all of the worlds problems, and must therefore 'apologize' for them, and pay massive amounts of money to the 'aggrieved' countries! Just my "scared, and jaded" opinion.

Response by GySgt Carl Rumbolo made Feb 4 at 2016 8:51 PM

GySgt Carl Rumbolo — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 20:51:28 -0500

And this is why boys and girls Rally Point will never be considered a professional web site. It's facebook in camo...

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Feb 4 at 2016 10:26 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 22:26:53 -0500

Only when progressives are in power.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Feb 4 at 2016 10:29 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 22:29:16 -0500

The left has always been suspicious of the military. If you think it is bad now you should have seen it during the Viet Nam war.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2016 10:46 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 22:46:00 -0500

Because liberals/Democrats despise the military.

Response by CPO Tim Dickey made Feb 4 at 2016 10:51 PM

CPO Tim Dickey — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 22:51:12 -0500

CPT Private RallyPoint Member, be cool, stay calm, and chive on. . . well in my case, Chief on.

Response by SFC John Birks made Feb 4 at 2016 11:12 PM

SFC John Birks — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 23:12:53 -0500

Because we are no longer needed and should be kept behind glass with a sign saying "Break glass in time of war." We are a class of citizen that reminds everyone of bad times.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 4 at 2016 11:37 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 23:37:16 -0500

This mentality has been around for many, many conflicts. Fortunately, it was a small minority in most earlier generations. Since Vietnam, it has become more and more commonplace.

Thanks Hanoi Jane!

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 1:10 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 01:10:12 -0500

There is no doubt that these domestic terrorist groups actively recruit veterans for their military expertise and experience. Who better to assist in the formation of a paramilitary group? And it is a fact that some veterans do join these groups. So unless veterans as a whole have suddenly become excessively sensitive, I don't see why any law abiding veteran would be upset about the fact that law enforcement has identified a potential threat to the public.

But this notion that the LE agencies are simply targetting and monitoring veterans simply because they are veterans is completely unfounded. It's the type of anti govenment propaganda talked about at meetings where they discuss how to disrupt the government's dress rehearsal for martial law known as Jade Helm, and talk about how Walmarts were closed so that they were available for detention centers.

Let's take a close look at this case of marine Brandon Raub who was involuntarily sent to a mental facility for evaluation. The thing is though, that it wasn't for simply talking about disagreeing with the government as his lawyers would have us believe; it was for making threats against the population and president Bush. And he wasn't randomly monitored because he was a vet. He was reported to the FBI by two of his marine buddies who had served with him in Iraq who absolutely believed he was going to act on his threats. Here's some of the facebook posts that led the marines to report him. These are taken from the appeals court ruling that dismissed Raub's wrongful arrest lawsuit against the government:

"In August 2012, two Marine veterans who had served withRaub during his deployment to Iraq contacted the FBI. They were concerned by Raub’s “increasingly threatening” Facebook posts.
J.A. 532. In an email, one of the Marines, Howard Bullen, provided specific examples of Raub’s posts:
• “This is revenge. Know that before you die.”
• “Richmond is not yours. I’m about to shake some shit up.”
• “This is the start of you dying. Planned spittin with heart of Lion.”
• “Leader of the New School. Bringing Back the Old School. MY LIFE WILL BE A DOCUMENTARY.”
• “I’m gunning whoever run the town.”
• “W, you’re under arrest bitch.”
• “The World will Find This.”
• “I know ya’ll are reading this, and I truly wonder if you know what’s about to happen.”
• “W, you’ll be one of the first people dragged out of your house and arrested.”
• “And Daddy Bush, too.”
• “The Revolution will come for me. Men will be at my door soon to pick me up to lead it ;)”
• “You should understand that many of the things I have said here are for the world to see.”

Although Bullen characterized Raub’s statements as “typical extremist language,” he also told the FBI that Raub“genuinely believes in this and is not simply looking for attention.” . Bullen expressed concern that Raub’s “threatening and action-oriented” rhetoric had worsened in recent months."

And here's a quote from a FB post his marine Platoon Commander made:

"The Richmond Times Dispatch quoted an Internet posting by a former platoon commander, Sean Lawlor, who served with Raub in Iraq. The paper said that Lawlor called Raub an "excellent Marine" but quoted Lawlor as also saying, "Knowing the man that he is, I believe that he fully intended to act on the threats he was posting…We may never know, but the fact that law enforcement intervened may have kept Brandon from doing something extremely destructive."

You can read what happened when they interviewed him at his house and made the decision to take him in for evaluation here:
https://www.rutherford.org/files_images/general/04-29-2015_Raub_FourthCircuitOpinion.pdf

The thing is, after reading the details of this case, IMO if someone thinks the LEOs acted incorrectly in taking him in for a mental evaluation due to him being a threat to himself or others, then there would be no case that meets that standard, and everyone can quit complaining about how the govermnment isn't doing enough to catch shooters before they shoot.

Just imagine if instead of a veteran, the subject involved had been a natural born American citizen whose parents were immigrants from a muslim country. and after a shooting, those facebook posts had been made public, and it was learned that the FBI had read them and done nothing. The right wing world would have gone batshit crazy over the dangers of political correctness and how the government was not doing their job. Remember the San Bernadino shooters? Right wing media was saying they should have been arrested because police got reports that they received UPS packages and were in the garage at night. WTF? If you are going to call for the arrest of someone who appears to be running an ebay business, then you can't bitch about police taking someone in for a mental evaluation when he threatens to start shooting up Richmond and former presidents. You can't have it both ways. You can't support muslim american citizens being arrested and yet not do the same for veterans making similar type threats.

Bottom line is no, the government isn't monitoring vets just because they're vets. And they don't care about all the loony tunes out there talking about how the government caused the 9/11 attacks or is conducting martial law rehearsals. But when those comments cross over into threats about killing American citizens, then hell yeah those vets, or anyone else, need to be investigated.

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Response by SPC Tanya Cummings Boozer made Feb 5 at 2016 1:11 AM

SPC Tanya Cummings Boozer — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 01:11:19 -0500

Yes, in 2009 veterans and basically anyone who spoke out against government officials were on the terrorist watch list. Here is the report from DHS. http://fas.org/irp/eprint/rightwing.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OW3w3MpBD8
This article show a lot of double talk by Janet Napolitano after the list was decried by veteran organizations and others. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/16/napolitano.apology/

This was all over the internet in 2009 and still referred to today. It can easily be found by anyone who takes a little bit of time to do so and is NOT a conspiracy theory!

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 4:54 AM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 04:54:10 -0500

Can you put a link to what you seen as a Marine being arrested. I can tell you from a Law Enforcement point of view I no nothing, or heard any information to watch out for any Vets marks as terrorists. In fact I hear that departments are offers a little more training in dealing with combat bets suffering with PTSD. So I would like to read the facts of this Marine arrest. Usually if you look a bit deeper into arrest you see the truth. However I do agree with everyones comments.

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 7:41 AM

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 07:41:25 -0500

... they are trying to target the organization like Oath Keeper... and prepper group ...

Response by GySgt Carl Rumbolo made Feb 5 at 2016 8:19 AM

GySgt Carl Rumbolo — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 08:19:54 -0500

And so boys and girls, conspiracy theory posts and rantings are another one of the reasons RP will never achieve what is aspires to be - a go to website for professionals. It's facebook in camo -- smh

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Feb 5 at 2016 8:27 AM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 08:27:23 -0500

So let me get this straight, DHS releases an intelligence assessment to Congress that speculates there may be an issue with vets that return from war and have trouble adjusting in the community. It states they may be susceptible to influence from right-wing extremists. The GOP and their followers think this is damaging to veterans public image and as a result get all indignant with the government. Meanwhile, Sarah Palin gets on TV and tells the world that her DB son beat his wife because he's a veteran and has PTSD yet somehow it's the report that is doing the damage to the vet's rep...

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 9:06 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:06:53 -0500

Our own government and citizens fear us. They should. There's so much tension in this country right now. Today's veterans if needed could do some damage in a worse case scenario here on American soil.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 9:11 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:11:44 -0500

Yes this kind of DOJ run program is one of the worst of the worst. There is , I think something called a NO-WORK-LIST involved with being listed into the OVE program and it may cause Veteran suicide.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 9:19 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:19:09 -0500

Also the type of program like this is political in nature. The goal of which is to ruin the Veteran any way possible when that Veteran attempts to exercise his or her right to freedom of expression. If the Veteran talks about 911 , the stupid WAR's , federal government policy they are placed under surveillance. The goal of which is two fold. Ruin the person and keep that person out and away from like minded Veterans . This way the people/firms/special interests that have power over our American federal government policies continue in their looting/manipulative/criminal ways. And they will be stopped as long as Veterans take a stand for Truth & Justice in the way we were taught. Not the style that is being served up.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 9:29 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:29:41 -0500

There was a time when TSA (transportation security agency) has apparently received orders to give servicemembers "extra screening". The mentality was described to me as vets and SM Being potential "loose cannons or prone to violence". TSA has since apologized and amended their ways. Many uninformed Americans hold that same belief viewing vets with suspicion.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 9:30 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:30:32 -0500

I've said enough "inflammatory" things over the last eight years without incident to seriously doubt that there is an all-encompassing effort to label OIF/OEF vets as "terrorists". That said, I fully expect that if I were heading up some Federal organization tracking potential threats; two and a half million people of military age, with up-to-the-date training and experience would be reasonable people to keep tabs on-to an extent, that is.

Let's face it, while 99.9% of us (myself included) are too busy raising kids and keeping our jobs to sweat the small stuff...There's a small percentage of American society that is hacked-off, sometimes misinformed, sometimes...justifiably upset...that "could" reach a boiling point. If that ever happened, it stands to reason that persons with combat experience, training, and familiarity with current military protocols, tactics and capabilities would be highly sought after. Remember that many of the CSA's general officers were Mexican War veterans under the rank of colonel when war broke out.

When all is said and done, I personally don't worry too much about it because a lot of those "Feds" were once service members. One of the National Guard officers I served with in Afghanistan was also FBI HRT...Can't see someone like that storming in on some made-up pretext to harass a brother vet. I'm acquainted with a HS official who is also a vet...and a "Lefty"; we debate politics all the time, then swap sea stories. Personally, I think there's less to worry about than one might think.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 9:36 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 09:36:27 -0500

This is crazy. I can't believe I'm hearing of this.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Feb 5 at 2016 10:16 AM

SGT Ben Keen — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 10:16:29 -0500

Here is my two cents to all this....

We, the community of OEF/OIF Veterans are more often than not lumped together into one pool. When something happens to one of us, it happens to all of us. As far as the situation you brought up, there is a lot more to the story that you presented. The Veteran had a history of having "issues" and his own friends thought he was capable, willing, and able to carry out the threats he publicly posted. This by no means results in all every Veteran being crazy, but it take one apple to spoil to the bunch. This Veteran's actions reflect more on him as a person than it does as a Veteran. Could his issues be linked to some sort of Service Connected issue, I'm sure they can but when you own battle buddies raise the red flag, it says more about your character than your time in the service.

I think we as the community sometimes take news like this straight to our hearts and allow our emotions to guide us rather than our brains. We had to see a brother or sister-in-arms drug through the mud but sometimes we cannot just stand by and say "oh it's okay, it's just freedom of speech". I know none of us would sit by and do nothing while a battle buddy held a gun to his/her head so why would we sit back and allow on of our own to publicly post threats against another person?

Yes, we did our job. We did it well. Now it is time to continue that same drive for excellence we had down range and bring it home and continue to improve our new area of operations.

Response by SPC Tanya Cummings Boozer made Feb 5 at 2016 11:03 AM

SPC Tanya Cummings Boozer — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 11:03:49 -0500

*Reposting, as my first comment did not post correctly. (Not sure if there are settings to tag others in posts and make videos or links show up better or not.)
Yes, in 2009 veterans and basically anyone who spoke out against government officials were on the terrorist watch list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OW3w3MpBD8

This article shows a lot of double talk by Janet Napolitano after the list was decried by veteran organizations and others. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/16/napolitano.apology/

Here is the report from DHS. http://fas.org/irp/eprint/rightwing.pdf

This was all over the internet in 2009 and still referred to today. It can easily be found by anyone who takes a little bit of time to do so and is NOT a conspiracy theory!

P.S. I followed the Brandon Raub case, the Marine that was arrested for Facebook posts, and those who reported him were not aware that his posts were lyrics of songs, which he should have made clear so there would not be confusion. Was he mentally unstable? Not sure, but I really do not think so; he was just very outspoken, which I am as well and so are many other veterans I know.

Obama calls Christians, Veterans, and Anti Abortionists Terrorists

Obama calls Christians, Veterans, and Anti Abortionists Terrorists http://watchmanstrumpetblast.wordpress.com/

Response by SFC Justin Scott made Feb 5 at 2016 12:20 PM

SFC Justin Scott — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 12:20:21 -0500

I would love to comment on this, but I need something to base my comments on. You said you watched a lawyer explain why this is after the police arrested a Veteran marine for "basically" condemning the Obama administration, do you have any source where we can view the same content and then comment? Because it's hard to comment on a "he said / she said" post rather than on a post with evidence to support the question.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 1:13 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 13:13:33 -0500

No. A couple of years ago, the Department of Homeland Security issued a warning to law enforcement agencies about a rise in right-wing nut jobs like "Sovereign Citizens" and "Posse Comitatus" types, who could pose a threat. In it, it mentioned that returning vets are often recruited by such organizations and could also become a threat. The document got leaked almost immediately, and everyone freaked out over it. It was completely justified. Veterans have been heavily involved in such organizations since the beginning of the anti-communism movement of the early Cold War (which later became the anti-government movement fueled by conspiracy theories). There is a big difference in blanket labeling veterans as terrorists and warning that veterans who join terrorist or extremist groups are more threatening than untrained terrorists or extremists. If you want more information, read my master's thesis related to the subject at the following link:
https://www.academia.edu/12745225/The_Conspiracist_Style_in_American_Extremism

The Conspiracist Style in American Extremism

Master's Thesis, National Defense University: “Conspiracism” is a worldview defined by one or more conspiracy theories, usually with a tendency to perceive new events as intrinsically conspiratorial. After examining various factors in the

Response by SPC Jill Drushal, RN, MA made Feb 5 at 2016 1:48 PM

SPC Jill Drushal, RN, MA — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 13:48:38 -0500

There are plenty of historical examples of governments purging their societies of individuals who have been exposed to "undesirable" influences. Two that come to mind are Stalin's USSR and Hitler's Germany. There are many, many more. To quote Eli Wiesel, "When we say "Never again," what does it mean?" Our government says it will NEVER let anything like Stalin's purges happen here. Well, it has and it continues. My daughter took the attached photo outside of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. . . We have served and continue to serve for all the right reasons - duty, honor, country, selfless service, being part of something greater than oneself, etc. Our government chooses to ignore our honorable service because of the extreme actions of less than a handful of misguided servicemembers. So, here we are in the 21st century, being stigmatized and going down the same road as those historical examples. It seems evident that our government HAS NOT learned the lessons of history.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 2:51 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 14:51:50 -0500

Response by SCPO Jason McLaughlin made Feb 5 at 2016 3:17 PM

SCPO Jason McLaughlin — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 15:17:28 -0500

I have posted the excerpts regarding veterans from the paper that everyone is talking about. I do not see the issue that everybody is so up in arms about.

— (U//FOUO) Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are
attractive to rightwing extremists. DHS/I&A is concerned that rightwing
extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to
boost their violent capabilities.

(U) Disgruntled Military Veterans
(U//FOUO) DHS/I&A assesses that rightwing extremists will attempt to recruit and radicalize returning veterans in order to exploit their skills and knowledge derived from military training and combat. These skills and knowledge have the potential to boost the capabilities of extremists—including lone wolves or small terrorist cells—to carry out violence. The willingness of a small percentage of military personnel to join extremist groups during the 1990s because they were disgruntled, disillusioned, or suffering from the psychological effects of war is being replicated today.
— (U) After Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-1991, some returning military veterans—including Timothy McVeigh—joined or associated with rightwing extremist groups.
— (U) A prominent civil rights organization reported in 2006 that “large numbers
of potentially violent neo-Nazis, skinheads, and other white supremacists are now learning the art of warfare in the [U.S.] armed forces.”
— (U//LES) The FBI noted in a 2008 report on the white supremacist movement
that some returning military veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have joined extremist groups.

Response by MG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 5 at 2016 3:48 PM

MG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 15:48:54 -0500

That has not been my experience thus far. I am very fortunate that the broad majority of my encounters with the public are very positive.

Response by Lt Col Stephen Petzold made Feb 5 at 2016 4:16 PM

Lt Col Stephen Petzold — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 16:16:42 -0500

Have not seen this type of thing, but what you all really need to be watching out for is what is going on in Britain right now with their OIF vets. The British government has set up an abuse commission that has hired private lawyers to go after the vets for criminal and civil suits. These private law firms have hired an Iraqi that goes around the country looking for Iraqis who are willing to say that their rights were violate by British soldiers. The lawyers then take the info and file criminal and/or civil charges against the vets. If they did not say "Stop, I am a British soldier and I am going to shoot" before shooting someone, then the Iraqi family can sue them in a British court for wrongful death, pain and suffering, etc., and the British gov will pay for the Iraqi's legal costs to sue. It would be easy to see some activist lawyers here in the States catching on to this and trying to do something similar here.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Feb 5 at 2016 7:18 PM

CPT Pedro Meza — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 19:18:05 -0500

Think Timothy James McVeigh, and face it there are potential for crazy every where. My Smoke dector is watching me.

Response by CPO Curtiss Hill made Feb 5 at 2016 8:45 PM

CPO Curtiss Hill — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 20:45:22 -0500

This goes back to 2009 when Janet Napolitano listed returning war veterans, along with terrorists, as a threat to the U.S. She also linked returning war veterans with “rightwing extremism,” which include groups opposed to abortion and immigration.

Response by PFC Cole Teeter made Feb 5 at 2016 9:17 PM

PFC Cole Teeter — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 21:17:46 -0500

The FBI came knocking on my door, to ask me questions about guys I knew fighting isis in iraq/syria.Not just Joe blow either,the Memphis area director!It felt like an interrogation to me,like I was a homegrown terrorist.I was at my father's house,he's a former marine sniper,and I'm an army infantryman w a deployment to afghanistan.Didnt make a shit to them,treated me like I was hadji!Then right before they left advised me of the dangers of traveling to Iraq to fight isis.Gave me a little pamphlet,and ask me to call them if I decided to go,since it is not illegal.Fuckin freaky man!!

Response by AN Wayne Lambert made Feb 5 at 2016 9:44 PM

AN Wayne Lambert — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 21:44:41 -0500

fuckem

Response by SGT Barry Third made Feb 5 at 2016 11:07 PM

SGT Barry Third — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 23:07:12 -0500

I really doubt this is a true story,

Response by SFC Benjamin Varlese made Feb 6 at 2016 2:46 AM

SFC Benjamin Varlese — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 02:46:44 -0500

There is a current narrative in this country that has been perpetuated since 2009 in which veterans as well as other conservative entities are deemed a greater threat than religious extremists heralding from abroad. The OKC bombing and those two meth heads in Vegas about a year ago, and some nutter-butter old guy hiding in the CO mountains are touted as the new norm instead of disenfranchised and radicalized youths or sleepers from a despotic death cult. So because of this narrative, the DHS is working now with social justice warriors from the Southern Poverty Law Center to combat this new threat posed by veterans and other conservative entities; so we will ignore the 7-10% of 1.6 billion people who think beheading, rape, and other acts of violence in the name of intolerance and oppression just like we did from 1933-1939 because that worked out so well globally last time.
Also if you are still in, mind what you say in forums such as this about '44'; like him or not he is your CinC and it will get you in hot water. The bobble-heads are everywhere and your career will suffer so tighten up the verbal shot group and reduce the minute-of-barn-door shotgun statements.

Response by SGT Michael Bond made Feb 6 at 2016 1:52 PM

SGT Michael Bond — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 13:52:30 -0500

We all know that ya come back with memories akin to living with a demon. But as a whole good citizens. This is witch hunting! Maybe a over abundance of truthfull dislike being put into words doesn't sit well with them. Along with the loss of teenage attitude and joy a warrior loses trust for family jobs friends, it is not terrorist it's just caution coming out in words. They fear the warrior needlessly.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Feb 6 at 2016 4:18 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sat, 06 Feb 2016 16:18:00 -0500

I am truly sad to hear that. How many have come back from Wars before them with Mental and Physical Scars. That doesn't necessarily make them, Violent. It doesn't necessarily make them Dangerous. Just Human Beings that need to work through some issues. I have met several recent returnees with some form of PTSD and only one ever really concerned me. He didn't stay with the company long enough though for me to have many in-depth talks with him.

Response by SPC James Dollins made Feb 7 at 2016 2:39 PM

SPC James Dollins — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 14:39:49 -0500

Part of me thinks that the idea they will be targeting veterans just because, is ludicrous! I'm pretty sure if they are looking at a veteran, there will probably be a good reason. I know most of you probably don't agree, but that's my take. I think there are bigger fish to fry because of a handful of vets that are disgruntled.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 7 at 2016 4:45 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 16:45:28 -0500

No! It is a kne-jerk reaction, that perpetuates myths, while civilians escape that scrutiny.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 8 at 2016 4:13 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 08 Feb 2016 16:13:22 -0500

I honestly think that this was brought into the internet by the tin foil hats group. However, noting that this operation is 100% started in the current POTUS administration and the legacy his first AG actions, in congress, with Fast and Furious, and the IRS scandal, I think this could be in cohort to go after all those people reflecting a right aisle point of view. Too many coincidences....

Response by LTC Chuck Pelto made Dec 19 at 2017 8:36 AM

LTC Chuck Pelto — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 08:36:17 -0500

RE: A 'Pattern of Behavior'

This sort of conduct on the part of the Obama administration—the targeting of military veterans—can be seen throughout the federal government. Obama and the Democratic Party as a whole, consider the military veteran a 'threat to national security'.

'Why', becomes the question.

Anyone with the proper 'intelligence' and good training, e.g., the US Army's Command and General Staff Course, with particular emphasis on the phase known as 'Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield' (IPB), can (1) collect the 'dots', (2) connect the 'dots' and (3) see the 'Big Picture'.

And it ain't pretty.

From the looks of it, these people consider us a threat because we all took the oath to "uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign AND domestic". That seems to be the reason they fear all of us. And why they are taking such extreme measures to track and suppress our abilities to abide by our oath, whether we're still active or worse, retired.