Do you believe that these West Point first classman are violating the UCMJ by making a political statement while in uniform?

This fist thing seems to be going around West Point.

This gets to one of my favorite topics: are young men and women at the Service Academies part of the Armed Forces? I've never understood the logic of having cadets be subjected to the UCMJ, paid by the military, etc, etc but not counting their service for things like retirement and pay. Before we address the question here about this photo, we need to resolve the bigger question.

For the record, I don't find that there is a UCMJ violation here, of any sort.

That article doesn't make any sense. First, it gives no source as to why he thinks the picture is related to BLM. But also, he stated that the group had been addressing the issue behind closed doors to senior officers. What does that mean? I doubt any cadets were having meetings with senior officers to discuss police brutality. And if they were having discussions behind closed doors about racism at WP, isn't that exactly the venue they should be doing it? And lastly, his description of the goals of BLM is total bullshit.

COL Sam Russell - See some cadets doing a goofy pose. OK... let's address that 500-lb gorilla: They're all black women and some have a raised fist. Where's the violation?! We see what we want. Maybe the pic has been taken out of text? Could they all be signing the international sign language letter "a" for "Army?" (Poignantly, the pic is directly in front of the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic.)

They all should be dropped from the rolls and sent home with a BCD. They do this in the active military and publicly disgrace those who perform a similar action. If they are to be kept, graduated and commissioned, a permanent GO reprimand should be placed in their files and never be promoted. The regulations apply to them as well, use it on them. This is why the discipline in the service is at a shit level. Every competent or so called competent leader is afraid of their own shadow. They hide behind the political system cowering to the ignorance of society.

I see nothing... I just hope when they graduate... they are humble and appreciative.

I don't see any actions that violate the DOD Directive quoted in that opinion piece. The writer's opinion is nothing more than that....an opinion.

No. BLM is an activist "movement". They have no set leadership, no set chapters, and most of the time when someone "claims" BLM they're NOT BLM. Had BLM been a political party, or an arm of a political party THEN yes they would clearly be in violation. "Soldier of Steel" if this is who I think it is, he should just go away and be quiet. He had no issues complaining in uniform about not making SFC and how bad the Army was since he did what he "thought" was "required" to make rank. He got out. I've been kicked down SO hard, I thought down was up! I had REAL NCO's who grabbed my collar, slapped me at parade rest, and practiced PLF's in my ass. Those NCO's made me stay the course and NOT QUIT. So maybe in this situation this "Soldier of Steel" is actually a "Soldier of Weakness or fortune". NCO's know good and damn well that not everyone will make it to the SNCO ranks. It's a fact of life. Do we quit and say "fuck it" I don't want to play anymore? Hells naw. Put your damn pride in your pocket, readjust your damn attitude, and figure out how to help someone ELSE make it where you couldn't. I don't blame anyone BUT myself for not making it, and I DAMN sure won't make videos stating otherwise. Are these the future leaders we want leading our troops? HELLS YEAH. They stayed the course, saw it to the end, and will graduate and continue on leading until either they reach the end of their contracts, or retire with dignity.

BTW "Soldier of Steel"....those "Ladies" in that picture are SOLDIERS. Maybe you should learn basic terms and realize that they fucking EARNED that right to be called SOLDIERS! Get over yourself clown.

I suspect they'll be walking penalty tours until graduation. That being said...
I don't buy the comparison of a black person's raised fist to that of a Nazi salute. I hate comparisons to Nazis or Hitler, as not even Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge stacked up to the systematic mass extermination that the Nazis exacted. Perhaps only Josef Stalin rises to that level. A raised fist by a group of black women on the threshold of graduation from USMA--no comparison.
I also hate the comparison with a bunch of white southerners with a rebel flag or kkk hoods. One represents anti-union, pro-slavery sentiments that resulted in 650,000 American deaths, the other has at times been an American terrorist organization bent on subjugating a race of people through murder, intimidation, and denial of rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. BLM, BP, BLA, as offensive as those groups may be to some, they are not in the same infamous league as the Confederate Army or the KKK.
I could be wrong, but I don't believe the DoD or DoA have classified a black raised fist as a racist symbol. I also doubt the USMA administration could show intent of either a political statement, or a racist statement. About the only thing they could hold these women accountable for is bringing discredit to the Academy. In the politically charged environment that is this election year, there is no way the current executive administration would tolerate USMA or DoD denying every African American female senior at USMA from graduating or being commissioned.
Not gonna happen. Nor should it.
There is a great learning opportunity here for these women, and I am sure that the USMA administration will bring that lesson home. In the end, these women will be better officers for it.

COL Sam Russell this is tough but after sitting on this for a day I'd say the photo merits punishment. Though imagine the PR issues USMA will deal with if and when they do hand down a punishment...especially if these ladies do not graduate on time in a few weeks.