Posted on Apr 2, 2021
The military has long had an extremism problem. What will it do now to finally solve it?
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Deep in the North Carolina woods, the men trained at night for what they called "seek out and destroy" missions.
They fought each other in hand-to-hand combat, running drills at a bucolic encampment near Fort Bragg. Glenn Miller, an ex-Green Beret, ran the place. Wiry and mustached, the Vietnam veteran paced its grounds in fatigues.
A smooth talker, Miller used his contacts in the Army to draw dozens of active-duty military personnel from Bragg, one of the largest US military installations in the world, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
It was the early 1980s and the Vietnam War was over. But Miller tapped into a burning resentment within some soldiers, not only worn down from battles overseas but from ostracization back home.
Once Miller had their ear, he'd spit fire about how Blacks and Jews were the downfall of the country -- a nation weakened by liberalism and the Civil Rights Movement that threatened the White man's perch. Come join my "special forces," he appealed to his recruits, claiming that together they would create an all-White utopia by waging a race war and toppling the US government.
They fought each other in hand-to-hand combat, running drills at a bucolic encampment near Fort Bragg. Glenn Miller, an ex-Green Beret, ran the place. Wiry and mustached, the Vietnam veteran paced its grounds in fatigues.
A smooth talker, Miller used his contacts in the Army to draw dozens of active-duty military personnel from Bragg, one of the largest US military installations in the world, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
It was the early 1980s and the Vietnam War was over. But Miller tapped into a burning resentment within some soldiers, not only worn down from battles overseas but from ostracization back home.
Once Miller had their ear, he'd spit fire about how Blacks and Jews were the downfall of the country -- a nation weakened by liberalism and the Civil Rights Movement that threatened the White man's perch. Come join my "special forces," he appealed to his recruits, claiming that together they would create an all-White utopia by waging a race war and toppling the US government.
The military has long had an extremism problem. What will it do now to finally solve it?
Posted from cnn.com
Vietnam War
Fort Liberty
Camp Lejeune
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 9
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I'm certain he didn't express those attitudes openly while he was active duty so I disagree that "the military" had an extremism problem. Not saying it was all pink glasses and flowers but it was rarer than media would have us think.
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MAJ Matthew Arnold
Exactly. Saying there are extremists, and saying that the army has an extremist problem are two very different things.
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SSG John Jensen
a side comment to one of your side comments - during the Civil War the Navy had Steam Tugboats, all of them were named after flowers - so there was a USS Pansy! - check out the Heroism of the USS Dandelion!
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LTC Joe Anderson
MAJ Matthew Arnold - Looking for extremism and racism as if it were/is prevalent throughout the Services, and RP members referring to other members as QAnon, racists… Simply because they don’t agree with other members opinions or politics. Is a sign of the times, VERY disrespectful, assigns political camps regardless of one’s actual politics, shows a lack of intelligence, and a lack of knowledge on our countries history in comparison to current events. Service and RP members accusing other members of being extremist spreads the lie that the military is satiated with extremists and racist.
Some Service and some RP members justify this falsehood because they know of a few racist, extremist... who served. In the Military we were and are one, we were and are "Brothers in Arms." Were there a few bad apples and racist serving? Yes. But most of us are and were brothers and would give our lives for each other without thought. That's not the act of extremist or racist. The media would have the public believe the military has long had an extremism problem, simply for rating and a disintegration of trust in those of us who serve.
Some Service and some RP members justify this falsehood because they know of a few racist, extremist... who served. In the Military we were and are one, we were and are "Brothers in Arms." Were there a few bad apples and racist serving? Yes. But most of us are and were brothers and would give our lives for each other without thought. That's not the act of extremist or racist. The media would have the public believe the military has long had an extremism problem, simply for rating and a disintegration of trust in those of us who serve.
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LTC Joe Anderson
"The military has long had an extremism problem." I find this subject line insulting. Most ALL the men and women I served with are Patriots. Not the few extremist and racist we see garnering way to much attention today.
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This topic hits on a pet peeve of mine on here; looking for extremism and racism as if it were/is prevalent throughout the Services, and RP members referring to other members as QAnon, racists… Simply because they don’t agree with other members opinions or politics. They justify this falsehood because they know of a few racist, extremist... who served. It’s a sign of the times, but VERY disrespectful, assigns political camps regardless of one’s actual politics, shows a lack of intelligence, and a lack of knowledge on our countries history in comparison to current events. Service and RP members accusing other members of being extremist spreads the lie that the military is satiated with extremists and racist.
In the Military we were and are one, we were and are "Brothers in Arms." Were there a few bad apples and racist serving? Yes. But most of us are and were brothers and would give our lives for each other without thought. That's not the act of extremist or racist. This sentiment you posted gives power to a small group of individuals that do nothing but bring dishonor to the Military, and spreads disinformation on extremism in our ranks. Saying the military has long had an extremism problem insult the majority of us who serve/served with honor and solely want/wanted to protect our country. Saying the military has long had an extremism problem insinuates the military is saturated with extremist and bigots. I find that insulating.
The current QAnon and racist accusation I see on here by some members bothers me deeply. It's slanderous and divisive and does nothing but cause arguments rather than civil dialog or debate. Read the QAnon theory (only idiots would believe and follow that ideology (Most extremist and bigots are idiots)), afterwards if you still believe the military is saturated with extremist and racist who think this way or think like supremacist then there is nothing I can say or write that would bring you back to center.
In the Military we were and are one, we were and are "Brothers in Arms." Were there a few bad apples and racist serving? Yes. But most of us are and were brothers and would give our lives for each other without thought. That's not the act of extremist or racist. This sentiment you posted gives power to a small group of individuals that do nothing but bring dishonor to the Military, and spreads disinformation on extremism in our ranks. Saying the military has long had an extremism problem insult the majority of us who serve/served with honor and solely want/wanted to protect our country. Saying the military has long had an extremism problem insinuates the military is saturated with extremist and bigots. I find that insulating.
The current QAnon and racist accusation I see on here by some members bothers me deeply. It's slanderous and divisive and does nothing but cause arguments rather than civil dialog or debate. Read the QAnon theory (only idiots would believe and follow that ideology (Most extremist and bigots are idiots)), afterwards if you still believe the military is saturated with extremist and racist who think this way or think like supremacist then there is nothing I can say or write that would bring you back to center.
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Not sure it will ever happen. There will always be a fringe element, seen or unseen.
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