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LTC Vindman retires, was he right or wrong? What about the second and third order effects?
Aside from the usually partisan (and superficial) comments regarding LTC (R) Vindman, is there a lesson to be learned here? We had a sitting US senator holding up promotion for 1000 senior officers to allow for his promotion. Whistleblowing. Polarizing politics and the politicalization of the military seems to be here for the duration. While the retired could easily just take pot shots from Ft. Living Room, here's my question. How can currently serving members truly remain apolitical? In a world where one callus post can end your career, use some judgment if you elect to weigh in. Was he right? Would you have done the same? Was he dead wrong?
Aside from the usually partisan (and superficial) comments regarding LTC (R) Vindman, is there a lesson to be learned here? We had a sitting US senator holding up promotion for 1000 senior officers to allow for his promotion. Whistleblowing. Polarizing politics and the politicalization of the military seems to be here for the duration. While the retired could easily just take pot shots from Ft. Living Room, here's my question. How can currently serving members truly remain apolitical? In a world where one callus post can end your career, use some judgment if you elect to weigh in. Was he right? Would you have done the same? Was he dead wrong?
ar-BB17s1rL
Posted from msn.com
Lessons Learned
Political Correctness
Congress
COL
Social Media
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 285
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90% wrong. He was right in his convictions, wrong in his interpretation an, more importantly, execution. His actions afterwards are also wrong.
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SPC Mark Marquette
CPL Kenneth Servello Jr - Of course, YOU KNOW, being inside his head?
At a very high-level responsiblity, involving "national security, NOT "presidential ego"!
At a very high-level responsiblity, involving "national security, NOT "presidential ego"!
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Vindman violated Articles 88 and 94 of the UCMJ, at the very least. He was 100% wrong, and should be tried for his crimes.
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Guilty of perjury according to his own book. Probably violated Official Secrets Act. He should have been tried, not allowed to retire.
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1st Lt Mark Marshall
With all due respect, when I last checked we all took an oath to the Country and Constitution not the person in the office. I understand that leadership is complex but we who have taken on that mission must do so with the utmost integrity and sincerity. I would not allow nor suggest to a ranking peer to take the desires of a man in office over the virtue of the office or the nation’s stability. This is not a popularity contest where favor wavers from office occupant to office occupant. If you don’t wish to take on the higher mission of leading then do not occupy the rank or office we have better men that will and can do the job. I respect the man and his decision to answer to a higher authority, ( the office ) instead of the man.
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From my personal point of view: Commissioned Officers in our U.S. Military serve at the pleasure of a President...the "Commander in Chief." LTC Vindman was welcome to run his concerns up his immediate chain of command. Regardless of HOW he was pulled into controversy of a Presidential Impeachment...strolling into Congress in full uniform while on Active Duty to testify against a sitting President did NOT sit well with a great number of service members who saw his act as visibly against the principles we work for. He opened himself up to the spotlight of public opinion which was not favorable, ultimately paying a price for that act (removal from promotion - reassignment - and retirement). Legal pundits will argue the 'rightness' of his actions until the end of time, but the lesson here (for any astute observer) is to stay in your lane and out of politics!
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SPC Mark Marquette
Yeah, if you''re afraid to stand up for right. This Pres is already out-of-office, dead pretty soon, I'd guess; and, you all hold HIM up as your standard, your purpose. Did you even TAKE the Oath?!
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COL John Hudson
Thank you for the benefit of your personal (political) opinion. I stand by mine. And YES, for the record, I did "take the oath." Please re-read my comment above = "...serve at the pleasure of "A" President" referring to anyone who occupies that Office at anytime. "Commander In Chief" means exactly that, and that position has the legal authority to remove or reassign any Commissioned Officer for cause.
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SPC Mark Marquette
ANYTRHING done "at the pleasure of this President" would most likely be criminal! Everything he DOES is!
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SPC Mark Marquette
Trump removed EVERYONE who disagreed or showed less that utter loyalty - all WELL documented! Vindman stood up for his COUNTRY, not the abortion somehow squeezed into that role.
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I believe he lost sight of his overall role, got his feelings hurt and decided to draw an ounce of revenge. I believe he forgot that the President IS foreign relations. In the end, none of my business.
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SSG Carlos Garcia
Lost sight of his overall role? More like, he sold his soul the "devil" and his political demagogues at the Pentagon.
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PO1 Kevin Dougherty
He was a liar, not a hero, he eventually admitted he had no first hand knowledge and made things up.
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CPL Robert Daudelin
Hero in what way? He was nothing more than a stooge and useful idiot for those whom wish our nation harm. Fascists indeed. Leave the 20th Century behind
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I believe the LTC was wrong. He said he reported it because he "thought" the investigation into Joe Biden and his son was "quid pro quo". He said he did it out of a sense of duty. If Trump wasn't so hated, or if it were Biden on the call, the LTC's concern would have been squashed immediately. There's too many things that if it weren't Trump, it'd be fine. Or the opposite, if Trump or Trump Jr had done the things the Biden's have done, there'd be blood in the streets. Also, no one (to my knowledge) brought up the concern that LTC Vindman is a naturalized citizen of Ukrainian birth and perhaps that played into it.
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SPC Mark Marquette
Garbage arguments! How many Purple Hearts do YOU have? The man served homourably IN COMBAT Screw off with the "foreign birth" BS!
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It cost him his Full Bird and rightly so. One of the worst things you can have in your chain of command is Senior or subordinate officers second guesting the Commander Chief. Sometimes learning that the hard way can cause you to lose lives. All of us know officers or NCOs sidestepping the chain of command bread disrespect and causes chaos. When you serve at the leisure of your commander and if you disagree. What do you do? Put in for a transfer. You do not Sabotage his command. https://youtu.be/Cq693K6GEaw
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SPC Mark Marquette
"Second-guessing"?! Trump was doing subversive, illegal activities! And, if not for the GOP robot cronies who wouldn't charge him, Rump got away with all the same shit his Party does! Over and over, so many of you here really appear to have taken - NOT the oath to the Constitution, the Country, and swore allegiance to their cult-figure! And blindly follow him, believe every lie he s pouts... Three years in the Army told me all I need to know about military: rigid, "do not think" virtually beaten into them - by training, not pummeling! scarey place with so much physical, et al power, and no brains to use it wisely, for the PEOPLE, not the tyrant!
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SGT J M Porters
One of the greatest things about being an SPC very seldom do you master anything. Two things I admired about President Trump were #1 when he walked down the steps and his family was behind him. I knew there had to be something behind him because it is hard to get all your kids to do anything together as a father. There is always one that goes left when you say go right. 2ndly President Trump said America would not continue to pay the bulk of NATO. All other nations would have to pay their fair share. Remember President Trump was our Commander Chief. And what you say against the chain of command puts you in an unpromotable position. Loose lips still sink ships.
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