How to Root Out Extremism in the US Military – By Heather Williams (Defense One) / Feb 1 2021
Start by figuring out how pervasive the problem is.
The long-simmering problem of extremists among U.S. military personnel boiled over on Jan. 6, when people serving in the military and veterans were among those who stormed the U.S. Capitol Building. The Justice Department is working to hold these individuals accountable, and those actively in the service may face military prosecution. But the military also has to tackle the underlying issues at play and do more to understand and address extremism in the service.
At a strategic level, the military is fighting this battle blind. Only two studies have been commissioned to look at this problem specifically — one in the active-duty Army and one in the Air National Guard — and both are more than two decades old. Like sexual harassment, extremism among the troops may not be reported; its pervasiveness may not be evident until one goes looking
There are hints the military is starting to pay attention again. After a Military Times survey of active-duty troops suggested that white supremacy and extremism on the rise, respected former leaders — among them, Marine commandant-turned-national security adviser James Jones — called on the Pentagon to do more. In December, a Defense Department report on diversity issues called for more effectively prohibiting extremist and hate group activity and expanding the Uniform Code of Military Justice to address it. A DoD plan of action with specific milestones is expected at the end of June.
Defense leaders say there is zero tolerance for extremism in the military. DoD-wide and service-specific policies in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps already prohibit extremist activity. And extremism is intrinsically contrary to good order and discipline of military units: effective military leaders should naturally be opposed to individuals who seek to subjugate classes of people, disrespect the rule of law, espouse hatred, and isolate themselves from their communities. But establishing policies and enforcing them are two different things.
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