Army investigating uniformed soldiers who appeared in DNC roll-call vote

| August 20, 2020


Aliitama Sotoa and Petti Matila of American Samoa speak during the state roll-call vote on the second night of the Democratic National Convention with two uniformed members of the military.AP

Under DOD Directive 1344.10, members of the armed forces who are on active duty are permitted to express their personal opinions on political candidates, make a monetary contribution to a campaign, sign a petition to place a candidate’s name on the ballot, and attend a political event as a spectator. Members on active duty may not participate in partisan activities such as soliciting or engaging in partisan fundraiser activities, serving as the sponsor of a partisan club, or speaking before a partisan gathering. In addition, all military members, including National Guard and Reserve forces, are prohibited from wearing military uniforms at political campaign events.

Our own ninja sends.

By Emily Jacobs

The Army announced it has launched an investigation into how two uniformed soldiers appeared on camera during the televised roll-call vote at the Democratic National Convention.

The two service members, who are assigned to the Army Reserve’s 9th Mission Support Command, raised concerns that they had violated Defense Department rules after they were seen standing with delegates from American Samoa during the state roll call.

The Pentagon strictly forbids uniformed personnel from appearing at political engagements as part of its longstanding effort to keep the military as apolitical as possible.

Both soldiers were in their camouflage uniforms and black masks as two delegates from the territory announced their votes for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

In a statement to The Post on Thursday, Lt. Col. Emanuel Ortiz confirmed the investigation, saying, “Wearing a uniform to a partisan political event like this is prohibited.

“The Army follows the Department of Defense’s longstanding and well-defined policy regarding political campaigns and elections to avoid the perception of DoD sponsorship, approval or endorsement of any political candidate, campaign or cause.”

DOD Directive 1344.10, “Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces” is a lawful general regulation. Violations of this Directive by persons subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice are punishable under Article 92, “Failure to Obey Order or Regulation” which reads,

“Any person subject to this chapter who—:

(1) violates any lawful general order or regulation;

(2) having knowledge of any other lawful order issued by a member of the armed forces and fails to obey the order; or
(3) is derelict in the performance of his duties;

shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”

Been a while since I put on my sea-lawyer hat, and this seems pretty cut-and-dried. Read the entire article here: New York Post and here: Military Times

Thanks, ninja.

Category: "Teh Stoopid", Army News, Biden, Guest Link

46 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Club Manager, USA retired

My guess at the time is there were ROTC being used as props. I’ve been to American Samoa and no military there. Food semi-sucked, snorkeling and diving were great. Cheap booze. People were okay, they tolerate Haloes because we spend the Yankee Dollar.

Commissar

What currency do you think anyone would spend there? They are part of the United States.

Poetrooper

There you go being needlessly snotty, ass-hat. All he was saying was that like lots of folks who live in tourist destinations, they tolerate the tourists because of the money they bring in. Having lived in several such places I know the feeling.

Don’t you EVER get tired of being a jerk?

HMCS(FMF) ret

It’s genetic with Lars… can’t break the code.

Thunderstixx

There are several recent studies talking about junk DNA being detrimental to humans in many different ways…..
Seems like old larsy-boi was the recipient of the majority of it in his double helix assembly code !!!!

A Proud Infidel®™

The Gene pool Lifeguard was on break when Major Moonbat jumped in!

SFC D

He’s from the shallow end of the gene pool.

The Other Whitey

And he damn near drowned anyway!

AdamsSamoa

I do not believe that Club Manager, USA has ever been to American Samoa… 1) It is not a tourist destination. 2) They use the U.S. Dollar, as it is a U.S. territory. 3) Booze is very expensive… The best place to get it is at the PX. 3)there are hardly any beaches.. It is mostly Volcanic Rock with very violent surf. 4) And yes… there is U.S. military there. Haloes is Hawaian… Off islanders are Palongies in AS. I find it funny to have a faker on a stolen valor site.. As far as the two Soldiers on the video, I heard that they were told it was going to be a COVID 19 Public Service Announcement.

Claw

I believe your last sentence. Still, someone in a supervisory capacity told them to be there. That’s who should get the ass-chewing, the “supervisor” who issued the order, whether they be military or civilian.

Club Manager, USA retired

First let me begin by saying Well Ain’t That Nice Adams Samoa with apologies to the Chaplin. We flew from Ohau to American Samoa, probably in 70.
don’t recall if it was Space A but more than likely on Lady Bird’s airline. Stood in the Rainmaker Hotel, the only hotel on the island. A Navy P-3 crashed into it in April 1980. Snorkeling in the water in front the hotel was great. I swam the short distance to the reef and at the edge looked down and because the water was so clear could see infinity. No sales tax there and the Tanqueray Gin was dirt cheap. You don’t know me asshole but at 78 with three successful careers I’ve been to 80 countries and have no need to bullshit anyone.

AdamsSamoa

So you have been there… and you know that there is military there

MSG Eric

You were there 50 YEARS ago and think it’s still like that there?

Even in the 80s when I was in high school we were being told that things like alcohol were “expensive” in Samoa. So perhaps when you were there it was quite different. Now is very different from then.

Oh, did you know Elvis? lol

Andy11M

I don’t think they are ROTC, those look like sham shields on their uniforms, and I haven’t seen video of it yet, so no way to ID a unit patch. Either way, dumb move, even as a cherry Pvt I knew and understood the concept that politics and the uniform did not go together.

A Proud Infidel®™

At first I thought they might be “Dots”, but a closer look reveals that they’re sporting “Sham Shields” on their chests, the guy on the left complete with a “Bullwinkle” (Air Assault badge).

11B-Mailclerk

Dot or Feathers?

MSG Eric

There are two companies of the 100th battalion / 442nd infantry regiment in Samoa as part of the Army Reserve presence.

https://www.dvidshub.net/news/319825/american-samoas-expansion-army-reserve-establishes-pacific-stronghold

“Go for Broke!”

Combat Historian

It’s cut-and-dried if they had appeared at the GOP convention. Since it was at a demonrat convention, this will be hushed up and both will receive bonus points at their next promotion boards. Double standards and Deep State and all that…

Commissar

Stop trying to make up stories about a double standard that does not exist.

They are being investigated. Just as they would have been if they were present for an RNC event.

Sarge

Stup trying tu meke-a up sturies ibuout a duouble-a stuonderd zeet dues nut ixist.

Zeey ire-a beeng infestigeted. Juost is zeey vuould hefe-a bee-a iff zeey vere-a present fur un RNC ifent. Bork Bork Bork!

That’s what I heard.

Commissar's lower oricifice

Behold my noxious emanations!!!

MarineDad61

You mean, like Assagore…
in this JoKamel (Joe Camel, or Joe/Kamala) bit?

Check the other characters.. and the children’s toys!
lol

Combat Historian

The Double Standard flows everywhere and permeates everything, Lars. You know it; you just don’t want to talk about it…

Poetrooper

There’s no double standard for Democrats.

There’s no media bias.

Antifa is not an organization.

BLM is not communist.

Neither is Communist China.

National Socialists were not socialists.

Those are all absolute “truths” known to Lars.

11B-Mailclerk

He knows so much that isn’t so.

And to think that he saw it on Mulberry Street.

Hack Stone

Hillary Clinton did mishandle classified material, but she did not intend to mishandle classified material, and no “reasonable prosecutor” would pursue charges. Yep, no double standards.

TheCloser

You need to have standards in order to have double standards. Standards are for anyone that gets in the way of the leftists..

Sapper3307

I thought they were just two (2) trees behind the big momma.

2banana

Shouldn’t be too hard of an investigation.

They got name tapes on.

E4 Mafia '83-'87

I watched it real time, and was like “Whoa, whoa, whoa…I know that ain’t kosher”. The DNC says “Oops…our bad…oversight” which might be true, but those two service members should have damn well known. I bet they virtue signaled to their friends on FB/IG/Twitter until someone pointed out they screwed the pooch. Not sorry.

Its been a long time since I wore the uniform, but I knew that was not going to fly especially after that female went off on pro-Trump/Police rally. Getting woke has its consequences.

Claw

Give them a good ass-chewing or a Letter of Astonishment (as CSM Randolph used to call them) and move on.

MustangCryppie

Letter of Astonishment! Now THAT is funny!

Reminds me of the looks on some Sailors faces when they heard the words, “Reduction in Rate” at Captain’s Mast.

And they were REALLY astonished when the old man busted them down TWO ranks!

MSG Eric

The thing is, I doubt they were “placed” there of their own volition. Someone else thought this was a good idea and decided to toss them to the wolves. (Even if that person is non-military)

M. Bibliophile

I know for a damn fact that we had to endure a 45 minute presentation from the Army’s political office during drill a little while back. Some jokes involving commissars may have been made. Repeatedly.

While the whole thing could have been summed up in five words (“no electioneering while in uniform”), this kind of behavior was explicitly called out. These two should catch Hell, but I suspect they won’t.

MustangCryppie

What’s a sham shield?

Signed

Curious Squid

Claw

Army Specialist (E-4) insignia.

Combat Historian

Subdued Specialist rank insignia worn as a rank patch on the front of the current Army fatigue jacket…

MustangCryppie

Thanks to the both of you, Claw and CH.

MCPO USN

Command Private Major patch

5th/77th FA

Tramp Stamp of the E-4 Mafia!

26Limabeans

At first glance I thought the two civilians were Kamala and Joe
on vacation at Obamas beach front home.

Slow Joe

Back in the olde days, the E-4 mafia wouldn’t have let two illustrious members to show up on national TV wearing their name tape.

Hack Stone

Cut them some slack. This is the only way that the Democrats would allow an appearance of an American flag at their convention.

Anonymous

Otherwise, it would have to be on fire, trampled or in the trash.

Anonymous

Just sayin’… they: