Specialist Jesse Thorsen officially reprimanded
Specialist Jesse Thorsen a Reservist in the 402d Sapper Company in Des Moines, you remember the guy who took to the stage and endorsed Ron Paul, giving the audience the impression that members of the military endorsed Ron Paul. Well, he was officially reprimanded, according to The Hill;
“The investigating officer found that Spc. Thorsen was in violation of DoD Directives and Instructions when, while in military uniform but not on any duty status, he participated in a partisan political rally and made a speech advocating for a partisan political candidate while in uniform, and received a reprimand that has been placed in Spc. Thorsen’s Official Military Personnel File,” the Army Reserve said in a statement.
Stars & Stripes reports;
Thorsen appeared on an online radio show run by the group Combat Veterans for Ron Paul titled “Language of Liberty,” defending his actions but also saying he cooperated with the Army’s investigation.
“The Army works for Congress,” he said during the show. “If a Congressman invites you up on stage, doesn’t he have the right to do that?
“Why can’t a combat veteran go up on stage and support a presidential candidate in his best suit, which is his American uniform?”
Well, Specialist, now you know why you can’t. Stars and Stripes says that it was initially reported that he is a corporal, but apparently he wasn’t. So, according to them, he hasn’t been demoted. But, I went back to the video and because that stupid CNN ticker is in the way, this is the only screenshot I could get of his rank, and it doesn’t look to me that he’s wearing specialist rank on his blouse;
I don’t know, but you look at the video and tell me it’s about at :50. It looks like he’s wearing corporal rank to me. So, 1) he was busted, or 2) he was wearing improper rank. I vote for 2. What is it with these Ron Paul guys that they think the rules don’t apply to them?
Thanks to Chief Tango for the link.
Category: Ron Paul
Definitally corporal rank to me.
When he turns to his right, and I see that nasty tattoo on his neck, I absolutely cringe. What a schmuck.
If memory serves, and if the regs are the same……Corporal was a unit level, lateral promotion. A promotion that could be bestowed or removed on the whim of the CO.
CI…unless it was a DA promotion, which was more rare. My question is what the hell is wrong with this guy if he’s spent 10 years in a combat arms unit with multiple deployments and he is still only an E-4? Sounds, to me, that he could possibly be a POS
Jeff: that’s certainly possible. He could also be a former NCO.
However, since he’s a reservist, it’s also possible that he’s served in units where there simply weren’t many E5 vacancies. In a USAR or ARNG unit, getting a promotion generally requires either a vacancy at the next hire grade in your current unit, a transfer to another unit with a vacancy, or a transfer to the IRR.
Based on his demonstrated intellectual prowess here, however, I’d bet on him being a less-than-stellar soldier or a former NCO.
Yeah, that should be “next higher grade” vice “next hire grade” above.
The rule CI cites still stands. Company commanders can knock corporal to specialist administratively. Good for when commander loses confidence in the Soldier’s ability to lead as NCO.
He could try wearing a hoodie next time.
Get a shout out from the Pres and all.
If he’s Guard he could have moved between a billet that requires CPL and a billet that only rates a SPC. The Guard is so Byzantine and bizarre I never really pieced it all together.
Dunno….but, word is, Thorsen got busted back to PVT, E1. Apparently, someone way up in the CoC didn’t take his political stunt none to very well… *cough*
As others have already said, if he wasn’t DA select, in the Reserves anyway, promotion/demotion of SPC4 to CPL is a lateral promotion done at the discretion of the commander.
I went back and forth several times because I bucked the system while deployed. It really only hurt me on my promotion to E5 in that the CSM who knew me, refused to recommend for promotion because I needed a time in service waiver.
A letter of reprimand would be a whole different story though.
Trust me promotions and awards in the NG are hard to come by. I have less awards than a PFC on AD would probably have. As far as this asshat goes he would have hell to pay if he were one of my troops for that kind of stunt. Don’t get me wrong you can hold political beliefs and you can go to political rallies, but you sure as shit can’t go in uniform and if he were wearing the wrong rank…hell would be paid. Lets just say administrative punishment would be the least of his worries.
By the way, he would discover the true meaning of Sapper…he might have to dig a tank ditch by hand…damn shitbird bringing dishonor on the Engineers like that.
@10, SGT Kane, by no way am I trying to say you are full of shit or anything like that but I’ve never heard of a CSM having anything to do with recommending someone for promotion, obviously he is the president of the board and if you go into the board looking like a hot pile of shit he is just going to tell you to fuck off and try again another month but other than that I’ve only seen the 5 1SG’s on the board giving the recommendation.
11 & 12 Good to see you back, Jason.
I remember the good ole white name tape/Fidel Castro hat Army (circa 1963) when you could not take a POV on post (Ft Bragg, Benning, Gordon) if it had ANY political bumper stickers on it.
Just Plain Jason: ditto what Pinto Nag said above. You doin’ OK, amigo?
“The Army works for Congress,”
Um, actually, no they don’t, you dipshit. Congress FUNDS the military, and they rate honors as high civilian officials, but the EXECUTIVE branch, namely the President, is who you fucking work for, you mouth-breathing no-load piece of shit.
For a “true conservative”, you don’t know jack.
I’m doing much better. I have been able to sleep and process some feelings about some stuff. Had some good talks about some issues at group and as my counselor says I’m not letting stuff that isn’t on my leg get to me.
Good deal, JPJ…and Welcome Home, lil bro…Hooah?
Good to hear that, Jason. Let us know if things get rough. Many of us here will be glad to listen if you need to vent to someone outside your normal circle.
I thought spec 4’s were supposed to do dumb things. Put him on KP for a few weeks.
Yes, Speedy-4s often do dumb things. But not things this dumb, CI Roller Dude – this pegged the Bozometer. What this fool did was the equivalent of placing his manhood on the table and hitting it with an 8lb sledgehammer – repeatedly.
I mean, really – it’s bad enough that he was dumb enough to attend the rally in uniform in the first place. But on top of that, he was also a big enough idiot to get up on the platform and speak publicly. And then he was a complete moron and let Fox News interview and film him speaking in uniform on political issues.
Muy, muy estúpido.
#22 “mean, really – it’s bad enough that he was dumb enough to attend the rally in uniform in the first place. But on top of that, he was also a big enough idiot to get up on the platform and speak publicly. And then he was a complete moron and let Fox News interview and film him speaking in uniform on political issues.” I thought it was CNN not Fox.
Those are just two stupids of a triad though. The third is the defense of his actions on the radio, proving he still doesn’t get what is wrong with his actions. What a maroon! heThis guy should be barred from passing his seed to the next generation. Didn’t even have to mention his support of Paul, that would be a fourth stupid.
I remember when this all happened, I was on some of the Paulbot blogs. They all thought that his “free speech” was being violated and that this rule had simply been made up to silence Paul supporters. Nothing could convince them otherwise.
Yeah, Ben – Ron Paul certainly attracts mental giants as supporters, doesn’t he? (smile)
— break —
Cedo: I think you’re off by one, amigo.
1. Intentionally going to the Paul rally in uniform (going in uniform alone violates policy).
2. Getting up on stage and speaking publicly (2nd violation of policy by active participation).
3. Interview with media after speaking publicly at the rally. That’s a third violation of policy (giving a public interview on political issues while in uniform when not authorized to do so as part of official duties). You could well be right about the network being CNN vice Fox; I thought it was Fox, but I was working from memory and it might have been CNN.
By my count, that’s 3 different violations of DoD/DA policy at the rally alone. Later interviews would therefore be Thorsen’s 4th (and subsequent, if repeated) moronic acts.
But he has every right to his zeroth stupid act (supporting Paul in the first place). And – sadly – since he apparently won’t end up in prison for this bit of stupidity, unless he pulls a “Breanna” Manning he’ll probably eventually find some like-minded female fool to breed with.
I was counting 1&2 as one incident or action.
I was also not literally counting up DOD/DA violations but stupid decisions made by this dumbass.
From my recollection of seeing that , it looked as though the POS also had a tongue peircing .
As a Ron Paul fan myself, I think Thorsen is one of the last people I’d want representing me (which he forcibly did by going to the rally un ACUs) because of the tattoo on his neck and the fact that he was wearing a uniform there to begin with. It’s clear, and always has been, that military servicemembers are strictly not allowed to use their service to sway political opinions no matter what. He deserves punishment.
What I wonder, though, is why no one seems to give a damn about how Dakota Meyer used his MoH to gain favor for Rick Perry some months back. I’m assuming it was because he was officially off active duty and in the IRR, but the idea was the same: use his military service to sway political opinions.
Bah Bodenkurk: I’m pretty sure that’s technically permissible if done (1) while out of uniform and clearly as an individual vice as an official representative or spokesman for DoD, and (2) the individual is not serving on active duty. But I agree that it’s in bad taste.
Glad to see the idiot reprimanded, but I’d like to see the DOD send a letter to Congressman Paul about why having a soldier in uniform at a rally is wrong-calling him up on stage to speak is stupid.
Not in uniform is a big difference for me, personally until Ron Paul starts talking foreign policy I kinda like some of his ideas, but thats it. Dakota Meyer is famous as is David Belevia and the asshat from vote vets they just happen to get their fame from being vets. This guy wore his uniform to illicit fame and a legitimacy. If he would have been wearing a vet hat cool uniform not cool. Out of uniform he is a vet who suppports the issue.
[…] it. That’s two who’ve been punished this year for making statements in uniform – Jesse Thorsen and Michael Stein. Both of them were Paulians – and both thought the rules didn’t apply […]