Joseph Lohman; More upside down flag stuff
Andy sends us a link to WPTV which tells the story of Joseph Lohman who stood on the street with an upside down flag in his Marine uniform to protest the shut down. According to the article, Lohman is disabled, and he may be, but on that little rack of ribbons he’s wearing (thank goodness he didn’t add more than he earned, obviously) there are no campaign ribbons, so he must’ve been injured in training.
A disabled veteran expressed his disappointment in the federal government shutdown by holding a U.S. flag upside down along a busy street.
Joseph Lohman, 25, of Beech Grove, said he stood in full uniform on a sidewalk near Interstate 465 for more than 12 hours.
Lohman said that when the government shutdown started early Tuesday, he decided holding the flag upside down would be a way to express his concern about what the shutdown will mean for veterans, their checks and health care.
“I’m not protesting. I’m just standing up for what’s right,” Lohman said. “With the government shutdown, the flag is flown upside down to show that America is in distress, and we are.”
Well, then go put on jeans and hold a sign because holding a flag upside down in uniform is wholly inappropriate. The hippies at IVAW did the same thing in uniform and they claimed that it was for the same reason. It was wrong then and it’s wrong in this case, or any case. When you’re on a boat and it’s sinking, hang the flag upside down, don’t do it for it political statements.
Category: Dumbass Bullshit
If the douche is really a Disabled veteran, he would know he has nothing to be concerned about regarding his health care or his check. Just like people on Social Security will continue to get their checks, so will Disabled Veterans, and the Hospitals, and Clinics are all open and fully operational! VA Health care is not affected by the shutdown at all.
So he was pretty much standing out there in Uniform to be a dick.
Just another jackwagon looking for his 15 minutes.
Served with him. Bingo.
Sorry Marine…you’re just wrong…
I don’t care what his political leanings are, this is some jacked up crap he’s pulling and he as a Marine should know better.
Argh … What a fu@knugget!
Carry on!
Wrong goddamn answer, hero. What you’re doing is the antithesis a military professional.
“When you’re on a boat and it’s sinking, hang the flag upside down, don’t do it for it political statements.”
Fuckin’ A right, bubba!
Concur.
Here’s a pic I ran across that will make you all feel better about the training-injured Marine. By the way, isn’t he familiar with flag etiquette and that place known as Iwo Jima? I would have thought a Marine would know better. Anywy, here’s a pic of another Marine jacking him up. Enjoy!
http://www.indystar.com/article/20131001/NEWS05/310010063/While-parts-federal-government-shut-down-some-Indiana-congressional-offices-remain-staffed
AirCav
Nice pic of Sgt. York dishing out some on the spot correction!!
“When you’re on a boat and it’s sinking, hang the flag upside down”
we are on a sinking boat, imo
@9 KNIFE HANDS!
Using the flag for political speech has a long history. I don’t personally like the “upside down flag as political protest” symbol, but I don’t get all that bent out of shape by same.
However, using a military uniform as a political “prop” is a different story. That p!sses me off to no end.
Wanna hold an upside down flag as part of your political protest, child? Fine. THEN GO PUT ON JEANS, A TIE-DYE T-SHIRT, AND FREAKING SANDALS SO YOU LOOK THE PART. BUT TAKE THAT DAMN UNIFORM OFF, A$$HOLE.
Pardon the yelling, but sometimes you have to be loud to have any chance whatsoever of getting your message through an idiot’s thick skull.
Right on, 2/17!! That dumb dick was in serious need of an on-the-spot correction, and SGT York looks like he’s keeping his hand in his jeans pocket to keep himself from making it a wall-to-wall counseling session, which I would be very tempted to do if I were there!
I think his intent and heart are in the right place but his actions are way out of line.
It seems these days everyone is taking liberties with the flag for just about any reason. Some more justified than others but that still does not make it right.
I do not think this young (former?) Marine needs a kick in the face, just a serious and strong worded heart to heart counseling session.
Just an observation.
Yep, the dreaded Knife Hand strikes again 🙂
“I’m not protesting.” Right. Of course you aren’t, Miss. And you’re not in uniform. You’re not holding Old Glory disrespectfully. And that SUV isn’t illegally parked. Jeez.
I guess he must be mentally disabled.
Is it just me, or does this clown sound like Forest Gump?
Well, about Social Security and disability benefits… the President just made a speech where he warned that if the debt ceiling isn’t raised before Oct. 17, even those benefits will be held up. This current shutdown is pretty common, political posturing crap, but the U.S. has never had to default on it’s debts before. A lot of people think not raising the debt ceiling would really wreck the economy. (Lord forbid the government stop spending like a drunken sailor) I think this young man may have had good intentions, he just didn’t think it through. Semper Fi
I just noticed the foot of his cane. You can see a few inches of it beside his right foot. I suppose if one is disabled during a training incident (so he told the station, anyway), standing for 12 hours just might prompt someone to question the injury, especially if that injury is leg, hip, or back-related.
@21, damn good call!
@21: I was thinking exactly the same thing. Wonder if the VA will call him in for a “re-evaluation?”
Corporal: Check
Good cookie: Check
No deployments or combat deployments during a war: Check
Non expert shooter: Check
What a boot.
Heh, I know exactly where that is…I drive by there all the time
Some people are just compelled to go from zero to stupid in under .02 seconds. The Boot Camp hero is an example of why some people should not be seen in public unless accompanied by a warm blooded,average IQ adult. This asshat clearly cannot make an adult responsible decision. A disgrace to the uniform and the flag. Unless he is drawing a headcase disability, then there is nothing wrong with him as he can stand for 12 hours – it looks like he has a cane in his right hand showing below the flag. I am suspicious if he is even a Marine. He clearly has CPL strips on but his so called rack is weak. His trousers look like they came off the shelf way too long. Could be just another fake looking for his 15 seconds of fame.
Unless this dickweed is 100 percent disabled and medically retired he is not authorized to wear a military uniform. It is a violation of the US Code and you troops in his AO should complaint to the US Attorney. Will the US Attorney do anything, probably not but send copies of your complaints to the media. The only way to stop this crap is be proactive. The only thing these US Attorneys understand is negative publicity. Sooner or later we will get one of them prosecuted.
Yes, Joseph Lohman was/is a Marine. He served in my unit at Marine Special Operations School.
When he first arrived, he was a beast. He could ruck run faster than me & I was the fastest guy in the unit. My mind was blown.
He became our Sgt.’s pet for a year and a half or so. With our Sgt.’s coming from infantry units, and all of us who went straight to Special Ops out of school…our bearing just wasn’t the same as a kid straight out of school. We didn’t stand at parade rest unless we were in trouble.
He saw how much our Sgt.’s hated that, so he played on that I guess you could say.
At some point in 2010, he dropped his ruck. Mysteriously his health started deteriorating. He was in and out of BAS, going to off base appointments.
He told me he had lied about some medical stuff.
By the way, he doesn’t naturally sound like Forrest Gump like his voice does in that Marine Wife poem. He does have quite the Indiana country boy draw.
His father was a Marine, I believe.