Obama Treads on Tradition
In yet another example of the spiteful pettiness of the woefully inept and totally inadequate commander-in-chief that low information voters have so unfortunately saddled upon our military, Navy SEALs and other naval warriors serving in combat are being ordered to remove the authorized Navy Jack from their battledress uniforms. That information comes from former SEAL and author, Carl Higbie, writing over at Daily Caller. According to Higbie, many of his colleagues have contacted him complaining of orders from their higher-ups to remove the traditional patch because it is controversial and associated with radical groups.
That a symbol birthed in the same revolution that birthed this country,steeped in two hundred years of naval tradition and flown on the bows of American naval vessels worldwide, can be seen as controversial and radical is just another indication of how hypersensitive and intolerant the Democrat Left is of any expression of political thought not strictly in accordance with their very narrow views. You see, the radical groups that the Obama administration is so concerned about are the various manifestations of the Tea Party movement, many of which display the Gadsden Flag as a symbol of their determination to preserve the constitutional foundations of this nation.
Gee, virtually all the Tea Party events I’ve witnessed usually display far greater numbers of this symbol than the Gadsden Flag. When do you suppose Obama’s no-balls, butt-bussingbrass in the Pentagon will get around to banning itswearing on the uniform and other forms of military display? Folks, we have to face the fact that an administration that will employ the IRS to enforce its political will certainly has no compunction about reshaping our nation’s military into an instrument to reflect and impose that same will.
Crossposted at American Thinker
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Navy
liberals are totally ignorant of history, and see anything that challenges their ideology as a threat. this combination allows them to see historical events in the founding of our country as offensive and divisive based solely on the grounds of disagreement with their ideology. this is nothing new, why would anyone be surprised?
Well, my service was Army, not Navy, but I worked with SEALS occasionally in the JSOTF and never saw a “don’t tread on me” flag worn by any SEAL. Their battle dress tended to be minimal on patches anyway. There was a SEAL Warrant who worked in the CJSOTF in A-stan who wore the old 6-color (chocolate chip) DBDU and the only thing I remember that he had on his uniform were his name over the right breast pocket, U.S. Navy of the left, his rank insignia on both collars, and a SEAL Trident above the left pocket. He wore no other patches or tabs.
Similarly, I had thought that the Union Jack of the Navy was the US flag minus the stripes (basically the rectangular blue field with 50 stars on it) and this was the flag traditionally flown from the bow of a Navy ship. FWIW I just got back from a vacation in San Diego, saw lots of Navy ships and don’t recall seeing any “don’t tread on me” flags.
It was only a matter of time. Many of us fought hard to bring it back. In fact, what we know as the Navy Jack today was once considered and then rejected as the first US Flag.
This news comes as a stark reminder that our military is under attack … the attack comes in form of chipping away at traditions, customs and long recognized norms that WE cherrish and know separates us from our adversaries.
No doubt, Haji the Terrorist, sitting in his cave today, is laughing his malnourished ass off, connected to the internet via sattelite reading this news!
This administration cares not for tradition. And the spineless flag officers who continue to allow this shit should eventually have a day of reckoning too. Jesus H. Christ.
The Navy Jack is flown from every ship and station post 9/11 (31 May 2002 (SECNAV Instruction 10520.6).
Before that is was primarily a ceremonial flag.
The flag is a combination of the American Colonies Merchant flag (red and white stripes) and a modified Gaston flag.
Wiki info is WRONG:
Go to Naval Historical Center: http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq122-1.htm
Navy types wear it daily here. The US flag one side, Navy Jack on the other. That is, when they are wearing their gwoc’s. NOT the aquaflage…
Not sure of Navy Regs,but it appears the display of the Striped Jack was limited to ships only.
The menacing part of this is based on someones opinion that it was done because the Teap Party uses the flag… which is not itself even accurate, as most use the Gadsen Flag which is pretty different in appearance to the Striped Jack.
I am not a betting man, but if I were I would bet this was more on all “morale patches’ and unauthorised unit patches (like the Punisher skull, etc…)
not that Obama isn’t an ass, or that the orders did not emminate from high up the chain. I am just betting it is more or less that someone with enough weight on their collar got butthurt that they were never “special” and dictated that those special folks start towing the line on uniformity.
The fact that it’s even an issue shows just how petty the White House and Pentagon have become.
I yearn for a day when there were more ships than admirals, and not the other way around.
Hmm…. and I thought the military was supposed to stay out of politics.
Do any of those flag officers who are going along with this crap have testicles? Or have they all been gelded and nobody told us?
On the other side, uber-leftists are more likely to display a Hezbollah flag at their demonstrations than an American flag.
NH,
During WWII there was 1 admiral for every 30 ships.
Sadly …. today, admirals greatly out number ships!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3015438/posts
The Army Flag and the Army Drill Sergeant Insignia are both based on the Department of the Army Seal, formerly the War Office Seal. All of these bear the Rattlesnake with the motto “This We’ll Defend”. The Gadsden flag was the inspiration for that portion of the Army Seal, and subsequently the Army Flag and Drill Sergeant Insignia.
What’s next, is the Army going to give up their heritage and insignia to appease the overly sensitive members of this current administration?
@7: “I am not a betting man, but if I were I would bet this was more on all “morale patches’ and unauthorised unit patches (like the Punisher skull, etc…)
not that Obama isn’t an ass, or that the orders did not emminate from high up the chain. I am just betting it is more or less that someone with enough weight on their collar got butthurt that they were never “special” and dictated that those special folks start towing the line on uniformity.”
That’s my take as well. I doubt that anyone in the administration gives any thought at all to what the Sailors wear on their uniforms but I can absolutely believe that some butt-snorkeling O-5 or E-9 got his panties in a twist at the possibility of the flag being associated with the Tea Party and ordered it removed. I saw shit like that all the time in the Army and I would imagine the Navy works much the same way.
Ex, what do you mean no one told us? its a requirement to become a flag officer that you be gelded
Turd in the punchbowl alert….
I’m not certain I would call a ten or eleven year history as a long standing “tradition”…the tradition is the use of the jack prior to 2002 which had been in use in a number of variants since 1795.
I saw the current jack used at the bicentennial in 1976, and I was under the impression that the longest active serving ship was allowed to use it in place of the standard jack (although I don’t know how accurate my recollection on that is)….
Not believing this is that big of a deal….wear what’s authorized and STFU about it…nothing new in any of that for the military…
Obama being a small minded, vindictive pr1ck, sure I get that…but not sure this the result of that…more likely this is the result of the pussies inheriting the current senior ranks of the US Military, the same cupcakes who give all their buddies a free pass to commit crimes of corruption and retire with a pension while whining about f@cking tattoos on the arms and legs of men and women who will actually get shot at…typical ruling class elite 4sshattery at work…
Smitty, I did not know that. I have been enlightened.
Any bets he goes May Day on us before he departs from office? It’s not that he has a problem with tradition. It’s just that he has a serious issue with certain traditions. So does his jackal of a mate. Recall: “All this for a flag?”
VOV … stop with the Navy Jack hate. It is Navy tradition, has been around for a long time and that is that.
Don’t make me do something stupid now!
BTW in 1976 it was brought back for the bicentennial. See link above from Naval Historical Center.
Carry on!
I’m going to roll back the fog of time, and bring up the efforts of Admiral Zumwalt in the 1960s to get rid of what were then called ‘chicken shit’ and ‘Mickey Mouse shit’ orders and regulations – basically, orders and regs that were silly, inefficient and seemed designed to just annoy people.
I think it’s fair to say that this falls into either or both of those categories.
I also think that it is a front for a deeper, hidden agenda.
VOV wrote “…more likely this is the result of the pussies inheriting the current senior ranks of the US Military, the same cupcakes who give all their buddies a free pass to commit crimes of corruption and retire with a pension…”
What worries me most is that group of officers who are being groomed for more senior positions in the future are watching this. How many are going to put up with this bullshit?
Sadly, the loss of traditions and the use of the military as a social experiment is just the tip of the iceberg, IMO.
Ladies and gentlemen, lets’ not forget Hanlon’s Razor…
“Never attribute to malice that which can be attributed to stupidity.”
I find it explains a lot of things these days.
Was deployed with a lot of Navy EOD/C-IED and Seebee types who wore this. Sad.
It wouldn’t surpass me if this PC wave culminates in an attempt to ax Army divisional patches deemed not PC enough
@18 You misunderstand me bro, I love that flag even though I’m an army guy I have a Gadsden Flag and Navy Jack at home and shirts that bear a likeness….
I just meant I’m not certain this is WH thing as much as a senior officer being boot lickers thing…
@ VOV. Thank God … I thought we lost you there for a moment!
@15 VOV: Of course you can’t prove a direct link between the action and the White House. But then, House investigative committees with substantial investigative manpower and extensive subpoena powers can’t prove a direct link between the White House and 1)Fast & Furious 2)Benghazi 3)IRS scandals 4)the botched Obamacare roll out, etc, etc, etc. Yet tell me you don’t believe the White House is involved in all those right up to Obozo’s big ears. Just because you can’t establish a direct link between these jerks and these events is most certainly NOT proof that no connection exists as common sense tells you.
Besides, I firmly believe in borrowing a page from their progressive playbook: never miss ANY opportunity, no matter how tenuous the connection, to ascribe blame and intent upon your political opposition for any event that can make them look evil or foolish. To not do so is like observing strict ROE when your enemy observes none and we all know where that gets us.
I just want to know where to get a Velcro version.
Bought one of them “contractor” ball caps just before retiring and need something snappy for the patch area on the front.
I think this will do.
Next up for President Obama’s signature legislation; The Affordable Uniform Act. “If you like your uniform, you can keep your uniform. Period!”
HackStone, how about something like ‘they have to pay for their own deployment expenses’???
Think about it for a second. If it sounds preposterous, be aware that I thought it would be a ridiculous idea for a story that people would be forced out of their own homes by federal agents, back in March this year.
But what happened this fall?
Right.
Joe Biden will be promoting The Affordable Hair Act, better known as the Biden Hair Care. Everyone will be required to sign up. Government subsidized hair care is a fundamental human right. If you like your barber, you can keep your barber. And most people will see their hair plug payments decrease by 30%.
Seems like the author of the article referenced here might have gotten some bad info. According to the link below, NSW recently got permission from CNP to allow the wearing of the Navy Jack INCONUS instead of just while deployed. So its wear is being expanded, not eliminated.
http://www.navytimes.com/article/20131104/NEWS07/311040026/Official-Spec-ops-sailors-can-keep-wearing-Navy-jack-
I’m betting that ANY Naval Officer that disagrees with that edict will suddenly be forced to retire under a scandal. B. Hussein 0bama & Co. are emasculating the US Military in any and every way they can!
While I agree dtom gets an unfair degree of backlash due to its connection to the tea party movement, ie the incident at the national guard station in new york a few months back, I don’t necessarily think that’s the case here. http://soldiersystems.net/2013/11/05/whats-really-going-on-with-dtom-flags-nsw/#comments
@Ex-PH2, hmmm, don’t remember the gelding part, especially now with all the leadership “lapses of judgement” relievings; Back in th JO days, we used to comment that part of making CDR(O-5) was a lobotomy, when you made CAPT(O-6) your backbone was pulled out through the lobotomy scar. When making Flag rank, some tried to put the backbone back in through scar, one vertabrae at a time. So I believe, like the others, a decision to clean up unauthorized patch-etery was not made at too high a paygrade.