![]() ![]() Tackling the problem: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin hopes to get a handle on just how deep the issue of extremism runs with his order last week for a force-wide stand-down.Īustin, who was confirmed by the Senate last month as the nation’s first Black Defense secretary, directed commanders to select a date within the next 60 days to conduct a one-day pause to discuss the issue with their personnel.Īmong the possible solutions are new training for troops before they enter the service, while they are actively in the military and before they leave. However, there is no uniform understanding for how to address incendiary or problematic comments and views made on social media as it runs up against First Amendment rights. The services do screen incoming members, scrutiny that can include checking for tattoos of racist symbols and doing background checks for criminal records, gang affiliations or participation in extremist organizations. Other issues : Adding to the problem, current rules put in place in 2012 allow service members to be in groups with more extreme or violent ideology as long as they don’t actively participate in fundraising, recruiting, demonstrating at a rally, training, organizing or distributing material - allowing such troops to go unflagged. The riot is the central focus of the Senate impeachment trial that began Tuesday accusing former President Trump of inciting insurrection. 6 riot, at least 30 are veterans and three are current National Guard members or reservists. Veterans, who make up only 7 percent of all American adults, are a particularly attractive pool from which far-right militias seek to recruit due to their highly sought-after experience with weapons as well as their organizational and leadership skills. The bureau informed defense officials that 68 domestic extremism cases from 2019 involved former and current military members. The little we know : The only data the Pentagon has revealed so far on the matter is information it received from the FBI last year. Some of that data doesn’t exist at the department because it’s in the lane of civil law enforcement, he noted, “and there’s a limit to what we’re going to be able to obtain in that regard.” “It’s not the kind of thing that we’re centrally tracking here - that has a database that we can just go pull from - that’s not the case right now,” Kirby said. The roadblocks: Officials acknowledge that the task at hand is likely to prove difficult due to a lack of data on tracking incidents of extremism in the military. They very aggressively recruit soon-to-be veterans,” top Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday. ![]() “Some of these groups are very organized. Capitol had some connection to the military, the Defense Department is turning its attention to its ranks to try to stamp out dangerous and violent ideology.ĭefense officials are hoping to use a series of steps announced in recent days, including a force-wide “stand-down” to address extremism, in order to prevent more troops from falling prey to ideologically driven groups including those that advocate white supremacy. THE TOPLINE: The Pentagon plans to be more aggressive in shutting down attempts by extremist groups to recruit service members to their cause.įollowing the revelation that nearly one in five people charged in connection to the Jan. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter. Happy Tuesd ay and welcome to Overnight Defense. I’m Ellen Mitchell, and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. ![]()
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