Space Force CO Who Got Holiday Call from Trump Fired Over Comments Decrying Marxism in the Military
FILE In this July 22, 2015 file photo, Capt. Matthew Lohmeier, 460th Operations Group Block 10 chief of training, stands in the Standardized Space Trainer on Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. (Darren Scott/U.S. Air Force)
15 May 2021
A commander of a U.S. Space Force unit tasked with detecting ballistic missile launches has been fired for comments made during a podcast promoting his new book, which claims Marxist ideologies are becoming prevalent in the United States military.
Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier, commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, was relieved from his post Friday by Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of Space Operations Command, over a loss of confidence in his ability to lead, Military.com has exclusively learned.
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The Pentagon stumped and unsure about how to address white nationalism and other forms of extremism in its ranks, announced plans for military-wide stand-downs that will pause regular activity at some point in the next 60 days to tackle the issue.
The decision to hold a stand-down was made by Lloyd Austin, who made history by becoming the first Black secretary of Defense after a long career rising in the Army’s ranks. In his confirmation hearing, Austin underscored the need to rid the military of “racists and extremists.”
Austin ordered the stand-down after a meeting with the U.S. military branch leaders, who are under pressure to show progress in combating extremism after current and former military servicemembers were found to have participated in the siege of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Black transgender service members welcome the chance to once again serve openly in the Armed Forces now that the Biden administration has lifted the ban on trans service members.
FEB. 8, 2021 | BY DAVID VERGUN, DOD NEWS
On Feb. 5, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ordered a Defense Department-wide stand down to discuss the problem of extremism in the ranks. He directed commanding officers and supervisors at all levels to conduct a one-day stand-down with their personnel within the next 60 days.
Today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III signed a memo directing commanding officers and supervisors at all levels to select a date within the next 60 days to conduct a one-day “stand-down” to discuss extremism in the ranks with their personnel.
The Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 1325.06, ” Handling Dissident and Protest Activities Among Members of the Armed Forces” provides the core tenets to support such discussions. Leaders have the discretion to tailor discussions with their personnel as appropriate, but such discussions should include the importance of our oath of office; a description of impermissible behaviors; and procedur
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