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As Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has directed all military branches to identify extremism in the ranks, officials with the U.S. Army Special Operations Forces on Fort Bragg say none of its soldiers are known to belong to such groups.
In April, NBC News released an investigation claiming extremist views and conspiracy theories are shared in anonymous Facebook groups with members who claim to be past or current members of Special Operation Forces.
The NBC report does not name the Facebook users who said they are Special Forces soldier and does not say if their military status was verified.
12 AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy – He sat back in his chair, recalling the tragic events that took place that night. The explosion, the fire, the confusion.
“The first thing that comes to mind is fire,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Michael Rogers, 57th Rescue Squadron pararescueman (PJ). “There were so many things covered in fuel and burning. It looked apocalyptic.”
Thinking back to a time before this life-altering event, Rogers explained he worked as a mountain guide and paramedic in Wyoming before he felt the call to join the U.S. Air Force in October 2014.
“I was reaching a place in my previous career where I wanted to take the next step forward, with medicine in particular,” said Rogers. “I started looking into flight-medicine and stumbled across the pararescue career field. On my honeymoon almost a year later, I got a text saying I was leaving for basic training in a couple weeks.”
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Army leaders said the revised grooming standards support its “people first” priority, diversity and inclusion efforts.
“The Army must continue to put people first by fostering a culture of trust that accepts the experiences and backgrounds of every soldier and civilian,” said Lt. Gen. Gary Brito, deputy chief of staff for personnel. “Our diverse workforce is a competitive advantage, and the Army must continue to offer fair treatment, access and opportunity across the force.”
The changes follow a Department of Defense directive issued in July by then-Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to address discrimination, prejudice and bias in the ranks.