Copyright 2023 RedState.com/Salem Media. Id have to tell them the mission we were doing was right when I had firsthand experience as a teenager in Afghanistan that what we were doing was not right. What kind of bizarro world is that? The alumniof the United States Military Academy at West Point spanpresidents, generals and astronauts in what its students call the Long Gray Line, a nod to the Army service academys central role in educating leaders years before they rise to prominence. Part of it is how we term antiwar, and what that means. I got back and began trying to process what I witnessed. Mr. Rapone retweeted the message. We have one of the most technologically advanced militaries of all time and all we were doing is brutalizing and invading and terrorizing a population that had nothing to do with what the United States claimed was a threat.. Don Christensen, a former Air Force chief prosecutor, told The Post on Tuesday it was very unusual for a West Point graduate toreceivethis type of military dischargeunless it was for a serious crime, like drug use. The United States Army is so impressed with Spenser Rapone, they decided to promote him to first lieutenant. The honor code as West Point says, a cadet does not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do. Where this was determined to come up short was in asking a cadet a question the answer to which could lead to their being disciplined, particularly dismissed from the academy, and forcing them to choose between lying (their honor) or severe punishment. There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do, he said. While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States, Rubio said Monday, adding, Im glad to see that they have given him an other-than-honorable discharge.. He waits for a senior ranking cadet or one of the TAC officers to quieten it down. But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. But we also had a large student movement that was providing a support network, with coffeehouses and structures to welcome soldiers who were resisting back into civilian life and treating them with the respect they deserve for resisting. Communist ex-Ranger and West Pointer receiving a other than honorable discharge. Rubio celebrated the move in a statement provided to The Washington Post on Tuesday. In the pictures, he was wearing a t-shirt depicting famous socialist Che Guevara under his uniform and had also written the But as bad as that is, theres something very different about taking a human life yourself, let alone if you dont understand what cause its serving. Of course my military career is dead in the water. Eventually I was pulled out of the field and went through the different legal channels. In addition to classic socialist theorists such as Karl Marx, Rapone says he found inspiration in the writings of Stan Goff, a retired Special Forces master sergeant who became a socialist anti-war activist. He has deployed to Afghanistan and received a combat infantryman badge (CIB). Within that time period, Marco Rubio wrote a letter to the acting secretary of the army, Ryan McCarthy. Whether youre in combat arms or not, theres a tangible chance that youll be killed. Copyright 2023 PopularMilitary | All Rights Reserved. The question hanging fire, though, has remained how did this guy get through four years at a very rigorous institution without his TAC officer and other active duty officers knowing about it. But his interview with the AP shed light on how he went from a graduate of one of the most exclusive and traditional institutions on Earth to a pariah within the ranks before being mustered out. Rapone could not be reached for comment. MilitaryCorruption.com has been watching this case closely. But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. Rapone is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is serving as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Armys 10th Mountain Division, though he is currently at Ranger School. Rapone also explained that his time inAfghanistan as an assistant machine-gunner in the volatile Khost province in 2011 spurred an interest in radical social change, starting with the military. Spenser Rapone is a former Army Ranger and Infantry Officer who resigned his commission in June 2018 due to his opposition to United States imperialism. HIS STORY IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF GROSS MILITARY INJUSTICE. Of course my military career is dead in the water. Colpo had the benefit of a free college education (USMA Class of 1978) but made sure he never went into harms way during 30 years of active duty. And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of You posted it with a hashtag, #VeteransforKaepernick. He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community, recalled Altmire, a Democrat. One of six children growing up in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Rapone said he applied to West Point, which is tuition-free, because he couldnt afford college. Butbecause Rapone had served as an enlisted soldier, he would have received an honorable discharge before becoming an officer, Christensen said. By many accounts, he is . Even some of the true believers who claim they enjoy it or relish it deep down, they know what theyre doing. Spenser Rapone (Twitter) Rapone was an infantry officer in the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y. Rapone graduated from West Point as a member of the class of 2016, but before entering the Academy he served for two years as an 11B Infantryman in the 75th Ranger Regiment, deploying to Afghanistan in that capacity. Spenser Rapone was accepted to West Point in 2012, graduated in 2016 and received an other than honorable discharge in June. Everyone who is sworn into the American military has to take an oath of office which includes they wont advocate the overthrow of the Government. West Point released a statement after Rapone posted the photos, saying his actions in no way reflect the values of the US Military Academy or the US Army. And US Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, called on the secretary of the Army to remove Rapone from the officer ranks. And even if youre not in combat, youre supplying the bullets, youre supplying the food, to aid in the war effort. A subsequent investigation revealed that Rapone was not only openly Communist, but believed that the US Government must be destroyed from within, his beliefs operating the lines of Communist philosopher Rudi Dutschkes strategy of the long march through the institutions.. He could have been comfortable for the rest of his life. Taking to Twitter, Rapone and his socialist allies confirmed he would be speaking at a socialist event in July after he was finished being pushed out of the Army this month with an other than honorable discharge. The Pentagon budget suggests otherwise. He was drawn to the writings of Stan Goff, an antiwar socialist and fellow Special Forces veteran who taught at West Point, he said. Now its become a social experiment. This site is owned and operated by Bright Mountain Media, Inc., a publicly owned company trading with the symbol. To bookmark your favorite articles and follow your favorite authors, please, Now you can personalize your Truthdig experience. He added that its possible the military academy could seek repayment of the cost of Rapones education because he didnt serve the full five-year service obligation required upon graduation. Note here. I guess any country that appoints someone like John O. Brennan as the CIA Director, will ultimately have a percentage of its military officers as Communists mixed in with a few terrorists here and there. I didnt expect it to go viral like it did, but I thought maybe I could influence other soldiers. It was during Rapones 2016 USMA graduation that he posed for photos of himself wearing a Che Guevara shirt under his uniform and the message Communism Will Win pasted inside of his dress cap. We also had the Viet Cong resisting. Im one of six children from, at the time, a single-income family. Terms of Use / Privacy Policy / Manage Newsletters, - It is not clear if he had the ability to attend Ranger school while serving in the Army Rangers or if he attended and failed. While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States, Rubio said Monday, adding Im glad to see that they have given him an other-than-honorable discharge.. Your donations also help us expose FRAUD, WASTE and ABUSE, that is ethically corrosive and financially exorbitant. He ultimately resigned his commission, and was separated from the Army in June 2018 with an Other Than Honorable discharge.. Thoughts like yours go through a lot of soldiers heads, but its the repercussions that keep them from acting on them. That is crucial if he were to pursue benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Left: Army 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone graduating from West Point in May of 2016. Folks, we had better wake up and smell the toast burning before its too late. Thanks for contacting us. WE WANT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THOSE WHO CONSPIRED TO WRONGFULLY IMPRISON THIS OUTSTANDING AIR FORCE OFFICER. Youre proof that resistance is still possible within an all-volunteer military, but how do we create more of that? Robert Heffington, a former lieutenant colonel and West Point instructor who met Mr. Rapone, told the website that his online ideological screeds reveal the philosophical infatuations of a precocious adolescent in a best-case scenario. NEW ARMY BROCHURE ABOUT SVC RIGHTS ATTEMPTS TO DECEIVE ARMY PERSONNEL BY OMITTING CRITICAL INFORMATION. Less than a year after Rapones images drew a firestorm of vitriol and even death threats, the second lieutenant who became known as the commie cadet is officially out of the US Army with an other-than-honorable discharge. On the other hand, many people reached out and showed me support. IT TURNS OUT THE ARMY REALLY DOESNT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AS VICTIMS. In addition to classic socialist theorists such as Karl Marx, Rapone says he found inspiration in the writings of Stan Goff, a retired Special Forces master sergeant who became a socialist anti-war activist. And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of The war resisters from Vietnam were not all draftees; a substantial portion were volunteers. The Washington Times I knew there could be repercussions, said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. If he loves Communism so much, why the hell doesnt he resign his commission and go live in North Korea? At best, Cadet Rapones online ideological screeds reveal the philosophical infatuations ofa precocious adolescent, rather like a high school boy who cannot stop spouting off about NietzscheAt worst, however, Cadet Rapones statements bespeak either a severe mental or psychological disorder, or a genuine commitment to values and ideals wholly at odds with those of West Point and the Army. A recently retired CIA officer remarked to SOFREP that right now our counter-intelligence is so bad that we are only catching the dumb ones, the people stupid enough to out themselves on social media or who mail classified documents to news outlets, Mr. Murphy continued. It is uncertain whether or not Rapones career -or at least experiences at Ranger School- will be hindered upon the discovery of his activities by Army officials. We've received your submission. Now you can personalize your Truthdig experience. While in the 1st Ranger Battalion he completed at least one deployment and Air Assault School before going over to the United States Military Academy in New York. Of course my military career is dead in the water. This article was published more than4 years ago. We have one of the most technologically advanced militaries of all time and all we were doing is brutalizing and invading and terrorizing a population that had nothing to do with what the United States claimed was a threat.. I say again, this is a sworn statement, something you only go to the trouble of filing when you want punitive action taken against someone. He was nominated out of high school by then-U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire in 2010. And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of the academys Long Gray Line.. At the end of the day, the material effects of US foreign policy are largely the same [between administrations], but when Trump was elected, there was a noticeable shift. They discussed Rapones time in the military, the myths of American empire, and how to rebuild the antiwar movement. We saw people hijack helicopters within the ranks to drop propaganda flyers over military bases. An other than honorable discharge means Rapone will not be entitled to VA benefits or the GI Bill. Spenser Rapone is under investigation after tweeting photos of himself support communism while in uniform. He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community, recalled Altmire, a Democrat. Spenser Rapone is a former Army Ranger and Infantry Officer who resigned his commission in June 2018 due to his opposition to United States imperialism. We have to talk about the picture that caused this whole situation for you. He has also been known to contribute to the left-wing think tank, The Hampton Institute. We were bullies in one of the poorest countries on Earth, Rapone said. I ordered him to sit up and get his legs out of the hallway, to which he replied, Well, wehave to wait here for Professor Hosein. He said this while still seated. PUNK 2LT SPENCER RAPONE PROMOTES HIS PRO-COMMUNIST SYMPATHIES IN TWITTER DISPATCH MEMBER OF USMAS CLASS OF 2016 DISGRACES UNIFORM AND MEMORY OF OUR FALLEN DEAD NOW [ Read More], Avowed Marxist and Antifa supporter Spenser Rapone, affectionately referred to as the Commie Cadet has been tossed out of the Army with the most severe administrative discharge called an other-than-honorable (OTH).Breitbart.com and PJmedia.com are reporting [ Read More]. But its very daunting: how in the world are you supposed to say, No, Im not deploying. Thats on us to create the structures to have places for dissident soldiers and military personnel. Theres no tangible objective other than to make it endless, to continue lining the pockets of Raytheon, Boeing, and so on. Heres one of our previous posts from our esteemed Editor Emeritus, WEST POINT HAS GONE TO HELL! So I took those pictures both as my own individual act of rebellion, but also so that if there was ever an opening, I could use them for some larger, political purpose. Apparently not. Still, the troubling question remains- how many other Spenser Rapones are in military service, particularly ones who can keep their mouths shut? But he put some skin in the game, and he suffered for it. There can be only one reason that he felt free to shoot off his mouth to an senior officer who was also an assistant professor. Spenser Rapone tells how he discovered that the military he joined wasn't what Hollywood and commercials had made it out to be. His utter contempt for my rank and position as an Armyofficer was blatantly obvious and, to me, it indicates that CDT Rapone has a serious problem with military authority figures. Greg Rinckey, an attorney specializing in military law, said its rare for an officer out of West Point to receive an other-than-honorable discharge. Spenser Rapone is a former Army Ranger and Infantry Officer who resigned his commission in June 2018 due to his opposition to United States imperialism. The misunderstood and persecuted young genius shouts truth to power by cobbling together ideas and quotations popping up in chat rooms or on Facebook walls, certain that his provocative and shocking proclamations will, based solely upon their vehemence and sarcasm, demonstrate both the profound sincerity and the unassailable correctness of his viewpoints. You know things have fallen far when a spoiled, elitist punk like current Army 2LT Spenser Rapone tweets pictures of himself promoting Communism, giving the clenched fist salute while in uniform, and illustrating in startling detail just how firmly the progressives have burrowed themselves into what was once a sacred institution. Youre essentially guilty until proven innocent. Contents 1 Austin academic 2 DSA resolution on Red Deal 3 Socialism 2018 4 Radical soldier 5 DSA solidarity 6 DSA Veterans Closed Facebook Group 7 DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan 8
John Morgan Frontiersman,
Arabian Horses For Sale In Texas,
Levy County Warrants,
Blackwood Refuse Tip Opening Times,
Joyce Bowman Obituary,
Articles OTHER