Trump patches on our military

[SCVDem]

This is so wrong, but this morning I read an op-ed on CNN which truly nails it.

By Diane H. Mazur

(CNN)The latest breach of America's civil-military tradition of political neutrality happened on a presidential visit to a US Navy ship docked in Japan. Some service members were wearing patches affixed to their uniforms featuring President Donald Trump's face, captioned with the words "Make Aircrew Great Again," a play on his "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. Unit patches like this can be authorized by local command, and they can be irreverent and humorous.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/05/31/opinions/trump-politicizing-the-military-for-vanity-mazur/index.html

Put the military in your pocket. That's a good dictator!

The military is already racist and now he wants to destroy unit cohesion with politics?

We will surrender to Russia without a shot being fired, with many rounded up for re-education camps or gulags.

Trump is a clear and present danger along with all the enabling republicans.

[Cattledog]

1. Navy looking into 'Make Aircrew Great Again' patches sailors wore during Trump visit.

https://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/1.583503.1559081020!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_900/image.jpg

WASHINGTON — The Navy said Tuesday that it is evaluating whether sailors aboard the USS Wasp violated Defense Department policy by sporting unofficial uniform patches with the phrase “Make Aircrew Great Again” during a Memorial Day visit by President Donald Trump.

The red, circular patch featured a finger-pointing cartoon figure similar in appearance to Trump with words reminiscent of his famous campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.” Photographs of several Navy airmen aboard the warship in Japan wearing the patches circulated Tuesday on Twitter, where they were first posted by a Wall Street Journal reporter traveling with the president.

“Navy leadership is currently reviewing this instance to ensure that the wearing of the patch does not violate DOD policy or regulations,” Lt. Samuel Boyle, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, wrote in a single-sentence email Tuesday afternoon.

https://www.stripes.com/navy-looking-into-make-aircrew-great-again-patches-sailors-wore-during-trump-visit-1.583498

[Harker]

3. Reviewing the matter to ensure that it didn't violate policy or regulations

makes it sound as though it'll get a pass.

[Igel]

6. It might.

Or might not.

Depends probably on the timeline. If they had those made a year ago and they're gently spoofing "MAGA", it'll get a pass. If it was done in anticipating of the Trump visit then it'd be playing politics in a more direct manner, and might not get a pass.

Note that there's a non-profit wall-building organization being investigated in Florida based on some complaints. The assumption by the poster seems to be that "investigation = guilt."

How you read it ahead of time depends on your personal set of biases.

[Harker]

7. I'll await the official wink.

I am biased.

[SCVDem]

2. I can't trust the Navy!

They lied about the tarp on the stern of the McCain.
We saw pictures of it yet they LIE!

As CiC this falls on trump, just as the Captain is relieved if something happens to the ship, even if he is racked out.

[stopdiggin]

4. this was approved by brass (IMO)

This couldn't have happened without prior approval from senior command officers

[HDSam]

5. Haha...

No. Half-baked ideas pop up all the time among junior enlisted and junior officers and can often be traced to a few dipshits that got smacked by the good idea fairy while enjoying far too much beer. Believe it or not, anyone can get patches, challenge coins, beer mugs, and all sorts of similar stuff made at shops overseas with your choice of graphics and mottos and phrases regardless of rank.

I’m confident “senior command” officers had nothing to do with this, it’s an easy way to tank your eval and get you not selected for promotion.

[stopdiggin]

8. not according to the servicemen in my family

Then you're saying that unofficial insignia (patches) are routinely worn on service uniforms? Without approval? Remember that this occurred during a visit by the Commander in Chief. From what I hear appearance and behavior would be under extreme scrutiny ... And yet no one in authority noticed ... Okaaay.
(Oh .. the half-baked idea thing DOES fit .. we're talking pretty young, sometimes not so bright, sometimes too many beers .. but NOT when the POTUS is on hand)