A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE
THE WEB'S LEADING MILITARY BLOG SINCE 2004
With a highly politicized election year upon us, it’s important for military members to understand and abide by the rules and regulations that govern our involvement in the political process. If we aren’t aware of our boundaries, we can’t exercise our rights as citizens of this great country. Military service does not equate to surrendering our rights to pass along our opinion of the topics or candidates.
DoD Directive 1344.10 was recently updated issuing more specific guidance about the roles and responsibilities of Active Duty military members with respect to political activities. It lays out what we can and cannot do in fairly specific detail while ensuring to point out that we have not surrendered our rights to vote and express opinions about political issues.
As military members, we retain our rights to register, vote, and express personal opinions on political candidates and issues. The key is to refrain from doing so as a representative of the Armed Forces. We need to be careful when expressing those views, especially during duty hours and more especially if we hold key positions of leadership to avoid the appearance of undue influence.
We are also allowed to join partisan and nonpartisan political clubs and attend their meetings – when not in uniform. These activities must not interfere with our military service. However, we are NOT allowed to campaign on behalf of political candidates in any capacity. Nor are we allowed to speak before a partisan political gathering, including any gathering that promotes a partisan political party, candidate, or cause. So, groups like Vets For Freedom are perfectly fine because they don’t promote a political party, candidate, or cause. Their purpose is promote military issues that should be supported by all parties.
We are allowed to make monetary contributions to any political organization, party or commitee favoring a particular candidate as long as we don’t collect money for partisan political fundraising activities, rallies or conventions. We are also not permitted to attend these partisan fundraising events if our involvement is more than just a mere spectator.
Leaders walk a fine line when encouraging their Soldiers to participate in the political process. It is important that we do so without prejudice toward a particular party or issue. I tell my Soldiers to figure out what they feel about certain issues and vote their conscience.
We need to be careful about refraining from participation in any radio, television, or other program or group discussions as advocates for or against a partisan political party, candidate, or cause. We are allowed to participate in these events as long as it is clear that we do so as citizens and not as representatives of the armed forces.
We are allowed to have bumper stickers on our vehicles, but cannot have huge political signs, banners, or posters on them – especially on military installations. If you live on a military installation, you are not allowed to have those posters, signs, and similar items publicly displayed in your yard or on your home.
There are a lot of rules and it’s important that service members understand what they are. More important, since it’s impossible to cover every possible scenario, service members must understand the “spirit and intent” of these regulations. Each service also has their own regulation that further lays out the accepted guidelines. For the Army, that regulation is AR 600-20, Army Command Policy.
It is important that each of you find, read, and study your service branch’s respective regulation. The worst thing you can do is NOTHING. As members of the Armed Forces, we must exercise the same rights we continue to guarantee for others. If the military becomes a politicized entity, we will lose the public trust.
“If we do appear to be influenced by our own views or our own understanding of how things should be, we’re going to lose the public trust,” Army Col. Shawn Shumake, director of legal policy within the Office of the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, told the Pentagon Channel. “We’re going to lose the confidence that’s so important and that the military has maintained for so many years.”
Servicemembers with questions about the rules affecting partisan political activities or participation are encouraged to talk to their commanders for guidance.
(8) Readers Comments
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![[UPDATE] The “Face” of Military Dating Scams – The Wall of Shame](http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/themes/LondonLive/thumb.php?src=http://militarygear.com/asp/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/2.jpg&w=53&h=41&zc=1&q=100)
Anatomy of a Military Dating Scam
@Jc great job scammers NEVER seem to get their lies right glad you sme
l_67adf48d1a7f4cfb5ad16cbc7155d263
@ No Name dont you think you can find something better to do besides a
JD
As a member of the military…
I proudly support:
http://ivaw.org/
sue
JD, all I will say is thank you for serving. CJ, thanks for supplying us again with the rules and regs on this.
dagamore
Wow JD just Wow.
***EDIT****
Long post that does not belong here, just like you post JD does not belong on this thread.
***EDIT***
CJ thanks for the reminder about the rules that the military works under when talking politics this year. Good post. Will read again
daga
CJ
JD, good onya for using your freedom. IVAW is an organization full of subversives, but I’m sure you don’t fit that mold. Just keep your fellow members in check so they don’t get themselves into trouble. As a “member” of IVAW, I also get the newsletters and know what they’re about.
SFC Ryan Tozier
Great writting! Too bad that we are so restricted. I think that much like the UAW, Police, and Fire Fighters, we as a military and now as the “Global Police Force” as I have come to see it, should be able to participate FULLY in the political process! If I want to mount a billboard to the bed of my truck and drive it around for my candidate, then BY GOD, I should be able to! One’s career or line of work plays a role in thier decisions, and being Active Duty military, who the next President and VP are plays a huge role! I cannot wait to retire in a few years so I can be a full fledged American again and participate in the process that I have spent my entire adult life protecting!!!!
A Frustrated Army Wife
I received a notice at my doorstep this morning after 2 housing employees took it upon themselves to remove my McCain sign from my front lawn and it reads as follows:
During an on site inspection of your home it was noted that it is in violation of one of the below infraction s:
Other : DoD Directive 1344. 10 Sec 4. 1. 2. 12 of Par:4. 1. 2. 12.
A member of the Armed Forces on active duty shall not:
Display a partisan political sign, poster, banner, or similiar device visible to the public at one’s residence on a military installati on, even if that residence is part of a privatized housing development.
FYI: I had a small sign in my front yard nothing offensive or vulgar, it simply says McCain, that’ s it!!
I have been on the phone all day with anyone willing to listen to me. This is ridiculous that soldiers give thier lives for our freedom and constitutional rights, but according to this directive, if you live on post, well, sorry those rights don’t apply to you.
My husband has been serving his country for over 10 years now. He is an Iraq War veteran and currently a Drill Sgt. What does he have to do to earn the right to excercise his freedom of speech? Why can’t we honor a War hero? What did all those years Senator McCain spent in a P.O.W camp accomplish if a fellow military member can not place a sign on the front lawn of his military residence?
Prd Army Wfe
I understand and agree with Frustrated Army WIfe.. You go girl.. If you accomplish anything let me know as I am fighting the same battle. Thanks.
Russo
I sympathize with the desire to exercise the rights one fights to protect, but the select rights withheld from a servicemember are part and parcel of the sacrifice he (or she) makes to protect those rights in the first place.
The military can just as well overthrow as protect society. Refraining from certain forms of political expression is symbolic of the military’s ideal impartiality in society. If servicemembers were to freely express their political views, the military would quickly become a political body. One, the only one, capable of subjugating the rest by force.
A servicemember’s political silence is a loud promise to serve his whole country and not just a part of it. That promise should be made with pride.