On Monday, the Pentagon issued a new, comprehensive set of rules prohibiting current service members from actively engaging in extremist activity. The fresh guidelines are a part of recommendations made by the ‘Countering Extremist Activity Working Group’ formed by United States (US) Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in light of the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol by right-wing extremist groups.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby mentioned that the new set of rules clarify what constitutes prohibited extremist activities and identify the circumstances where members are actively participating in such activity. In an example, Kirby explained that the physical act of “liking” or reposting extremist views or content on social media platforms will be seen as the individual participating in extremist activity. “Liking something with the intent to promote or endorse the extremist activity would be violative of the policy,” he said.
According to Kirby, in the last eight months, the Pentagon has identified more than 100 active duty or reserve service members who have participated in extremist behaviour that the new rules prohibit. In a memo, Defence Secretary Austin addressed extremist activity by active members, saying, “We believe only a very few violate this oath by participating in extremist activities, but even the actions of a few can have an outsized impact.”
Meanwhile, spokesperson Kirby said the Department of Defence cannot monitor the personal social media accounts of every member of the armed forces, which is why the department is “focused on prohibited activity; not on a particular ideology, thought or political orientation.” Kirby also noted that interpreting what constitutes extremist activity will be left to the local commanders because they know their service members well. However, the commanders will have to apply a new two-part test to determine whether someone should be held accountable for any questionable behaviour.
After the January 6 insurrection, Defence Secretary Austin made it a point to tackle the issue of extremism among US service members upon his confirmation in the new Biden administration. In February, he issued a memo asking commanding officers to discuss extremism, and in March, the Department of Defence released a report highlighting how extremists target military members to further their cause. Later, in April, Austin established the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group to help determine the various reforms needed to be made in the ranks to tackle extremism.
More than 650 people, including dozens of veterans and several active-duty service members, have been charged in the January 6 insurrection, when thousands of rioters attacked the US Capitol building to support Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn election defeat. Far-right extremists groups were abundantly present during the attacks. According to an analysis conducted by NPR, one out of five rioters charged for their alleged involvement in the incident have some connection to the US military.