By Micaela Burrow, The Daily Caller News Foundation
Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana is pressuring the Air Force to conduct an investigation of text messages warning against attending a conservative rally, according to a letter obtained exclusively by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
A master sergeant at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota urged leaders to caution their troops about the potential for violence aimed at military members at a conservative rally or participating in the featured political advocacy group in leaked text messages on Nov. 17, Fox News first reported.
Banks, who chairs the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee and heads the chamber’s Anti-Woke Caucus, said the texts from an unidentified leader defamed a conservative organization and interfered in an Airman’s right to free assembly and the political process, the letter stated.
The text message referred to a guest speaker who represents Turning Point Action, which the leader characterized as “alt-right.”
“Additionally, please remind them that participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their continued service in the U.S. military,” the text message read.
Tyler Bower, Turning Point Action chief operating officer and speaker in question, is a “conservative activist,” according to Turning Point USA’s website. The group has a history of support for former President Donald Trump.
Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota and Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point Action, raised immediate outcry after screenshots of the text messages surfaced on an anonymously-run Facebook page, The Associated Press reported.
An Air Force spokesperson earlier told Banks that “one of our Security Forces members identified a potential concern with Airmen participating in the event,” according to the letter. “Without appropriate coordination a Master Sergeant sent an unofficial message to his peer group – First Sergeants across the wing – to warn them of a perceived security concern related to the event.”
Banks demanded Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost, commander of the Eighth Air Force, release more information about the circumstances behind the text messages and what justified the “potential concern” surrounding the rally at the center of the controversy.
Minot leadership acknowledged the message in a statement on Nov. 21 but labeled it as “unofficial … based on incorrect data and sent outside of official base messaging platforms.”
It’s common for military leaders to communicate with subordinates and lower-level leaders via group text messages.
However, Air Force regulations to maintain the professional, apolitical character of the military forbade U.S. troops from participating in political activities or attending openly partisan gatherings while wearing their military uniforms.
“Airmen may attend partisan political rallies or speeches when not in uniform, not on duty, and when solely acting as a spectator,” the regulation states.
Congressman Banks’ letter:
Major General Jason R. Armagost
Commander, Eighth Air Force
United States Air Force
Barksdale Air Force Base, LA
Dear General Armagost,
I write to you out of concern with a text message sent to servicemembers in the 5th Bomber Wing at Minot Air Force Base (Minot AFB) on November 17, 2023, warning them not to attend the “Dakota Patriot Rally” in Minot because Tyler Bower, Turning Point Action’s Chief Operating Officer and an RNC committeeman. was speaking at the event.
The text falsely described Turning Point Action as an “alt-right organization” and claimed that “participation with groups such as Turning Point Action could jeopardize their [Minot Airmen’s] continued service in the US military.”
In fact. Turning Point Action is a 501(c)(4) conservative advocacy organization that has recently hosted former President Donald Trump as well as members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees.
An Air Force representative later alleged to my staff that the text message was sent in error.
According to the representative, “one of our Security Forces members identified a potential concern with Airmen participating in the event,” and then, “Without appropriate coordination a Master Sergeant sent an unofficial message to his peer group First Sergeants across the wing to warn them of a perceived security concern related to the event.”
According to a November 21, 2023, press release, Minot AFB sent out an updated text message stating that there are “no issues with military members participating in their personal capacity”.
While I appreciate the clarification that this message was not approved by base leadership, the original text message was a transparent attempt to intimidate conservative servicemembers by a senior enlisted servicemember.
I also find it concerning that some of base leadership further circulated the text on social media without questioning the veracity of the text or its inflammatory content.
The Biden administration has improperly injected politics into its official Department of Defense (DoD) policies, and multiple DoD officials have made partisan, public political statements in recent years.
For example, U.S. military bases have hosted drag shows, a Space Force general . . . . (Daily Caller did not provide the second page of the letter)
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