The Continuing Politicization of the Military

By John Lucas, USMA ’69 | Bravo Blue Substack
Army Ranger and Special Forces Green Beret
Served with the 1st Calvary Division in Vietnam

Insignia and patches on a soldier’s uniform used to serve the purpose of telling you something about the military qualifications and experience of the soldier.

Under the Biden administration, they can also signal whether a soldier ascribes to the Democrat party’s current political trends.

The latest example of this is an Air Force commander’s approval of a “Pride Patch” for wear on military uniforms during “Pride Month.”

Uniform insignia and a tradition of pride in military accomplishments

A glance at a soldier’s uniform can tell you a lot about the person including their current assignment, the unit they served with in combat, their time in service and in overseas deployments in a combat theater, campaigns in which they have served, and, sometimes, their performance in combat.

The patches and badges on a soldier’s uniform are not just informative, they are sources of immense pride in military assignments and achievements.

For example, soldiers take great pride in being assigned to an elite unit, such as the Ranger Regiment, Special Forces, or the 82d Airborne, and proudly wear their patch or insignia on their uniforms. When you see a soldier proudly wearing a Ranger scroll as the patch on his right shoulder, you know he has served in combat with one of the most elite military units in the world.

The Combat Infantryman’s badge, known as a “CIB,” also is a prestigious and coveted award that veterans of infantry combat wear proudly.

In short, these and other insignia, patches, and ribbons on a soldier’s uniform are like a biography of his military career and accomplishments. They tell you who he is, where he’s been and what he’s done. And, although they are not called “pride” patches or insignia, they are worn with pride in what they represent.

An apolitical military is a national imperative.

I have previously written about dangers of a political military, including in my articles Biden Administration Orders Ideological Purge of U.S. Military Academies and “To Win Our Nation’s Wars”? (Lions led by donkeys).

A politicized military is a danger to a free country and paves way to a loss of freedom and even a dictatorship. But as we know, under the Biden administration the politicization of the military is proceeding apace.

As Joy Pullmann has documented in her just-released magnum opus “False Flag,” the “Pride Flag” has flown over U.S. embassies and military installations world-wide since 2011. And our senior military leadership from Commander-in-Chief Biden on down has embraced DEI and its political symbols to the max and to the detriment of the military and the country.

And make no mistake about it, commanders who want to be promoted or favored with good assignments, know who is buttering their bread and what they want.

A new political symbol for uniforms

The latest example of this politicization (and there are many) has been revealed by the Stars and Stripes. It reports that the commander of the OSAN airbase in South Korea has authorized troops on the base to wear a “pride morale patch” on their military uniforms, in public and while on duty.

The commander’s spokeswoman told Stars and Stripes that “The patch represents the advancement of the Air Force’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, dignity, and respect within the mission.”

Now, there is a commander who understands what his political masters want to see.

Frankly, I would prefer an Air Force that prioritized a “commitment” to winning our wars, but that’s just old-fashioned me.

Although they call it a “pride patch, the “pride” being touted has nothing to do with military accomplishments as does, say, a Ranger tab, a Seal trident, airborne wings, a ribbon or medal signifying an award for valor in combat, or even a campaign ribbon.

So now Army troops on the air base can proudly proclaim their allegiance to diverse sexual practices by sporting “pride” patch alongside their Ranger tabs, CIB’s and valor awards. Nice job, commander.

So, make no mistake about it: Flaunting a 13-colored “pride” patch that announces the wearer’s supposed “pride” in identifying with particular sexual practices or lifestyles, is a political statement.

It does absolutely nothing to advance a military unit’s lethality, competence or readiness. But it does signal loyalty to DEI politics.

Allowing it on any military uniform is another strike against an apolitical military, which is essential to a free country.

But the base commander, Colonel William McKibban, clearly sees which way the political winds are blowing. My prediction is that he will make general.

First published in John Lucas’s Bravo Blue Substack

New Command Team Takes Charge at the 51st Fighter Wing (DVIDS, 18 Jul 23)
. . . Q: What message do you want to share with the members of the 51st Fighter Wing?

MCKIBBAN: To the members of the 51st Fighter Wing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for your unwavering dedication and for creating an inclusive and diverse community where service and life thrive. . . . .

From DVIDS:

U.S. Air Force Col. Amanda Figueroa, left, 694th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group commander, receives an Osan+ pride patch from Tech. Sgt. Brittany Ortega, Osan+ president, during a Pride Month event at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, June 1, 2024. Osan AB is dedicated to the advancement of diversity, inclusion and gender equality in the workplace, ensuring all Airmen have an equal opportunity to excel and contribute to the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aubree Owens)

Osan+ runs with pride, celebrating Pride Month (USAF Press Release, 5 Jun 24)
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea — Members attend a color walk, crawl, run 5K event to kick-off Pride Month at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, June 1, 2024. Aligned with the Department of Defense, the 51st Fighter Wing recognizes June as Pride Month, celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) service members who have courageously served and sacrificed in the U.S. military. Osan AB is committed to cultivating an environment that fosters the development of innovative leaders, enhances individual talents, uplifts morale and maximizes military effectiveness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aubree Owens)