US army investigates after young private follows the Base, which has vowed to recruit soldiers for so-called race war

An active-duty serviceman in the US army is openly following a proscribed neo-Nazi terrorist group on social media, one that has vowed to recruit soldiers in preparation for a so-called race war.

Experts say examples like this shows how under Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon is allowing extremism to go unchecked.

On the surface, following a TikTok account might seem like a minor infraction for a young private in the 1st Infantry Division. But not only has that private followed the Base, a violent neo-Nazi terrorist organization once the target of an FBI investigation, there are directives issued under Joe Biden that discourages that kind of social media activity.

But in February, the DoD issued a memo halting a major counter-extremism initiative rooting out white nationalists and far-right influences among servicemen, citing that it was not in line with Donald Trump’s executive orders. Since, the efficacy of rooting out the far right within the ranks remains unclear.

  • SuiXi3D@fedia.io
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    5 days ago

    I dunno about in the military, but I have a cousin that’s a veteran of the Iraq war and he’s a pretty staunch leftist. Claims his service opened his eyes.

    • ObtuseDoorFrame@lemm.ee
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      5 days ago

      I’m guessing that the military as a whole has the same political leanings as the general population, with the majority being left leaning centrists and they will stand by the oath they took never to attack the American people.

      Fingers fucking crossed.

      • z3rOR0ne@lemmy.ml
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        5 days ago

        God I fucking hope you’re right. If both the military and police become fascist (even if in all but name), it won’t just be the USA that is completely fucked.

        • Saleh@feddit.org
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          5 days ago

          The US military fucking people completely without any reason or legitimization and in blatant violation to international law is a tradition that the US military upholds since long before Trump though.

        • ObtuseDoorFrame@lemm.ee
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          5 days ago

          No, we would only have different candidates in federal elections if left leaning people actually voted. They don’t.

          • eldavi@lemmy.ml
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            5 days ago

            the actual left leaning people of this country are reliable voters and the vote counts prove it since their numbers are as consistent as republican voters.

            what you’re likely counting as “left leaning” are centrists by the world’s standards (aka democrats) and, by definition, don’t have strong enough feelings to vote either way; hence the political fervor that’s so weak that they don’t even show up at the polls.

              • eldavi@lemmy.ml
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                5 days ago

                those weren’t left leaning people, they were liberals; specifically democrats.

            • kaprap@leminal.space
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              5 days ago

              In a system like the US it’s essentially impossible to get proper candidates elected anyway, it also fuels radicalism, and it’s incredible this nation is called democratic

      • Ledericas@lemm.ee
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        5 days ago

        not surprised since they target urban areas for recruitment, if you been to any malls, the some of recruitment centers are hidden or out of the way, so you wouldnt immediately recognize its there.

      • techt@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        This one?

        I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.

        Nothing in here about never attacking anyone, unfortunately. But even if there were, they forget these words about three seconds after saying them.

    • LwL@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      I saw a youtube video from a woman that had a similar experience yesterday. Came from a deeply red, rural community, and went not to war but to a military base in okinawa. She talked about how many of the US military structures are actually quite socialized (everyone at the same rank gets the same salary, free healthcare, etc.) and also about how eye opening it was to get a different perspective on the pacific war than just the narrative of the US.

      I can definitely see how just leaving the country for a place with a radically different culture alone could push you towards more leftist views (though afaik in military bases you still have to actively seek out interaction with anything outside the base), to say nothing of experiencing the horrors of war first-hand.

      • MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net
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        5 days ago

        She talked about how many of the US military structures are actually quite socialized (everyone at the same rank gets the same salary, free healthcare, etc.)

        I love how we’re told socialism is awful and bad for the public, and yet for the military it’s a perk for serving your country. “Of course they deserve housing and healthcare and education, they’re risking their lives for our freedom!” So are you rewarding them or punishing them?

        Just one more layer of hypocrisy.