Free Republic

DEFENSE SECRETARY LLYOD Austin on Wednesday ordered a military-wide "stand down" to address the kind of extremism within the ranks that was thrust into the public view on Jan. 6 when supporters of President Donald Trump – including some active-duty war veterans – forcefully stormed the U.S. Capitol. The dearth of details about the stand-down highlights the apparent lack of understanding overall on the issue of extremism among military leaders. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday afternoon told reporters that commanders would have 60 days to schedule events for "needed discussions" about extremism.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has ordered a DOD-wide stand down to discuss the problem of extremism in the ranks, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said today. Austin and Army Gen. Mark A, Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, met with service civilian leaders and service chiefs to discuss the problem of extremism. Kirby noted that some of the extremists who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 were active duty service members and others were military veterans. Kirby was quick to say that "the vast majority of men and women who serve in...