Why America's vets are turning to extremism after the military

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/why-america-s-vets-are-turning-extremism-after-military-n1281510

The House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC) in a Wednesday hearing called on the federal government to do more to protect veterans from manipulation by extremist groups.

Multiple witnesses — including me — testified about the growing and disproportionate danger of veteran engagement in violent extremism, and called on the federal government to do more to protect veterans from manipulation by extremist groups.

Although they represent only about 6 percent of the American population, veterans are responsible for 10 percent of all domestic terrorist attacks and plots since 2015. Veterans are demonstrably more vulnerable to recruitment and engagement in the extremist fringe, compared to the civilian population, and they are disproportionately involved in violence. Preliminary data from a new survey underway by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) shows that 30 percent of respondents have personally witnessed extremism in the military.

It is clear that we need more data to fully assess the scope and the scale of the problem; but there are multiple indications of a growing threat. In 2020, the number of domestic terrorist plots and attacks in the United States reached its highest level since 1994; two-thirds of those were attributable to white supremacists and other far-right extremists.

*snip*

[Thomas Hurt]

1. I guess it would be nice if they can, but odds are they were christofasicsts before they went in.

Came out more so and then were radicalized by the Pig.

[haele]

3. I'd say half maybe? The problem is that young men with little experience want to belong.

And the extremist groups like to troll off base in bars and more masculine hobby groups (car, motorcycle, gun) for impressionable young man-boys who are out on their own for the first time and trying to prove themselves as real "soldiers".
Same with right-wing evangelical churches.
Young military members are prime targets for the "you're going to be a special soldier - like a warrior/quarterback for God and Nationalism."
Along with all the MLM (Amway especially) scams that target junior enlisted.

I saw a lot of that when I was active duty, and it's only ramped up since the advent of social media.

Recognizing recruiting really needs to be part of Boot camp. Problem is weeding out all the dead-ender types that are part of the problem who have butt-polished their way up the ranks for taxpayer provided bennies while they disgrace their uniform and constitutional service subverting Democracy for some "greater Authoritarian Community" where they will be the glorious M-F'ers in their own minds over the rest of the "undeserving" civilians that get in their way.

Haele

[JHB]

10. Yeah, my first thought was "because extremists actively recruit them"...

...work on them, convince them to join up.

And a lot of them probably didn't need much effort to convince. This sort of stuff has been boilerplate stuff on the right, especially the religious right, for decades. I recall from Pat Robertson's 700 Club a segment that opened with a "it's coming to this unless we act" clip of a people in black tactical gear hauling a fearful family (Dad and Mom clutching their two terrified kids) into an unmarked van in the middle of the night. Not a "realistic" clip, it was clearly actors on a set, but it was scaremongering what was in store Christians if "secular humanists" took control of the government.

That was early 90's I think. A lot of today's vets will have heard this sort of crap for their entire lives.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. I wonder if part of what's going on is that in the military they are taught

to follow orders unquestioningly. And so they simply don't ask the kinds of questions of or about the extremist groups that they should.

Sort of like the way religions all tell their followers that this is the one right way and you have no business questioning it.

[Hoyt]

4. Maybe it's best to weed out as many of these losers and right wingers before military.

Most of them are identifiable when the apply and take tests. Sure, some will still get through.

[RockRaven]

5. Part of it is probably the selection bias involved in who makes up veterans...

To be a non-elderly veteran these days you must have purposely joined our all-volunteer army in the first place.

And to be one said middle-aged or youngish adult veteran you either joined up because of, or regardless of your joining-reason were obliged to served in, middle eastern wars aimed at killing "terrorists" (who just happen to be non-white non-Xians ) and killed a heck of a lot of obvious non-terrorists along the way. That probably has an effect on people, for ill, regardless of which type they were.

Unless the concern is about 65+ yr old previously-drafted veterans being radicalized, maybe the reason they are veterans and the reason they are terroristic traitors is pretty much the same -- they are violent assholes who joined the military to scratch that itch, or the military made them that way before they left it.

Maybe it has something to do with every military installation blasting FUXNews all over the place for the last quarter century...

Maybe the Armed Services Committee rather than the Veterans Affairs Committee should get off their ass and also look into it.

[Walleye]

6. Unfortunately jobs like police and military can attract these kind

[Elessar Zappa]

8. I think law enforcement

actually has more extremists than the military. I have no stats to back it up, but based on my anecdotal experience it’s true.

[Walleye]

9. You are probably right.We should recognize that some people apply for the job for the wrong reasons

[maxrandb]

7. Easy, remove anti-American extremist propaganda Faux News and Hate Radio

from the Armed Forces Broadcast network.

Look, I've been at Navy commands where some dipshit, wingnut, Retrumplican fuckstick Department Head, Leading Chief Petty Officer, or Leading Petty Officer have mandated that the TV in common areas be tuned to Faux News.

Hell, I walked into the base gym in Lemoore, CA in 2002. Gym had 5 TVs, all tuned to Fox News.

That shit, and radio programs like Zombie Rush, Hannity, Beck and Savage have no business being broadcast to the military.

My brother was radicalized from driving a delivery truck and listening to Hate Radio all day. Like an addict, he started on Hate Radio and eventually ended up on the Alex Jones hard stuff.

I am glad I retired, or I'd be going to Courts Martial for throwing Dogging Wrenches through television sets.

[Act_of_Reparation]

11. This isn't anything new.

Right-wing extremism has had its hooks in the military since Vietnam. This is just another case of people dragging their feet, failing to recognize the problem until the roaches are running the motels.

[GoCubsGo]

12. Yes, I recall the Air Force Academy having big issues with pushing Evangelical Christianity

on their attendees. Proselytizing by teachers, forced prayers, harassment of non-Christian cadets... It seems like this subject keeps popping up every five or ten years. It doesn't go away after the lights get shined on it. The situation at the USAFA is probably an extreme, but I don't doubt that it's pervasive throughout the military.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. "After" the military?

[stopdiggin]

14. The problem is quite visible WITHIN

the active military. No need to focus on what is happening AFTER these people leave. The military has always leaned hard right - and the right in this country has become increasingly radicalized - including formerly mainstream school teachers and little league coaches. You don't have to veer far away from normal airwaves or drive-time to get your dose of 'radical' or 'extremism.'