Warning that extremism in the ranks is increasing, Pentagon officials are issuing detailed new rules prohibiting servicemembers from actively engaging in extremist activities.
The new guidelines come nearly a year after some current and former servicemembers participated in the riot at the US Capitol, triggering a broad department review.
Senior defence officials tell The Associated Press that fewer than 100 military members are known to have been involved in substantiated cases of extremist activity in the past year, but they added that the number may grow given recent spikes in domestic violent extremism, particularly among veterans.
Officials said the new policy does not largely change what is prohibited, but is more of an effort to make sure troops are clear on what they can and cannot do, while still protecting their First Amendment free speech rights. And for the first time, it is far more specific about social media.
The new policy lays out in detail the banned activities, which range from advocating terrorism or supporting the overthrow of the government to fund-raising or rallying on behalf of an extremist group or “liking” or reposting extremist views on social media.
The rules also specify that commanders must determine two things for someone to be held accountable: that the action was an extremist activity, as defined in the rules, and that the servicemember “actively participated” in that prohibited activity.
Previous policies banned extremist activities but did not go into such great detail and also did not specify the two-step process to determine whether someone was accountable.
What was wrong yesterday is still wrong today, said one senior defence official. But several others said that as a study group spoke with servicemembers this year, they found that many wanted clearer definitions of what was not allowed. The officials spoke about the new rules on condition of anonymity because they have not yet been made public.
The military has long been aware of small numbers of white supremacists and other extremists among the troops. But Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and other leaders launched a broader campaign to root out extremism in the force after it became clear that military veterans and some current servicemembers were present at the January 6 insurrection.
The risk of extremism in the military can be more dangerous because many servicemembers have access to classified information about sensitive military operations or other national security information that could help adversaries. And extremist groups routinely recruit former and current servicemembers because of their familiarity with weapons and combat tactics.
Officials said that while the substantiated cases may be small, compared to the size of the military, which includes more than two million active duty and reserve troops, the number appears to be an increase over previous years where the totals were in the low two-digits.
But they also noted that data has not been consistent, so it is difficult to identify trends.
The new rules do not provide a list of extremist organisations. Instead, it is up to commanders to determine if a servicemember is actively conducting extremist activities based on the definitions, rather than on a list of groups that may be constantly changing, officials said.
The regulations lay out six broad groups of extremist activities and then provide 14 different definitions that constitute active participation.
Soon after taking office, Mr Austin ordered military leaders to schedule a so-called “stand-down” day and spend time talking to their troops about extremism in the ranks.
The new rules apply to all of the military services, including the coastguard, which in peacetime is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
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An explosion caused by a police munition is seen while supporters of former president Donald Trump gather in front of the US Capitol Building in Washington, US, January 6, 2021. Reuters -
A supporter of US President Donald J. Trump sits on the desk of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after supporters of US President Donald J. Trump breached the US Capitol security in Washington. EPA -
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Protesters enter the US Capitol Building. AFP -
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Congress staffers barricade themselves after Trump supporters stormed inside the US Capitol. AFP -
Congress staffers barricade themselves after Trump supporters stormed inside the US Capitol. AFP -
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A protester sits in the Senate Chamber. AFP -
Pro-Trump protesters tear down a barricade as they clash with Capitol police during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results by the US Congress. Reuters -
Police hold back supporters of US President Donald Trump as they gather outside the US Capitol's Rotunda. AFP -
Supporters of US President Donald Trump enter the US Capitol's Rotunda. AFP -
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Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol. AFP -
Trump supporters clash with police and security forces, as they storm the US Capitol. AFP -
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Pro-Trump supporters storm the US Capitol following a rally. AFP -
Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest inside the US Capitol. AFP -
US President Donald Trump is seen on TV from a video message released on Twitter addressing rioters at the US Capitol, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC. AFP -
Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as they storm the US Capitol in Washington, DC. AFP -
Supporters of US President Donald Trump protest in the US Capitol Rotunda. AFP -
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US Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi preside over a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results after supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol earlier in the day on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. EPA -
Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., cleans up debris and personal belongings strewn across the floor of the Rotunda in the early morning hours of the morning, after protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington. AP
They also make the distinction, for example, that troops may possess extremist materials, but they cannot attempt to distribute them, and while they can observe an extremist rally, they cannot participate, fund or support one.
The rules, said the officials, focus on behaviour, not ideology, so servicemembers can have whatever political, religious or other beliefs that they want, but their actions and behaviour are governed by the military code.
In addition to the new rules, the Pentagon is expanding its screening for recruits to include a deeper look at potential extremist activities. Some activities may not totally prevent someone from joining the military, but require a closer look at the applicant.
The department is also expanding education and training for current military members and more specifically for those leaving the service who may be suddenly subject to recruitment by extremist organisations.
More than 650 people have been charged in the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, including dozens of veterans and about a half dozen active duty servicemembers, among them an army reservist who wore a Hitler moustache to his job at a US Navy base.
Some of the rioters facing the most serious charges, including members of far-right extremist groups, have military backgrounds.
In several of the prosecution cases already, the Justice Department has cited a rioter’s military service as a factor weighing in favour of a jail sentence or house arrest. Prosecutors have repeatedly maintained that veterans’ service, while commendable, made their actions on January 6 more egregious.
