FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 25, 2021

For further information, contact:
Committee to Support and Defend at 202-660-1628 or
Tracey.Miller@theacru.org

Over 1000 retired Generals, Admirals, non-Flag Officers and enlisted decry “wokeness” in the U.S. Military

Naples, FL—Lt. Col Allen West (ret) and over 1000 retired and former military warned of threats to the Constitution and the nation’s military readiness posed by the increased priority placed on “wokeness” in the military. Flag Officers 4 America and the Committee to Support and Defend joined forces to alert the nation to the major national security issue America faces if these policies continue.

The Committee to Support and Defend released a strong public letter today warning of specific threats to the Constitution and freedom. Over 1000 signers to date have reaffirmed that the oath they took to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic has no expiration date, and that current military leadership promoting “wokeness” undermines the military’s warfighting mission. This position follows closely that of the over 200 retired generals and admirals who signed the Flag Officer 4 America open letter last month.

Through the American Constitutional Rights Union’s Committee to Support and Defend, former members of the U.S. military who have proudly served our nation, have signed the letter to express their support for liberty and their specific concerns for the United States as many powerful forces seek to enact Socialism and Marxism. LTC West is a member of the Policy Board of ACRU and leads its military initiatives.

LTC West indicates in the letter: “Today, although no longer active-duty warriors, we are still bound to this pledge and believe we are ethically obligated to protect our country. As such, we put our nation’s leadership on notice. We believe the hard left turn toward Socialism and Marxism endangers our citizens and the future of this great nation. Although a difficult step to take, we believe this step is necessary for us to continue to demonstrate the integrity and moral courage our oath requires.”

General Joe Arbuckle states: “Critical Race Theory and other such programs are intentionally designed to divide people into groups based on oppressors vs oppressed; sowing discord and distrust in each other. This is exactly the opposite of the team building based on the essential trust and confidence needed in military units for unit cohesion and readiness. If allowed to continue, CRT and other such divisive programs will do tremendous damage to our military, its missions, and therefore our Nation. No doubt our adversaries across the globe are carefully watching how this unfolds.

The Committee’s letter is focused on encouraging citizens and leaders to assess the outlined public policy threats to the nation and work together to constructively and cooperatively advance freedom.

In addition to this specific military threat, the open letter identifies threats such as erosion of the rule of law, a two-tiered justice system, attacks on voting integrity measures such as voter identification, censorship, bureaucratic abuses such as lockdowns, open borders allowing in terrorists and traffickers, restrictions that erase America’s energy independence, and rampant attacks on the rule of law. On the foreign policy front, the signers warn of threats from China and Iran and pledge their support to the “Abraham Accords.”

The signers had strong words about efforts to change the military: “The focus of our military should be on training, readiness, and defense of our Nation, not leftist cultural wokeness… We oppose the politicization and ideological purging of our military.”

The Open Letter from Retired U.S. Military and Veterans ends with: “We call upon the American people to join us in opposing the advancement of socialism by holding public officials accountable in the public square and the voting booth. We must elect local, state, and federal candidates who will always act to defend our Constitutional Republic. The survival of our Nation and its historic values, liberty and freedom are at stake.”

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American Constitutional Rights Union, a non-partisan, non-profit public policy organization dedicated to defending the constitutionally protected civil rights of all Americans.