In order to understand why this is such an ill-defined area, we must literally begin at the beginning of our Republic. By choosing to speak out, they must enter an area of free speech with multiple pitfalls and grey areas with minimal consensus. Simply put, servicemembers such as those in our organization speak out because they feel a strong personal and professional responsibility to do so. Issue advocacy also does not include the participation of military personnel in conduct of partisan political activity – as I will make clear later in this talk, such participation is bounded and strictly limited by custom and law. Article 88 specifically holds that:Īny commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.Īmong the more recent and widely publicized instances of such activities was the use of contemptuous language by a few senior officers against then-President Clinton, including one statement that he was a "draft-dodging, pot-smoking, womanizing commander in chief." In a republic where civilian control of the military is paramount, such speech is clearly intolerable and prejudicial to good order and discipline. Such actions are normally referred to as "Article 88" violations, after the section of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, or UCMJ, that addresses such conduct. Specifically, issue advocacy does not encompass conduct specifically intended to undermine the authority of either the civilian or military leadership over members of the armed forces. I should also take a moment to clearly define what issue advocacy isn’t. Indeed, such continued service gives our members’ speech both relevance and weight in the ever-shifting marketplace of ideas. Such advocacy is at the heart of what we do at IAVA – although many of our members have left the military, a sizable portion remain in service on either active duty or in the reserve component. More specifically, I will discuss actions taken by military personnel to address pressing issues of concern on defense policy and veterans’ affairs. My topic tonight is "Breaking Ranks: The History, Limitations, and Importance of American Active Duty Issue Advocacy." By issue advocacy, I mean actions taken by members of the armed forces to increase public visibility on issues within their field of expertise that directly impact the public good. For more information on our work, please feel free to visit I am proud to serve as a blogger and public speaker for IAVA, even as I continue to serve my country as an officer in the United States Army, and it is that conjunction of public service and private advocacy that I wish to address. It is my great privilege and pleasure to speak today on behalf of IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America), the nation's first and largest group dedicated to the troops and veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the civilian supporters of those same troops and veterans. Members, honored guests and friends of the New York Military Affairs Symposium, thank you very much for your kind invitation to address this distinguished group. Breaking Ranks: The History, Limitations, and Importance of American Active Duty Issue Advocacy
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