Public Support of Candidacy by Military Members?

[Afterburner76]

Ok, so I've noticed a lot of military Officers on Facebook and Myspace publicly supporting their candidate of choice (I, personally, do not). These people also list themselves as being Officers and have pictures in uniform, etc.

Now, it was my understanding that military Officers could not do that. Something about the perception to the public that the military endorses a specific candidate.

Someone shed some light on this?

 

[Bevo16]

Better get your razor blade and go to the parking lot. There might just be a car with a blue sticker on the front and a campaign sticker on the back. I'll bet that some officers even drive those rolling cantidate endorsements in uniform!!!!

This is pretty easy. Don't go to a parade or campaign rally in uniform. Pretty much everything else is fair game.

Common sense applies here.

 

[jt71582]

I'm actually glad you asked the question. I'm going to OCS soon so I know next to nothing about what's expected of an Officer, and I was wondering what the protocol is with this. Now I can make sure I have a campaign sticker on my big man-truck while I'm running down hippies.

 

[Uncle Fester]

DODD 1344.10: Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces

Says among other things:

A member of the Armed Forces on active duty may:

4.1.1.6. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper expressing the member’s personal views on public issues or political candidates, if such action is not part of an organized letter-writing campaign or a solicitation of votes for or against a political party or partisan political cause or candidate. If the letter identifies the member as on active duty (or if the member is otherwise reasonably identifiable as a member of the Armed Forces), the letter should clearly state that the views expressed are those of the individual only and not those of the Department of Defense (or Department of Homeland Security for members of the Coast Guard).​

4.1.1.8. Display a political bumper sticker on the member’s private vehicle.

A member of the Armed Forces on active duty shall not:

4.1.2.5. Speak before a partisan political gathering, including any gathering that promotes a partisan political party, candidate, or cause.

4.1.2.11. Display a large political sign, banner, or poster (as distinguished from a bumper sticker) on a private vehicle.
​

4.1.2.12. Display a partisan political sign, poster, banner, or similar device visible to the public at one’s residence on a military installation, even if that residence is part of a privatized housing development.

 

[osu33]

Thanks for the link to the regs. However, does the same apply to an officer in the National Guard? I was wondering the same question when Joe Biden's son introduced him last night at the DNC (Capt. in the NG, deploying to Iraq in October). Was he able to because he is not considered 'active' at the time? Thought it was a bit odd...

 

[MIDNJAC]

Am I the only one here who does not understand the point of bumper stickers? It's not like the candidates need any more publicity, and either the folks driving around you are going to think "this guy is a jack@**" , or possibly "hey, I'm voting for xxx too". Either way it makes no difference and at best you are just preaching to the choir. Not to mention that it just gunks up your car's paint/bumpers.

 

[picklesuit]

Am I the only one here who does not understand the point of bumper stickers? It's not like the candidates need any more publicity, and either the folks driving around you are going to think "this guy is a jack@**" , or possibly "hey, I'm voting for xxx too". Either way it makes no difference and at best you are just preaching to the choir. Not to mention that it just gunks up your car's paint/bumpers.

For some of us it hides the rust.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

For some of us it hides the rust.

Or the stain that your old glock sticker left on your rear window.

 

[MIDNJAC]

For some of us it hides the rust.

Nice, fair enough

 

[Nikki2184]

Am I the only one here who does not understand the point of bumper stickers? It's not like the candidates need any more publicity, and either the folks driving around you are going to think "this guy is a jack@**" , or possibly "hey, I'm voting for xxx too". Either way it makes no difference and at best you are just preaching to the choir. Not to mention that it just gunks up your car's paint/bumpers.

I like seeing the cars with bumper stickers with from last decade. Like "Ross Perot in 92!", way to pick a winner dude...

 

[Afterburner76]

DODD 1344.10: Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces

Says among other things:

Wait! What if you have a bumper sticker on your private vehicle in your driveway at your home on a military installation! j/k

 

[Twitterpate03]

"4.1.2.12. Display a partisan political sign, poster, banner, or similar device visible to the public at one’s residence on a military installation, even if that residence is part of a privatized housing development. "


So a sign in my front yard(private residence) NOT on a military installation is ok, right?

 

[MasterBates]

Yes. The Bush04 sign I had in front of my house in JAX was OK.

Putting a McCain08 sign in front of the PUMA (on base) would not be OK.

 

[Spekkio]

Ok, so I've noticed a lot of military Officers on Facebook and Myspace publicly supporting their candidate of choice (I, personally, do not). These people also list themselves as being Officers and have pictures in uniform, etc.

Now, it was my understanding that military Officers could not do that. Something about the perception to the public that the military endorses a specific candidate.

Someone shed some light on this?

I don't put my political views on facebook, either. Even though it's not forbidden by regulations or anything, you'll still get people using your military status to make whatever you say sound more official, which is a bad thing in that regard.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Yup. Anyone see that crap on Huffington Post about how the military "really" supports Obama? They base that on exactly this sort of thing - donations from overseas troops, Facebook profiles, etc.

Look, I am a proud supporter of McCain, I've been a fan for years. But G-d help us all if there's ever even a popular impression of a hint that the military supports one candidate or party. We serve the most bleeding-heart liberal or venomous conservative who resides in the White House, regardless.