x. "I figured maybe I could change things from inside.". We were bullies in one of the poorest countries on Earth, Rapone said. West Point's newest class has increased minority representation and the percentage of female new cadets remained consistent with previous years. Rapone's father, a local politician in Pennsylvania, explicitly disavowed his son's political views Tuesday in a Facebook post. Whatever happened to that communist lieutenant? The Army won't say. I think theres acouple things that happened since. In one, the graduating cadet is seen making a fist while displaying the underside of his cover, scrawled with COMMUNISM WILL WIN, at his commencement in 2016. I was still idealistic, he said. I figured maybe I could change things from inside.. cBf5sIfE*3T0!l&CN+f-:#;p>,vS$E West Point graduate and now former Army infantry officer Spenser Rapone has been processed out of the U.S. Army and received an other than honorable discharge from the military after a photo he posted with his West Point cap and the words Communism will win went viral. Both the Department of Defense and the Army have longstanding policies encouraging soldiers to participate in the democratic process. "We were bullies in one of the poorest countries on Earth," Rapone said. Many other military personnel also tweeted in favor of Kaepernick, although most were supporting free speech, not communism. Or, Icould submit an unconditional resignation and they can give me whatever discharge they want. Iwasnt quite asocialist yet, but Iknew Iwas against the war. Spenser Rapone, 26, became notable a bit faster than most graduates. For sure, Pat was abig influence on me. You go in with acertain vision in your head of what being in the military is and then you see the reality of it. At worst, however, Cadet Rapones statements bespeak either a severe mental or psychological disorder, or a genuine commitment to values and ideals wholly at odds with those of West Point and the Army, he added. Republicans apparently don't believe that Americans who work longer hours should get paid more. Sign up to become a Sustainer before the deadline and take advantage of our best offer ever. An investigation into Rapones behavior quickly commenced and he was placed on a monitoring regimesaid to be for his own safety. Could you explain the type of discharge they gaveyou? The strikes left 34 people injured, including three children, and caused widespread damage. Take the story of Gas Turbine Systems Technician 3rd Class Peter Mims an E-4 whose disappearance sparked a massive man overboard search last year. #AntiFa, he wrote, according to a picture obtained before he took down his account. https://t.co/c3SW0QJsBl https://t.co/c3SW0QJsBl, My eyes are seriously about to roll out of the back of my head. It seeks to create astateless, classless, moneyless society. The saga of communist sympathizing Second Lieutenant Spenser Rapone keeps on going, and with every turn it looks worse for Rapone. The academy is prepared to assist the officers chain of command as required.. Officially, the Army said in a statement only that it conducted a full investigation and appropriate action was taken., An unrepentant Rapone summed up the fallout in yet another tweet Monday that showed him extending a middle finger at a sign at the entrance to Fort Drum, accompanied by the words, One final salute., I consider myself a revolutionary socialist, the 26-year-old Rapone told The Associated Press. While I strongly support the rights of American citizens to express their opinions, the actions of 2nd Lieutenant Rapone are abhorrent and appear to be in clear violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, in addition to being inconsistent with the values of the United States Military Academy. US report shows China taking steps toward space dominance, Biden to allow Afghans to stay longer in US, sources say, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? He was nominated out of high school by. Prysner stands at a height of 5 ft 11 in (Approx. He posted January 18 on Facebook, May we all learn from her example of what integrity and strength of conviction truly entails.. He didnt want all these honorifics. I have not been in touch with him in the years since the appointment, and I was shocked and extremely disappointed in the recent reports of his indefensible actions., The behavior of 2nd Lieutenant Rapone is symbolic of a larger problem in our society the epidemic of incivility in our public discourse, Altmire continued. Now through Monday, sign up to become a Sustainer for just $5 a month and you'll receive your choice of one of three booksas well as an ongoing subscriptions (10 issues a year) to the print magazine. Rapone has also posted on Facebook a picture of himself holding up the Communist Manifesto, with his Army dress uniform hanging in the closet in the background and a number of posts showing opposition for Trump policies and administration officials and support for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) at least since 2015. Hes an exceptional soldier, the Twitter account, @DSAVeterans, wrote. Hosein brought Phi Alpha Theta members, including Rapone, to Orlando, Florida, for a national conference in February 2016. Istill had this liberal idea that Icould affect change from the inside, so Iapplied and got accepted to West Point and thought, I wont fail my men, like leadership failedme. The last 15years have shown otherwise. 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Leaving Army with 'Less Than Honorable First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. But after being deployed to Afghanistan and seeing the violence his unit was helping to inflict, Rapone grew increasingly disillusioned with the military. Inspired by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who famously took aknee to protest police violence, Rapone wore aChe Guevara T-shirt to his West Point graduation in May 2016 and turned his cap over to reveal the hand-scrawled message, Communism willwin.. In another, he raises his fist and flips his cap to reveal the message: "Communism will win.". The Saga of the Commie Lieutenant Comes to an End. Id have to do ashow cause board, which is essentially me convincing them why Ishould stay in themilitary. West Point's Newest Class Has More Minority New Cadets Than - Newsweek He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was assigned as an assistant machine gunner in Khost Province. (Source: Twitter). Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. But you felt like you couldnt do anything about what you wereexperiencing. In Ehrenreich's new book, she comes out about mystical experiences in her teens. |?RzNB*0t[%vTvRHhii\&4PGO>]~:.1b"* 97by7=w|i>edjR9@6$Ol~9U`: onj "8W(:!,w0e0eIvsRdR5y6odwq,lAQ6Az!F Xig'" aNJFNED$Z9CYOzjc!=;{21m%veb0Nf[,|lj{(/ Eventually, however, after becoming increasingly disillusioned with U.S. imperialism abroad, Rapone resigned his commission and was separated from the Army in early June. accounts, the history behind an article. Rapone is a former Army Ranger turned West Point Cadet who posted photos with his cap showing the phrase, "Communism will win," ultimately expressing his pro-communism views. He enlisted in the United States Army right out of high school. At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. "I was still idealistic," he said. [image via Spenser Rapone with permission], Follow Colin Kalmbacher on Twitter: @colinkalmbacher, Have a tip we should know? "I would encourage all soldiers who have a conscience to lay down their arms and join me and so many others who are willing to stop serving the agents of imperialism and join us in a revolutionary movement. Idont want people saying that because they are volunteers, theres no room for resisting. I have no doubt that the U.S. Army will take appropriate action.. Our conversation will be called Resisting Within the Ranks., Spenser Is being discharged from the military with an Other Than Honorable discharge this June, in part, because Maro Rubio penned a panic-stricken letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy demanding, Florida Senator Marco Rubio called on the U.S. Army to remove Rapone and make him pay back his tuition for advocating for communism., U.S. Army spokesperson Valerie Mongello had told American Military News that while the Department of Defense and Army encourage soldiers to participate in the democratic process, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms., West Point Military Academy had also responded to the situation, and released a statement saying Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army., Spenser Rapone (Photos from Social Media, Compiled by American Military News). 51 Ithink some people are more anti-Trump than they are anti-war. [3], Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group Closed Facebook Group, as of September 28, 2017, included Spenser Rapone under the name of Giuseppe Impastato.[4]. Menu. West Point first admitted women in 1976, with 62 women graduating in the class of 1980. "On the other hand, many people reached out and showed me support. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Spenser Rapone - KeyWiki Go to the main page of ISO Socialism Conference Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group, Democratic Socialists of America Wholesome Meme Stash, DL DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan Posted by Dsa on 08.22.17, https://www.facebook.com/groups/DSAWholesomeMemes/, https://keywiki.org/index.php?title=Spenser_Rapone&oldid=519567, GNU Free Documentation License 1.3 or later. A recently retired CIA officer remarked to SOFREP that right now our counter-intelligence is so bad that we are only catching the dumb ones, the people stupid enough to out themselves on social media or who mail classified documents to news outlets, Mr. Murphy continued. Rapones Twitter account, where he tweets as @punkproletarian, was previously set to protected while the investigation ran its course. We can confirm, however, that the Army conducted a full investigation and that appropriate action was taken., 2nd. Ithink thats acrucial part of it and why Idid what Idid. He ultimately resigned his commission, and was separated from the Army in June 2018 with an Other Than Honorable discharge., Spenser Rapones bio on Socialism 2018 (Socialism 2018 Website), Fanning wrote that their conversation will be called Resisting Within the Ranks.. They're also given 60 seconds to say goodbye to their families, who they may or may not contact during Cadet Basic Training. Due to the form of discharge received, Rapone may be ineligible for VA benefits or the GI Bill. [7], Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Wholesome Meme Stash closed Facebook group, accessed November 14, 2017 included Spenser Rapone. Theres no doubt that some of the generals and higher ranked retired officers and defense contractors had avoice in this. Rapone's discharge will place him in a situation where he will not be entitled to VA benefits and he may have to . Iremember one time it achaplain said we were about bringing wrath upon these people, and Iwas like, Wow, these people have some kind of crusader fantasy. It was prettyunsettling. Spenser Rapone, 26, quit on Monday with an other-than-honourable discharge over his "unbecoming" conduct at the famed military academy in New York state. The more important thing is that alot of other veterans and active duty personnel have had similar experiences to me and have come to similar conclusions, if not the same, and Ihope that by speaking out. Right: Army Private First Class Spenser Rapone receiving his "Ranger Scrol" patch after completing Ranger Assessment and Selection Program in 2011. . He wanted to enlist and do his time. Mar 29 Damascus is under attack. Although Im not apacifist, Inever called for any explicit violence. How Peter Mims spent a week hiding in a warships engine room, US report shows China taking steps toward space dominance, Biden to allow Afghans to stay longer in US, sources say, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? Of the incoming class, 180 were African American, 145 were Hispanic Americans, 99 were Asian Americans and 19 were Native Americans. It wasnt nearly to that level before the 9/11 era and thats part of why Ispeak out. Exclusive: Former Congressman Who Nominated - The Daily Caller S5: Episode 31 - Mike Prysner & Spenser Rapone (Podcast Episode - IMDb Of course my military career is dead in the water. Don't Threaten. Spenser Rapone, Author at - Truthdig: Expert Reporting, Current News Vice President Mike Pence called the class of 2019 the most diverse in West Point's history during the commencement address. The newest class of cadets enters the academy on the heels of the school graduating a record number of black women in a single class, which occurred in May. Hoseins bio on the West Point website lists Rapone as one of two cadets he last advised at West Point. Report: West Point Professor Found Communist Officer's Social Media Rapone, a former enlisted Ranger who had completed the US Military Academy Prep School and graduated from West Point, was made famous by his own social media posts showing him regaling communism and wearing a Che . Robert Heffington, a former lieutenant colonel and West Point instructor who met Mr. Rapone, told the website that his online ideological screeds reveal the philosophical infatuations of a precocious adolescent in a best-case scenario. Previously, he served as the director of Public Education for the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Chicago. WATCH LIVE: Retrial for Florida man Eric Robinson accused of brutal love triangle murder, Law&Crime Looks Ahead to 10 Remarkable Criminal Trials Scheduled for the First Half of 2023, 9 Shocking Times Defendants Testified at Trial, 10 Most Memorable Law&Crime Network Trials, Former Christian missionary convicted of sexual abuse and incest after victim under the age of 12 contracts gonorrhea, Im sorry. The Superintendent of West Point Military Academy, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr., released a letter on Wednesday. This time around, West Point accepted him. 2UOgS[M . Money Minute, What's next for experimental AI projects in the C4ISR sphere. Joe, but he wanted none of that. But the service declined to disclose what investigators found, how Rapone had been disciplined, or even if he has been allowed to stay in the service. He was an idealistic teenager from the rural Rust Belt town of New Castle, Pennsylvania (literally the Fireworks Capital of America), who embraced patriotic jingoism and enlisted in the army straight out of highschool. "He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community," recalled Altmire, a Democrat. Its a program for Indigenous liberation, life, and landan affirmation that colonialism and capitalism must be overturned for this planet to be habitable for human and other-than-human relatives to live dignified lives. At the end of this Convention, the GNDCC will be tasked with initiating a more direct working relationship between DSA and The Red Nation. With all their political gamesmanship, lawmakers forget that real human lives are often on the line. <> Officials also confirmed that, following his commissioning, he had failed out of Ranger school before being assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. ", An unrepentant Rapone summed up the fallout in yet another tweet Monday that showed him extending a middle finger at a sign at the entrance to Fort Drum, accompanied by the words, "One final salute. You start to see why these wars are endless. Amendment on the Red Deal and Rejecting a Green Military by Sofia Arias (NYC), Sydney Ghazarian (Los Angeles), Brian Ward (Madison), Rory Fanning (Chicago), Spenser Rapone (NYC), Joe Allen. ;Z*A.,Gr+UYn>SYQel:2>pUpk'+0?@t %*-m,}'~3tWhWwOVM81&:OFGy]$F%xG7*8QjVy(q\-`m'ge(|bUWn`K.O;wu^+r>;Y?^Uba-g2Ia$qYXP}mjCGNq0sy5ElUAiWe -H/r| >a~SuPc;*}{Mf.B@I}\)T|] At the time, the Army confirmed that he had previously been an enlisted soldier and a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, with one Afghanistan deployment, but that he had been removed for standards.. On Monday, the Army's 10th Mountain Division accepted the resignation of 2nd Lt. Rapone less than a year after he posted . I started to think, If Iwere aguy in Afghanistan, how would Ifeel about this? Ithink its no secret that many people in America would take great umbrage if someone was walking through their homes. He went viral after posting a photo to Twitter of himself in support of professional football player Colin Kaepernick, where Rapone is seen in his West Point uniform at graduation holding his cap that contains a piece of paper that says Communism will win.. He is also a teaching assistant, which gives him a platform to inflict his twisted worldview upon students who might think that if they don't go along, their grades could suffer. racist or sexually-oriented language. Copyright 2023 by the Institute for Public Affairs (EIN: 94-2889692). 7hVccY[2a/;#mD.RA$1Q2J&`"(P&UX IdYFajS0 Odu&3 ofc,bc1RJfb{w5!s/d J/dSDi(hED1+@Iw/[6[*A|lx=` = _s[}ec88vvW='H(}edW+],stTCbe_X^AjQ@&=62ccl/vo`S!ds^"Mc!dfFfYZmg;Xyx@n#|1_P ~io Ux!ZZ{g+vN=;+t~:!Q]xIBUp^f+m`3T-(X'3wpdE]2 ^ n@]fn`7|E No political movement can be healthy unless it has its own press to inform it, educate it and orient it. Let there be no doubt that we have unequivocal solidarity with and pride in Spenser. Im amember of the DSA, so Iwant to get involved with socialist politics and affect some change. The United States Army is so impressed with Spenser Rapone, they decided to promote him to first lieutenant. In October, he said that Iadvocated violence and was athreat to national security and Ishould have my commission revoked, my degree revoked. Law&Crimebroke the story of the West Point Communist on September 25, 2017 after speaking with Rapone and confirming his identity, intentions and political ideology. endobj Even while still a cadet, Rapone's online postings alarmed a West Point history professor, who wrote Rapone up, saying his online postings were "red flags that cannot be ignored."
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