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A commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, was relieved of duty on Friday, May 14th. The alleged infraction that spurred the firing dealt with a May 7th podcast interview given to CD Media on the “Information Operation” program to promote the military officer’s recently self-published book, Irresistible Revolution: Marxism’s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military. During the referenced podcast, Lohmeier touched upon a systemic crisis in America due to Marxist infiltration, highlighting impacted institutions like the media, universities, federal agencies, and the Armed Forces.
Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a 2006 graduate of the U. S. Air Force Academy, has over 1,200 flying hours as a T-38 aircraft pilot and an F-15C pilot instructor. With expertise in space-based missile warning systems, the commander transitioned in October 2020 to the military’s newest branch, the U. S. Space Force, where he was in command, prior to his relief of duty, of a space-based missile warning platoon. Additionally, Lohmeier holds two master’s degrees. One in military operational art and science, and the second in the field of philosophy in military strategy.
As far as the launching of the book is concerned, the perceived ideological witch hunt against the very qualified Space Force officer has certainly assisted his efforts as an author. On Sunday, May 16th, the book which warns about cultural Marxism’s permeation of the military, reached the number one spot on Amazon’s bestseller list. Lohmeier’s contention is consistent with available information which ascertains that communist Critical Race Theory (CRT) literature and booklets have become forced reading within the U. S. Armed Forces. Over 150 retired high-ranking officers recently issued a stunning missive, warning of Marxist inroads into the highest spheres of power in America.
Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of Space Operations Command and person responsible for firing Lohmeier, claimed that the reasoning for this decision was a “loss of confidence in his ability to lead”, according to Military.com. A careful reading of documented U. S. military code policy, however, would support the claims of the terminated spaced-based ballistic missile commander. In fact, a powerful argument can be made that it is Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, acting under orders from the Biden-Harris Administration, that is violating America’s military conduct codes by accepting the whole ideological premise of Marxist CRT and acting upon the presupposition of this communist tenet.
Department of Defense (DOD) Directive 1344.10 of February 19th, 2008 lays out the guidelines establishing limits for partisan political activity while in uniform. Nowhere in Lohmeier’s podcast interview or book does he advance any party agenda. It is in the DOD Directive 1325.06 of November 27th, 2009 (revised in 2012) that deals with “Handling Dissident and Protest Activities Among Members of the Armed Forces,” that the Biden-Harris military leadership appears to be implementing ideological policies that contradict the established military rules.
DOD Directive 1325.06, under “Prohibited Activities” (Number 8, Section A) states “Military personnel must not actively advocate supremacist, extremist, or criminal gang doctrine, ideology, or causes, including those that advance, encourage or advocate illegal discrimination based on race, creed, color, sex, religion, ethnicity, or national origin or those that advance, encourage, or advocate the use of force, violence, or criminal activity or otherwise advance efforts to deprive individuals of their civil rights.” Furthermore, the following section (Number 8, Section B) establishes that to “advocate the use of force, violence, or criminal activity; or otherwise engage in efforts to deprive individuals of their civil rights… are incompatible with military service.”
CRT is fundamentally Marxist ideology, an offspring of the Frankfurt School’s Critical Theory communist worldview fused with intersectional gender politics theory. As such, they call for comprehensive systemic change where violence is not discarded to achieve those ends. Defense Secretary Austin’s “stand-down” February 5th military order and the subsequent formulation of an internal policing scheme to search for perceived “white supremacy” extremism, along with the elaboration of “training manuals” that fall under the CRT dogma, premises its actions wholly on Neo-Marxist ideology. In other words, the Biden-Harris top military commander is emitting orders and establishing policies that, to make any sense, must fully accept Marxist CRT ideology.
Lt. Col. Lohmeier’s career is far from over. There is great support for his stern rebuking of the communist presence in America’s military. The battle between socialism and American republicanism is being fought, up until now, asymmetrically. The left’s gross intent to co-opt the military may backfire on them. They are messing with patriots who are morally trained to die for freedom.
Julio M Shiling, political scientist, writer, director of Patria de Martí and The Cuban American Voice, lecturer and media commentator. A native of Cuba, he currently lives in the United States. Twitter: @JulioMShiling // Julio es politólogo, escritor, director de Patria de Martí y The Cuban American Voice. Conferenciante y comentarista en los medios. Natural de Cuba, vive actualmente en EE UU.