The next morning, one of the field-grade officers said to me, So, I hear youre a fan of Colin Kaepernick, and I thought, Oh boy, here we go. Then my chain of command pulled me aside and told me I was under investigation. This was for a couple reasons. Any injuries sustained on duty for his prior service period could qualify for VA treatment, Christensen said, but many other benefits would berestricted unless he receives awaiver from VA. In another, he raises his fist and flips his cap to reveal the message: Communism will win.. Many of you have lost loved ones fighting the same totalitarian philosophy that long-haired leftist Rapone so arrogantly promotes. Getting out of the military is daunting, especially as an officer. Raponereceived an other than honorable discharge, the AP reported, an administrative separation reserved for misconduct. Part of it is how we term antiwar, and what that means. I knew there could be repercussions, said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. West Point released a statement after Rapone posted the photos, saying his actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army. And U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, called on the secretary of the Army to remove Rapone from the officer ranks. Spenser Rapone An Independent, Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. But as bad as that is, theres something very different about taking a human life yourself, let alone if you dont understand what cause its serving. Civilians were detouring around his legs asthey tried to make it down the hallway. Spenser Rapone None of that really matters because it is obvious that Rapone and the faculty thought Rapone was immune from any kind of serious disciplinary action. I say again, this is a sworn statement, something you only go to the trouble of filing when you want punitive action taken against someone. Why? Who Was Protecting the Commie West Point Graduate And Why. Looks like the Commie Cadet is well on his way to become the first Army General who advocates the overthrow of the All rights reserved. Yesterday, this sworn statement surfaced. Its now in US military code that thats illegal. The 25 year-old butter bar lieutenant prefers an enemy regime to our own democracy. Spenser Rapone, the former second lieutenant whose Communism will win photos went viral in 2017, has received an other than honorable discharge from the Army. Now its become a social experiment. Good riddance. But the men I was surrounded by took active pleasure in killing other human beings and dehumanizing people because they have different cultures or a different religion. But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community, recalled Altmire, a Democrat. West Point Knew 2LT Rapone Was a Communist in Immediately, I had friends and family members reaching out to me. Over the past couple of weeks a lot of attention has been called to the case of an avowed communist, anti-American, and, indeed, anti-military graduate of the United States Military Academy names Spenser Rapone (see this and this). I replied Okay, thats one person. He also is a supporter of another punk, spoiled millionaire football player Colin Kaepernick whos the current darling of those who follow the likes of Obama and that whining bitch Hillary Clinton. There were no red flags of any kind.. Can Floridas gay teachers show photos? 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, West Point removes Confederate monuments, including Robert E. Lee, Worthy prof motive -- a salute to an NYU legend, West Point should reconsider KKK plaque on science building: congressional panel, US Army teaching Critical Race Theory to West Point cadets: report, summed up the fallout in yet another tweet Monday. One first class cadet in uniform stood up, admired to taking part in the argument, and apologizedfor being so loud. Navy Lieutenant a Hero, or Despicable Deserter? They made me stay in there for what they told me was for my own safety. While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States,he said. Or at the very least, Id be able to remove myself from the army and find a way to talk about my experiences in some type of antiwar movement. West Point I got back and began trying to process what I witnessed. Why are we not surprised? His time at the academy only deepened his socialist views. Believe it or not, there are laws against those who advocate the overthrow of the Government. Army splits with West Point grad who touted communist revolt He would be a sure bet to get a promotion there. Rapone was an enlisted man who served briefly in 1st Ranger Battalion, was, according to reports, booted out of that unit, applied for a West Point appointment via the Military Academy Prep School from former Democrat Congressman Jason Altmire, graduated West Point and was commissioned in 2016. And I was a young male in American society, so I watched a lot of Hollywood movies, a lot of TV shows. Yes, there were attempts to create military labor unions. I knew there could be repercussions, said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. Right: Army Private First Class Spenser Rapone receiving his "Ranger Scrol" patch after completing Ranger Assessment and Selection Program in 2011. The Viet Cong and the Afghan resistance that people in these countries are resisting is the only similarity I can see between the Vietnam era and the current global war on terror. For example, its illegal to have union meetings in the military now. Everyone who is sworn into the American military has to take an oath of office which includes they wont advocate the overthrow of the Government. Already on our list? There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do., In this May 2016 photo provided by Spenser Rapone, Rapone raises his left fist while displaying a sign inside his hat that reads "Communism will win," after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. After Rapone, who was already a combat veteran after serving with the First Ranger Battalion in Afghanistan, posted the photos on Facebook, the Army dismissed him with an "other than honorable" discharge. Copyright 2023 RedState.com/Salem Media. Anyway Heffington and Rampone go into the hallway and bitch at each other some more. Can you imagine what would go through your mind if your unit, engaged in combat against Communists (P.S. This site is owned and operated by Bright Mountain Media, Inc., a publicly owned company trading with the symbol. Again, his demeanor was one of utter contempt forme, and apparently for the expectation that he would conduct himself in a professional manner. So I decided to enlist as an infantryman out of high school. It doesnt happen. Pentagon suspends war games with South Korea after Trumps meeting with Kim. Spenser Rapone Whatever happened to duty, honor, country?. Im one of six children from, at the time, a single-income family. On the other hand, many people reached out and showed me support. Rapone could not be reached for comment. knightro2323 6 yr. ago. Army splits with West Point grad who touted communist revolt I was told I was in this elite unit with elite soldiers. We had the misfortune of crossing paths with that politically-correct butt kisser years ago at the Army War College and Carlisle Barracks. Im having trouble even processing this exchange. His utter contempt for my rank and position as an Armyofficer was blatantly obvious and, to me, it indicates that CDT Rapone has a serious problem with military authority figures. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE MEANS NOTHING TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY! In addition to classic socialist theorists such as Karl Marx, Rapone says he found inspiration in the writings of Stan Goff, a retired Special Forces master sergeant who became a socialist anti-war activist. COL. MIKE NO COMBAT COLPO, THE CHAIRBORNE RANGER. Trump says North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat. MilitaryCorruption.com has been watching this case closely. But they said no, and that I could either go to a board of inquiry, which is basically an adversarial trial one side presents their case, I present mine or I could leave unconditionally. One of six children growing up in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Rapone said he applied to West Point, which is tuition-free, because he couldnt afford college. As weve seen in the recent past, ideological actors working inside the system such as Edward Snowden can do a tremendous amount of damage to national security. here for reprint permission. I followed hiseyes and then looked down to see what he was looking at; I then realized that he was staring at the name tag on my ACU top, as ifmemorizing my name. At best, Cadet Rapones online ideological screeds reveal the philosophical infatuations ofa precocious adolescent, rather like a high school boy who cannot stop spouting off about NietzscheAt 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. Rapone previously served as an enlisted infantryman before enrolling at West Point in 2012. On the other hand, many people reached out and showed me support. I didnt want to grovel before the empire, and knew itd be a show trial at best, so I submitted my resignation. Take a look at the photos that accompany this article, dear reader, and try not to reach for the barf bag. He added that its possible the military academy could seek repayment of the cost of Rapones education because he didnt serve the full five-year service obligation required upon graduation. The next time I see you in thisbuilding, youd better be wearing a uniform. To tell them that theres more to your skills as a soldier than firing a weapon. Their conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. You posted it with a hashtag, #VeteransforKaepernick. And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of the academys Long Gray Line.. But we need to find a way to bring them in, create spaces for them to name their experiences, and then use their knowledge and abilities at organizing and working on a team to support emancipatory movements and socialist politics. Plus, Colin Kaepernick risked his career to support a cause. I didnt expect it to go viral like it did, but I thought maybe I could influence other soldiers. There can be only one reason that his social media presence was known to other faculty members and nothing done about it. Proof has surfaced that West Point leadership knew as early as 2015 that avowed Communist 2nd Lieutenant Spenser Rapone held Marxist anti-American beliefs. Well, he certainly took that to heart, didnt he. We saw people hijack helicopters within the ranks to drop propaganda flyers over military bases. U.S. government destroying the dollars value through inflation. Rory Fanning is the author of Worth Fighting For: An Army Ranger's Journey Out of the Military and Across America. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (AP) The images Spenser Rapone posted on Twitter from his West Point graduation were intentionally shocking: In one, the cadet opens his dress uniform to expose a T-shirt with a blood-red image of socialist icon Che Guevara. Spenser Rapone is under investigation after tweeting photos of himself support communism while in uniform. On Monday, the Armys 10th Mountain Division accepted the resignation of 2nd Lt. Raponeless than a year after he posted photos of himself at his 2016 graduation, posing in a Che Guevara shirt under his uniform, along with a fist salute to underline a message written in his cap: Communism will win., The photos, which Raponeposted to social media last September, created a fierce backlash, sparked death threats and drew calls from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) to investigate Rapones online writing last fall. One post dated 16 November 2015 states, Fuck this country and its false freedom. He also labels a guest lecturer for MX400 a fascist, and he even implicitly justifies the actions of ISIS and blames the United States for terrorist attacks. We had hundreds of incidents where soldiers were fragging and killing their officers. This article was published more than4 years ago. Despite his growing disillusionment about the military, he applied and got in. In short, Rapone saw himself as a subversive agent of communism, infiltrating the US military from within with intent to destroy it. There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.. There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do, he said. Can you start off by telling us about your background and why you decided to join the military? Rapone is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is serving as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Armys 10th Mountain Division, though he is currently at Ranger School. NATIONAL GUARD IS A HUGE CESSPOOL OF CORRUPTION THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES AND ITS TERRITORIES VERY SELDOM DO THE GENERALS PULL INK IN A MAJOR NEWSPAPER FOR THEIR BRAZEN MISCONDUCT, BUT THEY DID THIS TIME. here for reprint permission. 2nd Lieutenant Spenser Rapone poses in a selfie with the Communist Manifesto and his Army dress uniform last month. He may at some point grow out of this phase, but the Army does not have the the luxury of allowing him the opportunity to sort out his beliefs while charged with the sacred duty of leading American Soldiers. Even while still a cadet, Rapones online postings alarmed a West Point history professor, who wrote Rapone up, saying his online postings were red flags that cannot be ignored. Rapone was disciplined but still allowed to graduate. There can be only one reason that he felt free to shoot off his mouth to an senior officer who was also an assistant professor. By many accounts, he is . Follow me on Twitter. In another, he raises his fist and flips his cap to reveal the message: Communism will win.. A cadet telling a lieutenant colonel to FOAD? Some more RUMINT on Comrade Rapone Top brass at Fort Drum accepted Rapones resignation Monday after an earlier reprimand for conduct unbecoming of an officer. Rapone said an investigation found he went online to advocate for a socialist revolution and disparage high-ranking officers. The Chevron Doctrine: Will the Supreme Court's Ruling Protect Liberty? Spenser Rapone was accepted to West Point in 2012, graduated in 2016 and received an other than honorable discharge in June. I told him that he may have to wait, but he certainly did notneed to lie down across the hallway so his legs block the way for everyone else. We also had the Viet Cong resisting. But he wasnt accepted to West Point, so Rapone enlisted in the Army. IT TURNS OUT THE ARMY REALLY DOESNT WANT ANYONE TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AS VICTIMS. We have one of the most technologically advanced militaries of all time and all we were doing is brutalizing and invading and terrorizing a population that had nothing to do with what the United States claimed was a threat.. Spenser Rapone I tried to submit a conditional resignation, saying I wanted to leave, and asked for a general discharge. Contents 1 Austin academic 2 DSA resolution on Red Deal 3 Socialism 2018 4 Radical soldier 5 DSA solidarity 6 DSA Veterans Closed Facebook Group 7 DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan 8 I ordered him to sit up and get his legs out of the hallway, to which he replied, Well, wehave to wait here for Professor Hosein. He said this while still seated. Less than a year after Rapones images drew a firestorm of vitriol and even death threats, the second lieutenant who became known as the commie cadet is officially out of the U.S. Army with an other-than-honorable discharge. HIS STORY IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF GROSS MILITARY INJUSTICE. Right now Im starting to wonder what the f***ing f*** is going on because Rampone should be braced at attention and saying yes, sir a lot. VOLUME V: ARMY DEPRAVITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS! Greg Rinckey, an attorney specializing in military law, said its rare for an officer out of West Point to receive an other-than-honorable discharge. Rapone also explained that his time inAfghanistan as an assistant machine-gunner in the volatile Khost province in 2011 spurred an interest in radical social change, starting with the military. Robert J. Naughton Protected Corrupt Naval Officers Who Imprisoned a Navy Chief in a Military Mental Hospital, United States Military Academy West Point. Prior to West Point, the New Castle, PA native enlisted in the Army where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 54th Infantry Regiment at Fort Benning for basic training and infantry training in 2010. He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community, recalled Altmire, a Democrat. Spencer Rapone in deep kimchi : This ain't Hell, but you can see it Spenser Rapone The content of this webpage may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written consent of Bright Mountain Media, Inc. which may be contacted atinfo@brightmountainmedia.com, tickerBMTM. You are not allowed to be in an academic building in civilian clothes. As I was sayingthis, I noticed that CDT Rapone was not looking me in the eye. You served under both Obama and Trump. Operating under the twitter handle punkproletarian, Rapone supports various extreme left-wing ideologies, including more violent fringe groups such as Black Lives Matter and Antifa. What will it take for the academy to pull down these totems of white supremacy? This launched a separate investigation back at West Point: hundreds of cadets who were even remotely associated with me were interviewed, and they were asked about their politics. Thats why he richly deserves the nickname NO COMBAT Colpo. Before, soldiers would feel hesitant about saying blatantly racist or sexist things. He has deployed to Afghanistan and received a combat infantryman badge (CIB). One officer told me that he had had serious misgivings about CDT Rapone for a long time, and he proceeded to show me CDT Rapones Facebook page. Since then, the image has gotten a lot of attention, particularly in light of the recent NFL free speech scandal. Who else is yelling? I got no response to my question. I apologize., We call upon Rapones fellow soldiers in the 10th to give him a proper haircut and attitude adjustment. Background, Update to Spener Rapone Story I soon found myself trying to resolve the contradiction of my future officership. We have to talk about the picture that caused this whole situation for you. If he loves Communism so much, why the hell doesnt he resign his commission and go live in North Korea? A number of readers have sent us links to Gateway Pundit and LawNewz in regards to this fellow Spenser Rapone, who, as a USMA cadet posed with items supporting communism and expressed support for k WebLatest news and commentary on Spenser Rapone including photos, videos, quotations, and a biography. I wouldnt just be a soldier Id have to influence soldiers who were my subordinates. He explained that he took the offending selfies at his May 2016 West Point graduation ceremony and kept them to himself until last September, when he tweeted them in solidarity with NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was taking heat for kneeling for the national anthem to raise awareness of racism. It didnt take me long to realize that my experiences did not reflect that in the slightest.. Army officer 'socialist organizer' Spenser Rapone gets In case there was any lingering doubt, hasta la victoria siempre pic.twitter.com/0XrW38wcCk, Commie Bebop? Who knows? Comparisons of claims against the evidence. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was assigned as an assistant machine gunner in Khost Province. His expulsion came after a viral tweet showing him clad in uniform, fist raised displaying a Note that right now Heffington has started couching the statement in a near apologetic tone. But its very daunting: how in the world are you supposed to say, No, Im not deploying. Thats on us to create the structures to have places for dissident soldiers and military personnel. While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States, Rubio said Monday, adding Im glad to see that they have given him an other-than-honorable discharge.. The narrative that a conscription army is the only thing that will produce war resisters is flawed and ahistorical. It could be anything from sympathy to his views to gutlessness to gay sex. PROLOGUE: Since the beginning of the Republic, the American people have frequently made the mistake of voting for people that tell them what they WANT to hear, and not what , UPDATE January 17, 2020: Capt. I knew there could be repercussions, said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. Rapones discharge will place him in a situation where he will not be entitled to VA benefits and he may have to reimburse the US Government for his time at West Point. We do this by continually exposing a corrupt, multi-tiered judicial system, which allows officers to escape prosecution through retirement. But his interview with the AP shed light on how he went from a graduate of one of the most exclusive and traditional institutions on Earth to a pariah within the ranks before being mustered out. Spenser Rapone Background, Update to Spener Rapone Story 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., Rapone said his journey to communism grew out of his experiences as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan before he was accepted into the US Military Academy. Can you talk about the repercussions afterwards, not only from the military, but the right-wing media, your family, etc.? The United States Army is so impressed with Spenser Rapone, they decided to promote him to first lieutenant.
