What Passes for Leadership in the US Navy These Days

Never mind that the ChiCom foreign minister and the PLA-N have been saber-rattling over Taiwan lately and crowing over the commissioning of their second 12,000-ton Type 055 guided missile destroyer. Don’t worry about the Russians’ new super-sized submarine, Belgorod, armed with their latest version of nuclear-tipped torpedoes. No need to be concerned about military readiness and combat effectiveness of the US Navy. The shortage of combat systems team training and other basic training time in the Navy? Fuhgeddaboudit. We gotta stop the music, stand down, and purge all “white nationalists” (a/k/a Trump supporters) from the ranks of the US Navy! Because of the “armed insurrection” on January 6, that’s why! Except that the FBI has finally and reluctantly confirmed that not one single firearm was confiscated during the Capitol “riot,” debunking once and for all the Democrat-media complex hoax about the “armed insurrection” requiring a purge of all Trump supporters throughout America (which is what their political goal truly is!).

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Task Force One Navy (TF1N) was established in July 2020 “to analyze and evaluate issues in our society and military that detract from Navy readiness, such as racism, sexism and other structural and interpersonal biases to attain significant, sustainable [inclusion and diversity] I&D-related reform.” A pledge was developed and included in the TF1N final report, which included this sentence:

I pledge to advocate for and acknowledge all lived experiences and intersectional identities of every Sailor in the Navy.

The phrase “intersectional identities” is pure cultural Marxism and is an expression of the latest Marxist theory of “intersectionality” from the bowels of Academia:

As an organizational principle, intersectionality is of instrumental utility for the progressive activist class. It posits, in a truly Marxian sense, that there are no distinct struggles against prejudice. They are inexorably bound together, and they all originate from the same fundamental source. Thus, otherwise disparate efforts to seek and achieve equality are united under a common banner. At least, that’s the theory. In practice, however, intersectionality as a governing philosophy robs its adherents of the legitimacy and political authority they seek.

Since when does Navy leadership embrace and advocate Marxism? Marxism: the ideology of those who see to destroy the American Republic and the US Constitution that all Navy personnel have sworn to defend in personal oaths taken. And not just Marxist “intersectionality,” either. As the recommendations in the TF1N report reflect, the Navy is hard-over on “critical race training,” which is yet another element of cultural Marxism:

[T]he insidious ideology is being used to promote estrangement rather than friendship, and hostility rather than goodwill. Indeed, the tactics used by proponents of critical race theory share many parallels with old tactics used by the Bolsheviks…. [C]ritical race theory’s agitators are committed to tearing down civil society on the pretense that it is an incubator for “systemic racism.”

The key concept behind critical race theory is that every human endeavor should be looked at through the perspective of racism, which gets down to the fact that anyone who uses this method of inquiry will find racism everywhere they look – and that includes in the US Navy, too.

And who are the real “critical race theory agitators” alluded to in the above quote? Why, the Black Lives Matter crowd, of course, and almost everyone involved in the cancel culture. And of course, BLM is Marxist to the bone: the movement was founded by three self-proclaimed Marxist women and has been supported by the Chinese Progressive Association, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and other pro-Chinese Communist organizations, as noted here, here, here, here, and here. Here is just one excerpt from those linked articles that explains the history of BLM and its Marxist and anti-American roots:

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Black Lives Matter began in 2013 with a Twitter hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, after neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman, called a “white Hispanic” in the press, was acquitted in the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin. Radical-left activists Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi claim credit for the slogan and hashtag. Following the Michael Brown shooting in August 2014, Dream Defenders, an organization co-founded by (the ACORN-affiliated) Working Families Party activist and Occupy Wall Street organizer Nelini Stamp, popularized the phrase “Hands Up – Don’t Shoot!” which has since become BLM’s widely recognized slogan. Not surprisingly, former Communist Party USA vice presidential candidate Angela Davis sits on the Dream Defenders advisory board.

Garza, Cullors, and Tometi all work for front groups of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, one of the four largest radical Left organizations in the country. The others are the Communist Party USA, Democratic Socialists of America, and the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. Stamp’s ACORN—now rebranded under a variety of different names after its official 2010 bankruptcy—works with all four organizations, and Dream Defenders is backed by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), ACLU, and Southern Poverty Law Center, among others.

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization is a hereditary descendant of the New Communist Movement inspired by Chinese dictator Mao Zedong and the many communist revolutions occurring throughout the world in the 1960s and ’70s. Freedom Road split into two separate groups in 1999, FRSO/Fight Back and FRSO/OSCL (Freedom Road Socialist Organization/Organización Socialista del Camino Para la Libertad). Black Lives Matter and its founders are allied with the latter.

Does senior Navy leadership not know about BLM’s roots and their goals and objectives, i.e., to destroy the Republic via camouflaged tactics of critical race theory, intersectionality, and inclusion and diversity claptrap coupled with violence in the streets targeted at their capitalist opponents? Or that supporting BLM and their underlying Marxist ideology is a direct violation of their own sworn oaths to protect and defend the Constitution from all foreign and domestic enemies? BLM (and their pals in Antifa) are the very definition of domestic enemies/terrorists, as evidenced by the violence they perpetrated in American cities in 2020. It wasn’t “white nationalists” who destroyed over $2 billion worth of private property during violent street riots in Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, and elsewhere. Yet, TF1N and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) are fixated exclusively on “white supremacists, white nationalists, and extremists” and intersectionality in their stand-down and training directives. All the examples given in training scenarios in the TF1N final report have to do with neo-Nazis, Nazis, and white nationalists. Not one example is given about BLM, who are the REAL domestic terror threats in the US!

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Here is the CNO’s directive to all members of the US Navy regarding the stand-down and purge of extremists. Right out of Academia’s cultural Marxist playbook. All key terms like “extremist” are undefined and left to commanders to determine. I have never seen any Navy directives that have clearly condemned BLM and Antifa for what they are – and those two organizations should have been EXPLICITLY mentioned in this naval message:

R 192207Z FEB 21 MID600050295537Ued

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO NAVADMIN

INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC

BT

UNCLAS

NAVADMIN 044/21

PASS TO OFFICE CODES:

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/FEB// SUBJ/STAND-DOWN TO ADDRESS EXTREMISM IN THE RANKS// REF/A/DOC/SECDEF/MEMO/05FEB21/ REF/B/MSG/SECNAV/121644ZFEB21/ REF/C/DOC/DODI 1325.06/27NOV09/ REF/D/DOC/NAVY REGULATIONS ART 1167/03SEP97/ REF/E/DOC/OPNAVINST 5354.1G/24JUL17/ REF/F/MSG/COMUSFLTFORCOM NORFOLK VA/131415ZFEB20/ REF/G/DOC/OPNAV N1/23OCT20/ REF/H/MSG/OPNAV/092219ZFEB21// NARR/REF A IS SECDEF MEMORANDUM DIRECTING DOD-WIDE STAND-DOWN ON EXTREMISM IN THE RANKS.  REF B IS ALNAV 010/21 ON STAND- DOWN TO ADDRESS EXTREMISM IN THE RANKS.  REF C IS DODI ON HANDLING DISSIDENT AND PROTEST ACTIVITIES AMONG MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.  REF D IS ALNAV 053/97 INCORPORATED AS NAVY REGULATIONS ARTICLE 1167 ON SUPREMACIST ACTIVITIES.  REF E IS OPNAVINST ON NAVY EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM MANUAL.  REF F IS 12-STAR MESSAGE PROMULGATION OF SIGNATURE BEHAVIORS OF THE 21ST CENTURY SAILOR, VERSION 2.0.  REF G IS NECESSARY CONVERSATIONS GUIDE 2.1. REF H IS NAVADMIN 032/21, CNO MESSAGE TO THE FLEET ON EXTREMIST BEHAVIOR. // RMKS/1.  Sailors live our Core Values every day.  However, recent events highlight that the U.S. Armed Forces, including our Navy (service members, civilian personnel and all those who support our mission), are not immune from the corrosive effects of extremist ideology and conduct.  Extremist behaviors and conduct, even if from only a small percentage of our force, violate our Core Values, are detrimental to good order and discipline, reduce warfighting readiness and degrade the toughness, trust and connectedness we are building in our Sailors and teams through our Culture of Excellence campaign. As an initial step in what will be a continuing and focused effort to address this problem, Commanders and Commanding Officers will conduct a stand-down prior to 2 April 2021 for all military personnel and Department of the Navy (DON) civilians to address extremism in the ranks in accordance with guidance contained in references (a) and (b).

2. The intent of this stand-down (which may be conducted virtually or in-person with the appropriate COVID-19 mitigations) is to ensure service members and civilian personnel clearly understand the damaging effects of extremism and begin developing more effective, sustainable ways to eliminate the corrosive impacts extremist activity can have on our Force.  As public servants, we took an oath to the Constitution and we will not tolerate those who participate in actions that go against the fundamental principles of the oath we share, particularly actions associated with extremist or dissident ideologies.  Service members, Department of Defense civilians and all those who support our mission, are entitled to an environment free of discrimination, hate and harassment.

3. A discussion guide, supplementary slides, and additional resources to assist Commanders and Commanding Officers with the conduct of this stand-down are posted at https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Chief-of-Naval-Personnel/CNP-Department-Exclusives/ .  Commanders have the discretion to tailor discussions with their personnel as appropriate, but at a minimum the stand-down will include:

3.A. A group re-administration and reaffirmation of the oath of office/oath of enlistment;

3.B. Remarks from the Commander/Commanding Officer;

3.C. Division/Work Center training/facilitated discussion addressing:

3.C.1. The meaning of the oath of office/enlistment including what we protect (Freedom of Speech/Assembly) and the limits on these rights for service members (what we sacrifice in order to protect and build public trust);

3.C.2. Actions that betray the oath per references (c) through (e) (prohibited activities, UCMJ direction on extremist activities, review of political activity and social media dos and donts);

3.C.3. The responsibility of leaders at every level (obligation to report, obligation to investigate, remaining alert for signs of extremism and then intervening);

3.C.4. Listening sessions focused on our Core Values, our Culture of Excellence and the Task Force One Navy report.

4. We have been emphasizing the importance of listening sessions since the establishment of Task Force One Navy last summer.  Some commands have leaned into this while others have not.  CNOs direction is that every Commander or Commanding Officer will continue to conduct listening sessions and get it into their battle rhythm.  This is where the hard work of establishing trust and connectedness starts.  Reference (g), the Necessary Conversations Guide 2.1, is a great tool to use to conduct listening sessions.

5. Echelon 2 Commanders shall track subordinate command completion of the stand-down using Fleet Training Management and Planning System (FLTMPS), Course Identification Number SDTAE-1.0, STANDDOWN TO ADDRESS EXTREMISM IN THE RANKS.  The Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education) (OPNAV N1) will promulgate procedures for Echelon 2 Commanders to submit stand-down completion reports (including lessons learned and recommendations) via a Department of the Navy Tasking, Records and Consolidated Knowledge Repository (DONTRACKER) tasker.  In order to support the requirement for the Chief of Naval Operations to report completion to the Secretary of the Navy by 6 April 2021, the suspense for all Echelon 2 Commanders to report stand-down completion is no later than 2 April 2021.  In the event operational requirements prohibit the conduct of the stand- down by this date, extension requests must be submitted through the first Flag Officer in the chain of command, via the Chief of Naval Personnel, and ultimately to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs) for adjudication per reference (b).

6. As Sailors, we must strive to be inclusive, creating an environment where every individual understands that they are a valued member of the Navy team.  This is an All Hands effort. As we begin to implement the work of Task Force One Navy, I remind you of the Signature Behaviors promulgated in reference (f).  These behaviors include:

6.A. Treat every person with respect.

6.B. Take responsibility for my actions.

6.C. Hold others accountable for their actions.

6.D. Intervene when necessary.

6.E. Be a leader and encourage leadership in others.

6.F. Grow personally and professionally every day.

6.G. Embrace the diversity of ideas, experiences and backgrounds of individuals.

6.H. Uphold the highest degree of integrity in professional and personal life.

6.I. Exercise discipline in conduct and performance.

6.J. Contribute to team success through actions and attitude.

7. As CNO stated in reference (h), today, and every day, our Navy must be a shining example of an organization centered on respect, inclusive of all.  Simply put, we must demand of each other that we treat everyone with dignity and respect.  That is how we will become a stronger Navy.

8. Released by Vice Admiral John B. Nowell, Jr, N1.

// BT

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Combining that ALNAV with the recommendations from TF1N is a recipe for disaster. But it gets worse. The CNO promotes a “professional reading list” that is linked here. Note that under the “Sailor” category, a book entitled, “How to be an Antiracist,” by Ibram X. Kendi is listed. Kendi’s simple theory is that everyone in America is racist. Kendi commented during Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation process (Barrett has two adopted black kids): “Some White colonizers ‘adopted’ Black children. They ‘civilized’ these ‘savage’ children in the ‘superior’ ways of White people, while using them as props in their lifelong pictures of denial.” And a book by this guy is “recommended reading” by the CNO? The antithesis of good leadership.

Here is the dirty little secret that Navy leadership has willfully ignored since the rise of BLM. There are many active and reserve Navy personnel – including midshipmen at the US Naval Academy – who maintain social media accounts that openly express support for BLM. Support for BLM means support for overthrowing the Constitution and the American Republic! And anyone in the naval service who supports BLM needs to receive nonjudicial punishment and remedial training, if not actually be court-martialed and separated from the Navy.

Navy personnel have been fighting and dying together side-by-side for generations now. White, black, brown, red, yellow, whatever. Shared experiences over time that were forged in the crucible of war are what built the best Navy in the world, not Marxist divisiveness dressed up as “intersectionality.” Trust is essential to good teamwork; each person on the team needs to fully trust every other team member to do their duty. Critical race theory, intersectionality, and the more watered-down Marxist phrases like “inclusion and diversity” are in reality aimed at promoting divisiveness and self-doubt in individuals while destroying team cohesion, combat readiness, morale, and basic good order and discipline.

BLM is an alien ideology that is anti-American to its very core. The real extremists who need to be purged from the Navy are BLM supporters. When will a Navy flag officer stand up and publicly declare that BLM ideology has no place in the US Navy? Where are the senior Navy leaders who are willing to put an end to the ongoing propagation of Marxist ideology in the US Navy and right the ship? AWOL, it would appear (or in the retired ranks).

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The end.

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