I know LTC Alex Vindman

[mrclose]

I wonder when the media will interview Mr Hickman?

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Jim Hickman

I know LTC Alex Vindman from a Combined US-Russian exercise called Atlas Vision 12 in Grafenwoher, GE.

He worked w/the Russian Embassy & I was assigned to the JMTC (Joint Multinational Training Command), w/in USAREUR (US Army Europe). He worked coordination w/the Russian 15th Peacekeeping Brigade, & I was in charge of all Simulations planning, as well as assisting the USAREUR Lead Planner as the Senior Military Planner.

The following account of LTC Vindman’s words & actions are completely accurate to the best of my recollection & have been corroborated by others.

We interacted on several different occasions throughout the planning cycle, but it was during the actual execution of the exercise, that we had an issue relevant to his recent testimony.

As stated earlier, Atlas Vision 12 was conducted at JMTC in the VBS2 (Virtual Battle Simulations 2) Classrooms for Simulation. Vindman, who was a Major at the time, was sitting in one of the classrooms talking to the US & Russian Soldiers, as well as the young Officers & GS Employees about America, Russia, & Obama.

He was apologetic of American culture, laughed about Americans not being educated or worldly, & really talked up Obama & globalism to the point of uncomfortable.

He would speak w/the Russian Soldiers & laugh as if at the expense of the US personnel. It was so uncomfortable & unprofessional, one of the GS employees came & told me everything above. I walked over & sat w/in earshot of Vindman, & sure enough, all was confirmed.

One comment truly struck me as odd, & it was w/respect to American’s falsely thinking they’re exceptional, when he said, “He [Obama] is working on that now.” And he said it w/a snide ‘I know a secret’ look on his face. I honestly don’t know what it meant, it just sounded like an odd thing to say.

Regardless, after hearing him bash America a few times in front of subordinates, Russians, & GS Employees, as well as, hearing an earful about globalization, Obama’s plan, etc…I’d had enough. I tapped him on the shoulder & asked him to step outside.

At that point I verbally reprimanded him for his actions, & I’ll leave it at that, so as not to be unprofessional myself. The bottom-line is LTC Vindman was a partisan Democrat at least as far back as 2012. So much so, junior officers & soldiers felt uncomfortable around him.

This is not your professional, field-grade officer, who has the character & integrity to do the right thing. Do not let the uniform fool you…he is a political activist in uniform. I pray our nation will drop this hate, vitriol & division, & unite as our founding fathers intended
======================================
I need to make a slight correction on my statement, it was actually Atlas Vision 13 when the incident occurred. I was thrown off, as the next year Russia invaded Crimea. Also, I was promoted to Chief, Regional, Joint & Combined Exercises Branch, USAREUR, over many exercises.

https://twitter.com/Jim_Hickman13/status/1190077852680634368

[truth_seeker]

He put on a good performancce today.

He has probably evaluated the direction of our country, and placed his bets on the social-democrat vision and his military future. Obama, I mean.

However I can see a point of view that his family originated in Ukraine, survived USSR domination, sees Russia as a cntinuing threat to Ukraine, consistent with these proceedings.

The "Norm" (situation favored by permanent bureacracy) Ukraine was and remained corrupt. Obama had NOT provided the level of suppport which Trump did provide.

Nevertheless, it is an Impeachable offense, to violate the "Norm."

It is easy to colclude these bureaucrats, like their status quo, corruption included.

If the US was going to fight corruption in Ukraine, we were damn well going to do it only their way.

[jafo2010]

Trump should purge the military with a major cut of those above major.  People like this should be forced out of the military. 

[LegalAmerican]

Trump should purge the military with a major cut of those above major.  People like this should be forced out of the military.

Are you able to tell us ahead of time...who they are?  HALF of our country needs to be jail. lol  All the democrats for sure.
This is what diversity does. UNDERMINES AMERICANS. No muslim should be allowed in any of our government. c.a.I.R.
Nor some others. If they fly another country's flag.

[Mesaclone]

Trump should purge the military with a major cut of those above major.  People like this should be forced out of the military.

We do not do political purges of our military....that's something men like Hitler and Stalin did and THIS country does not undertake such paranoid and non-judicial actions. I'm a former Army Officer and I'd guess we have more than a few veterans on this board as posters...and we can vouch that the vast majority of enlisted men/women and officers are non-political in the performance of their duties. Further, the military generally consists of a significantly higher percentage of conservatives than liberals like Vindman...and it has a tradition of staying out of political affairs.

You are correct in one aspect....that the tradition of non-politicization IS being corrupted when active duty officers are placed in overtly political positions in...sadly...politicized intelligence agencies and in support of State Department functionaries. Nonetheless, overall, Vindman is an aberration...a shallow, conceited partisan who puts his politics above the mandates of his professional military obligations. The norm in the service is that our Officers, be they left or right leaning, do not bring those affiliations with them on the job.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

We do not do political purges of our military....that's something men like Hitler and Stalin did and THIS country does not undertake such paranoid and non-judicial actions. I'm a former Army Officer and I'd guess we have more than a few veterans on this board as posters...and we can vouch that the vast majority of enlisted men/women and officers are non-political in the performance of their duties. Further, the military generally consists of a significantly higher percentage of conservatives than liberals like Vindman...and it has a tradition of staying out of political affairs.

You are correct in one aspect....that the tradition of non-politicization IS being corrupted when active duty officers are placed in overtly political positions in...sadly...politicized intelligence agencies and in support of State Department functionaries. Nonetheless, overall, Vindman is an aberration...a shallow, conceited partisan who puts his politics above the mandates of his professional military obligations. The norm in the service is that our Officers, be they left or right leaning, do not bring those affiliations with them on the job.

As a former Marine officer myself, I'm in 100% agreement.

The only "purge" that could be justified would be replacing members of the Joint Chiefs if their military policies/outlook are in opposition to that of the CIC.  Those really are presidential appointments, and a President is entitled to have their views on military policy be consistent with his own.

[mrclose]

@Mesaclone
@Maj. Bill Martin

As a nam vet myself I heard of many 'political' purgings and these purgings didn't start with Truman and MacArthur!

I'm guessing that you missed the following?

Obama's Military Coup Purges 197 Officers In Five Years

https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/197-military-officers-purged-by-obama/

[DCPatriot]

@Mesaclone
@Maj. Bill Martin

As a nam vet myself I heard of many 'political' purgings and these purgings didn't start with Truman and MacArthur!

I'm guessing that you missed the following?

Obama's Military Coup Purges 197 Officers In Five Years

https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/197-military-officers-purged-by-obama/

Thanks for posting this, @mrclose

Remembered this vividly.  This was happening when Libya was being overthrown by Obama and Hillary.

[mrclose]

Thanks for posting this, @mrclose

Remembered this vividly.  This was happening when Libya was being overthrown by Obama and Hillary.

@DCPatriot

Funny how so many rotten things that came out of the obama admin was/is so "overlooked."

[DCPatriot]

@DCPatriot

Funny how so many rotten things that came out of the obama admin was/is so "overlooked."

Yes... IIRC, he purged every officer in the European/Asian sector above the rank of 'Major'.

[Mesaclone]

@Mesaclone
@Maj. Bill Martin

As a nam vet myself I heard of many 'political' purgings and these purgings didn't start with Truman and MacArthur!

I'm guessing that you missed the following?

Obama's Military Coup Purges 197 Officers In Five Years

https://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/197-military-officers-purged-by-obama/

While this is certainly an ugly case of relieving good officers who Obama disliked politically, these men were not purged in the broader historical sense of the term. For example 50 of 57 corps commanders were eliminated by Stalin and similar numbers of high ranking officers across the military services were removed. THAT is a purge. What Obama did was petty and political...and should never happen...but the officer corps remains generally intact at this point in time.

[mrclose]

C'mon!

You're arguing semantics!

Canning 100's of officers whether done all at once or over a period of time ... by the same 'leader' is still 'purging'!

[Mesaclone]

C'mon!

You're arguing semantics!

Canning 100's of officers whether done all at once or over a period of time ... by the same 'leader' is still 'purging'!

Fine, call it a purge. But its not what the OP was calling for in "purging" all the officers of the rank Major and above. Selectively relieving some officers who are exhibiting overtly political and lefty behaviors...that's a bit of cleaning house. Relieving large swaths of military officers at the rank of Major and above...that would be nuts.

[DCPatriot]

Fine, call it a purge. But its not what the OP was calling for in "purging" all the officers of the rank Major and above. Selectively relieving some officers who are exhibiting overtly political and lefty behaviors...that's a bit of cleaning house. Relieving large swaths of military officers at the rank of Major and above...that would be nuts.

I think you and I discussed it in real time, @Mesaclone

At the time, he (Obama) was pushing the Muslim Brotherhood's (thankfully short-lived) takeover of Egypt.

Then shortly after, he initiated a '2 Week' bombing campaign (Libya) that became 9 months...conducted in total media blackout.

Then he maneuvered the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in Iraq to give him a 'reason' to withdraw all troops from Iraq.

...the rest is history.   (if we win)

...point being that he couldn't afford to have officers leaking and bitching/moaning and whistleblowing.

[Mesaclone]

I think you and I discussed it in real time, @Mesaclone

At the time, he (Obama) was pushing the Muslim Brotherhood's (thankfully short-lived) takeover of Egypt.

Then shortly after, he initiated a '2 Week' bombing campaign that became 9 months...conducted in total media blackout.

Then he maneuvered the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) in Iraq to give him a 'reason' to withdraw all troops from Iraq.

...the rest is history.   (if we win)

...point being that he couldn't afford to have officers leaking and bitching/moaning and whistleblowing.

No need to sell me on Obama's being a terrible CIC...he was worse than awful. There's good reason the military tends to vote Republican despite its very diverse personnel makeup.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Fine, call it a purge. But its not what the OP was calling for in "purging" all the officers of the rank Major and above. Selectively relieving some officers who are exhibiting overtly political and lefty behaviors...that's a bit of cleaning house. Relieving large swaths of military officers at the rank of Major and above...that would be nuts.

That's correct.  197 officers over 5 years is an absolute drop in the bucket considering there are well over 100,000 officers in the military.  The other issue is how many of those officers were removed by the Administration itself versus being removed by more senior officers.

I don't doubt that Obama deliberately fired officers he didn't believe were supporting his agenda.  But I honestly don't have a huge problem with that.  I despised the guy, but the President is the CNC, and is the one supposed to be setting military policy.  I certainly wouldn't have an issue with Trump firing officers that resisted his directives either.  To me, a "purge" is something different -- a very large scale, mass firing designed to create a buttload of vacancies to be filled with loyalists only.  That didn't happen.