When the truth and the Constitution are threatened, military personnel and veterans have a responsibility to protect both
Grace Miller
National Guard soldiers are seen in silhouette as they keep guard in front of the Capitol Building and near the Washington Monument in Washington on Jan. 19, 2021, ahead of the 59th inaugural ceremony for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images)
The events of Jan. 6 were surreal and heartbreaking for America — for most Americans, anyway. It was a horrible experience on many levels, seeing our Capitol attacked and defaced and hearing the news of people who lost their lives in the process.
But for me, the most gut-wrenching part of my experience of this horrific national tragedy was the realization that many of the rioters were military veterans as their identities were revealed, one after another. Ashli Babbitt, who was shot as she attempted to climb through a broken window into the Speaker’s Lobby, was a 14-year Air Force veteran. Larry Brock, who broke into the Senate chamber wearing tactical gear and carrying a handful of flex cuffs, is a retired Air Force officer and a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. Mark Leffingwell, a former guardsman, has been charged with assaulting a federal officer. Even Jake Angeli, a.k.a. the “QAnon Shaman,†famously photographed wearing animal skins, horns, and face paint, is a Navy veteran.
https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2021/01/20/when-the-truth-and-the-constitution-are-threatened-military-personnel-and-veterans-have-a-responsibility-to-protect-both/
