Marine in hot water for 'Star-Spangled Banner' at Trump rally
'His conduct violated long-standing DOD policy'
Published: 11 hours ago
Marine Cpl. Jason Perkins was rebuked by military officials for singing the National Anthem during a Donald Trump campaign stop in Birmingham, Alabama (Photo: ABC News screenshot)
A U.S. Marine who sang the “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a recent Donald Trump campaign rally is in hot water with military brass.
Cpl. Jason Perkins, a reservist with Combat Logistics Battalion 451 out of Charlotte, North Carolina, belted out a rendition of the national anthem that went viral just before Thanksgiving. The Marine, who was in uniform at the time, was one of many attendees at a Birmingham, Alabama, event Nov. 1.
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“Cpl. Perkins is now aware that his conduct violated long-standing DoD policy. [He] has been informed of the appropriate ways to participate in the political process as a member of the Marine Corps,” Marine Forces Reserve spokesman Capt. Andrew Chrestman said Dec. 1 in an email to Military.com.
The Department of Defense forbids Marines from attending political events in uniform. The rule is defined in DoD Directive 1344.10, which the Marine Forces Reserve reiterated on its Facebook page Nov. 25.
Capt. Chrestman declined to tell the website whether Cpl. Perkins was punished or counseled for his actions.
“If the Marine left after the anthem I see no violation. Of course at this point the DoD has been infiltrated with liberal progressives so it will be considered a violation,” a user identified as E.A. Stanley wrote on the Marine Forces Reserve Facebook page Nov. 25.
“He was in clear violation of the order. He was wrong and should be punished,” replied Facebook user Ace Esters.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Military.com’s request for comment.
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A Quinnipiac University National Poll released Wednesday shows Trump maintaining his front-runner status for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. The billionaire captures 27 percent of Republican voters. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has now eclipsed retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson for second place at 17 percent.
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