Defense
Pentagon wades into political minefield in hunt for extremists
A force-wide 'stand down' following the events of Jan. 6 has some on edge over the risk of alienating conservatives in the ranks.
By BRYAN BENDER
02/24/2021 04:31 AM EST
The Pentagon is launching an unprecedented campaign to root out extremists in the ranks after dozens of military veterans took part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
But confronting white nationalism and other far-right ideologies is proving to be a political minefield for an institution that prides itself on staying out of the nation’s partisan wars. There's a growing sense of anxiety within the Pentagon that this push could feed the perception that it is policing political thought, favoring one political party over another or muzzling free speech.
By the first week of April, all members of the military must take part in a highly unusual order from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in which unit leaders will conduct a day-long “stand down†to discuss the threat of extremism and gather feedback from troops on the extent that racism and other hateful ideologies or anti-government sentiment have taken root in recent years.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/24/pentagon-hunt-extremists-471291
