What the Democrats' Video Gets Wrong About Military Professionalism
Military.com | By Douglas Lindsay
Published November 19, 2025 at 10:05am ET
A video circulated yesterday by some U.S. lawmakers urging U.S. service members to “refuse illegal orders,” and within hours, it had become another lightning rod in a long line of political flashpoints. The video features Democratic U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin (MI) and Mark Kelly (AZ) along with U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA), Maggie Goodlander (NH) and Chrissy Houlahan (PA). Commentators debated motives, intentions and implications. Social media amplified the noise. People pulled the message in whatever direction suited their narrative.
But for anyone who has worn the uniform, the video missed the most important point of all:
Service members do not need to be reminded of their duty to uphold the law.
The idea that the men and women serving today are unaware of — or indifferent to — their legal and ethical responsibilities is not just inaccurate. It misunderstands the profession entirely.
As a retired Air Force officer, I say that not as an observer, but from experience. I spent years watching airmen, soldiers, sailors, Marines and Guardians hold themselves to standards long before any public figure thought to issue a reminder. No one had to tell them what their oath meant. They lived it — in small decisions, in big moments, and in the countless hours where no one was watching at all.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/opinions/2025/11/19/beyond-headlines-what-viral-video-gets-wrong-about-military-professionalism.html
