Freedom of expression? You know how it is these days...under rights and freedoms you can do and say pretty much anything.

Two years ago we had an Anti-US POTUS. So that was all cool.

Unfortunately, when you wear the uniform of your country's armed forces, your freedom of expression and of association is a little more circumscribed than is the norm out in the civilian world, in order to maintain what's called "good order and discipline," for starters.

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

I'm dumbfounded that he was allowed to be so disrespectful to superior officers and still graduate. I saw another report that this is basically the reason that he was kicked out of ranger school.

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LLLEEEEEEEEEEEERRRROOOYYY JEEENNNNNKKKIIINNNNNS!!!

Yes, I know...I was sarcastic towards all those freedoms and rights

Here's the info that came out of Ranger School about Rapone:

"The Ranger Instructor (RI), who does not wish to be identified, confirmed that he was present and witnessed firsthand multiple acts of defiance and disrespect from Lt. Rapone to various members of 5th RTB, to include senior enlisted personnel and officers, which included sharing his political beliefs which run counter to the interest of the United States and could easily be construed as those consistent with an “insider threat.”

In the Mountain phase at Ranger School, students conduct a 10-day field training exercise (FTX) where they are graded on their leadership abilities while conducting patrols. A student needs to only pass one patrol, and most students are given two or three patrols to achieve this “go” in order to advance to Florida Phase.

According to the RI, Lt. Rapone failed all three of the graded patrols he was given during the FTX. However, he received favorable peer reviews, and the lengthy written reports from his graders indicated that Lt. Rapone was tactically competent, but simply failed certain critical no-fail tasks during each of his graded patrols. Under normal circumstances, this results in the RI’s telling the Ranger student that he or she will be recycled, to join the next class and try the phase again.

However, during Lt. Rapone’s counseling session when he was told he had failed the phase by a Sergeant First Class RI, he became disrespectful, to include swearing and showing no military bearing. At Ranger School, students do not wear rank, and therefore while Lt. Rapone technically outranked the RI, his rank was meaningless at the time.

After this display was reportedly heard by two nearby First Sergeants, they intervened to tell Lt. Rapone that he was now going to be recommended for a drop from the course due to his insubordination.

Going to a battalion board for only failing patrols is totally outside the norm. His apparent blatant disrespect to multiple senior NCOs got him presented in front of the 5th RTB commander, a Lieutenant Colonel, as well as every key member of the chain of command for 5th RTB, who would decide if he would recycle Mountain Phase, start over at Day 0, or be dropped entirely.

Upon reporting for this board, it was clear to all present that Lieutenant Rapone was showing a disrespectful attitude in how he carried himself and interacted with the members of the board. Talking back, sighing, rolling his eyes; Lieutenant Rapone argued with the Lt. Col. and disputed the written reports of three separate RIs who graded him individually on three separate occasions.

“There’s no fucking way I failed that patrol” he reportedly said during this board.

Before recommending a course of action, the Battalion Commander typically wants to understand the mindset of the student. Having his file, they knew he was a second lieutenant and a graduate of West Point. After asking about Rapone’s background and trying to understand his mentality as a leader, Rapone reportedly said that he disagrees with America’s military actions overseas.

After telling Rapone that with his mindset he should not be leading soldiers, members of the board suspected Rapone was trying to goad them into dropping him, so that he would have a story about bold defiance in the face of authority. Knowing this, the commander suggested that retaining Rapone in the course would benefit him; an opportunity to train and grow as a leader.

To this, Lt. Rapone allegedly replied “I feel like that’s just a threat,” implying that they would not in fact recycle him. With that, the commander announced that he would be a Day 1 recycle, and dismissed Rapone.

At this point, Rapone reportedly continued to be a nuisance for the RI’s assigned to escort him back to Fort Benning, resisting even simple requests to help expedite his out-processing from the Mountain Phase.

Once at Fort Benning, Lt. Rapone reportedly refused to restart Ranger School, rendering him a self-selected drop from the course, and what is referred to as “Lack of Motivation” (LOM) drop. An LOM is a mark of shame for an infantry officer. It is a career death sentence within the infantry community, especially with graduates of West Point. It does not force the officer out of the military, but an LOM will follow you, and every future commander will know that you quit Ranger School: an unofficial guarantee to not be selected for key assignments and your career will be over before it starts. "

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Sarcasm? Here in the Lavender Room? I've never heard of such a thing! ;-)

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."

Damn, my big act of defiance during mountain phase was handing out extra pats of butter when it was my squad’s turn for KP.

First and foremost, this young individual is not fit to lead in the Army. I do wonder if he really believes all the marxist trope, or it just gives a platform for some sort of oppositional defiant disorder.

Either way, put him out of the Army on onto a watchlist.

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If I don't, who will? -Me
It's like being bipolar in opinion is a requirement around here. -TripleThreat

I don't know what this young officer was thinking. Everyone knows the black hats are there to both teach and to decide if you have what it takes. Part of that is getting a passing assessment in leading those patrols. He needed to shut his mouth and look, listen, learn and LEAD.

I like what you brought up about oppositional defiance disorder. He just seems like a born rebel and a troublemaker, and not in a good way.

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"Politics is just show business for ugly people."