2023 by the Institute for Public Affairs (EIN: 94-2889692). For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contactlicensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. Left: Army 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone graduating from West Point in May of 2016. But then Igot deployed to Afghanistan, and my experience overseas showed me that if anything, Iwas making adifference for those with power and wealth. In addition to classic socialist theorists such as Karl Marx, Rapone says he found inspiration in the writings of Stan Goff, a retired Special Forces master sergeant who became a socialist anti-war activist. In June, Rapone resigned and now hes out with an other-than-honorabledischarge. Ithink some people are more anti-Trump than they are anti-war. Spenser Rapone, the former second lieutenant whose Communism will win photos went viral in 2017, has received an other than honorable discharge from the Army. During the interview, he expressed patriotism and looked just like a top-notch candidate. Spenser Rapone was accepted to West Point in 2012, graduated in 2016 and received an "other than honorable discharge" in June. He has deployed to Afghanistan and received a combat infantryman badge (CIB). The former Democratic congressman who nominated communist 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone to West Point is now disavowing Rapones recent comments, which range from attacks on Secretary of Defense James Mattis to calls for political violence. Now through Monday, sign up to become a Sustainer for just $5 a month and you'll receive your choice of one of three booksas well as an ongoing subscriptions (10 issues a year) to the print magazine. Later, he served as an Army Ranger and was deployed to Afghanistan on special mission. Trump and other right wingers also still trot out Pat Tillman as asymbol. U.S. Army spokesperson Valerie Mongello stressed this point to American Military News, noting, Both the Department of Defense and the Army have long-standing policies encouraging Soldiers to participate in the democratic process. "I figured maybe I could change things from inside.". There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.. Both the United States Military Academy and his current command, the 10th Mountain Division, launched investigations into his conduct. Reception Day marks the first step in a 47-month journey toward becoming an officer in the United States Army. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. At the time, the Army confirmed that he had previously been an enlisted soldier and a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, with one Afghanistan deployment, but that he had been removed for standards.. Pa. House committee advances ambulance mileage , Yellen says U.S. could default as soon as June 1, Lawrence County Historical Society celebrates L, Police charge 25 accused offenders in roundup, 25th Dollar General opens in Lawrence County, Bee in car apparent cause of 4-vehicle wreck, Mahoningtown man accused in narcotics sales, Attorney: Rights trampled for expelled Mohawk football player, Union school board approves superintendent evaluation, CURRY, Anthony Sep 22, 1988 - Apr 29, 2023, STEWART, Ronna Mar 14, 1960 - Apr 27, 2023. The Army wont say. Latest news and commentary on Spenser Rapone including photos, videos, quotations, and a biography. He said that we need to do something about this Rapone guy. Similar to me, after he did his training and found himself overseas, he realized the harsh reality of what the American military was and formed his own opinions. Also during that time, Rapones Facebook posts grew increasingly radical and leftist. I have not been in touch with him in the years since the appointment, and I was shocked and extremely disappointed in the recent reports of his indefensible actions.. Spenser Rapone, a former US Army Ranger and Infantry Officer, was kicked out of the military for posting a photo of himself at his West Point graduation ceremony with an antiwar sign under his hat . Although Im not apacifist, Inever called for any explicit violence. Less than a year after Rapone's images drew a firestorm of vitriol and even death threats, the second lieutenant who became known as the "commie cadet" is officially out of the U.S. Army with an other-than-honorable discharge. The incoming class of 2023 also includes cadets from an array of backgrounds. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 and was assigned as an assistant machine gunner in Khost Province. On Monday, the Army's 10th Mountain Division accepted the resignation of 2nd Lt. Rapone less than a year after he posted . The soldier pictured, now 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone, had been openly serving as an avowed communist supporting the downfall of the U.S. government. Ithink it was just him seeing the word communist made him draw his own conclusions fromthere. Rapone is a former Army Ranger turned West Point Cadet who posted photos with his cap showing the phrase, "Communism will win," ultimately expressing his pro-communism views. S5: Episode 31 - Mike Prysner & Spenser Rapone (Podcast Episode 2018) Parents Guide and Certifications from around the world. It strikes me how much, as aculture, weve praised troops since 9/11. 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone at his graduation from the Military Academy (via Twitter) West Point knew that they had an anti-American "commie cadet" on . He wrote this letter to the acting secretary of defense who was Ryan McCarthy. He was nominated out of high school by then-U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire in 2010. Idont want people saying that because they are volunteers, theres no room for resisting. Be Proactive. Second Lieutenant Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army. At the time, Iwas a19-year-old private, so Ifeel like Icouldnt voice anything without being told, Shut the fuck up and execute your task. But Iguess Iwas slowly radicalizing. Over the course of the next six weeks, new cadets will be complete physical training, as well as small-unit tactical training and rifle marksmanship. However, the percentage of female cadets has remained largely unchanged for the past four years, averaging between 22 and 24 percent of the class. Even while still a cadet, Rapone's online postings alarmed a West Point history professor, who wrote Rapone up, saying his online postings were "red flags that cannot be ignored." Officially, the Army said in a statement only that it conducted a full investigation and "appropriate action was taken. Among other activities, Soldiers are encouraged to vote in elections and express their personal opinions on public issues. 7hVccY[2a/;#mD.RA$1Q2J&`"(P&UX IdYFajS0 Odu&3 ofc,bc1RJfb{w5!s/d J/dSDi(hED1+@Iw/[6[*A|lx=` = _s[}ec88vvW='H(}edW+],stTCbe_X^AjQ@&=62ccl/vo`S!ds^"Mc!dfFfYZmg;Xyx@n#|1_P ~io Ux!ZZ{g+vN=;+t~:!Q]xIBUp^f+m`3T-(X'3wpdE]2 ^ n@]fn`7|E The class of 2022 included 400 minority cadets, among them 186 African Americans, 104 Hispanic Americans, 99 Asian Americans and 11 Native Americans, according to West Point. Richard L. Rapone explained that Spenser tried to join West Point straight out of high school but was not accepted. Latest. The so-called Commie Cadet was anything but acommunist at the start of his militarycareer. Iwas just using all of this expensive equipment in one of the poorest places on earth to serve the interests of acapitalist class. Id have to do ashow cause board, which is essentially me convincing them why Ishould stay in themilitary. Resolution to DSA National Convention Atlanta Georgia July 2019. Be Nice. However, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms.. Spenser is my son and I love him dearly however I do not like nor condone his politics, his actions or behavior., Rapone has a long background of support for far-left extremism, even going so far as to promote communism while in uniform. The more important thing is that alot of other veterans and active duty personnel have had similar experiences to me and have come to similar conclusions, if not the same, and Ihope that by speaking out. Due to privacy act restrictions, we are limited in what information we can provide, Lt. Col. Nina Hill, an Army spokeswoman, told reporters. But yet theyre still an abstraction and not not allowed to have individualopinions. They're also given 60 seconds to say goodbye to their families, who they may or may not contact during Cadet Basic Training. Join our brand new verified AMN Telegram channel and get important news uncensored. His expulsion came after a viral tweet showing him clad in uniform, fist raised displaying a hat reading, "COMMUNISM WILL WIN." Menu. "I was still idealistic," he said. Its not illegal to be acommunist in the military, but since Iwas in uniform, and in their mind, making apolitical statement and posted on social media, they lumped it all together as this nebulous unbecoming conduct charge and said Iwas advocating forviolence. WATERTOWN, N.Y. The images Spenser Rapone posted on Twitter from his West Point graduation were intentionally shocking: In one, the cadet opens his dress uniform to expose a T-shirt with a blood-red image of socialist icon Che Guevara. Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. From there, Ispent along time in limbo because Iwas under investigationthey were waiting for me to make another screw-up in their minds. On March 18, 2014, Hosein posted on his Facebook page, Back from the Taj [Mahal] and it delivered. Two days later, on March 20, 2104, Hosein posted a picture of himself, wearing a long tunic, and Rapone, wearing a turban and a long tunic, with the caption: The brothers are gonna work it out., Two days later, on March 20, 2104, Hosein posted a picture of himself, wearing a long tunic, and Rapone, wearing a turban and a long tunic, with the caption, The brothers are gonna work it out.. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Army Commie Cadet Gets Promoted to 1LT. Rapone has also tweeted a number of provocative statements, including calling Defense Secretary Jim Mattis the most vile, evil f*ck in the current administration on June 7 from Columbus, Georgia. Rapone came under fire last year for his social media posts of socialist and communist content. Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. Money Minute, What's next for experimental AI projects in the C4ISR sphere. Spenser Rapone was a proposed featured speaker of the Socialism 2018, an annual socialist gathering sponsored by the International Socialist Organization held in Chicago, Illinois in July 2018. So, theres this combination of an all-volunteer army, the post-9/11 era further instituting our religion of civic patriotism, and then the anti-war movement getting co-opted by liberal movements not interested in structural change. Rapone, whose Twitter handle is punkproletarian, recently retweeted posts from Rory Fanning, an ex-Army Ranger who says he will be interviewing Rapone at the conference Socialism 2018., At Socialism 2018 Ill be sitting down with with Spenser Rapone, the US Army Ranger, Afghan-war combat vet, recent West Point graduate, and now war-resister, who sparked nation-wide fury after publicly supporting Colin Kaepernick and Socialism during his West Point graduation. Due to the form of discharge received, Rapone may be ineligible for VA benefits or the GI Bill. [3], Members of the Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group Closed Facebook Group, as of September 28, 2017, included Spenser Rapone under the name of Giuseppe Impastato.[4]. The military began investigating Mr. Low around 35F. Money Minute, What's next for experimental AI projects in the C4ISR sphere. Our conversation will be called Resisting Within the Ranks., Spenser Is being discharged from the military with an Other Than Honorable discharge this June, in part, because Maro Rubio penned a panic-stricken letter to acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy demanding, Florida Senator Marco Rubio called on the U.S. Army to remove Rapone and make him pay back his tuition for advocating for communism., U.S. Army spokesperson Valerie Mongello had told American Military News that while the Department of Defense and Army encourage soldiers to participate in the democratic process, the Army has strict rules regarding the wear and appearance of Army uniforms., West Point Military Academy had also responded to the situation, and released a statement saying Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army., Spenser Rapone (Photos from Social Media, Compiled by American Military News). Journalist Chris Hedges interviews former combat veteran and US Army officer, Spenser Rapone about bravery and morality. Hoseins bio on the West Point website lists Rapone as one of two cadets he last advised at West Point. Have thoughts or reactions to this or any other piece that you'd like to share? And those views only hardened during his studies of history as one of the academys Long Gray Line.. Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com. Even while still a cadet, Rapones online postings alarmed a West Point history professor, who wrote Rapone up, saying his online postings were red flags that cannot be ignored. Rapone was disciplined but still allowed to graduate. Both the Department of Defense and the Army have longstanding policies encouraging soldiers to participate in the democratic process. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. After amission, wed have adebrief and, if something particularly violent would happen, officers would say something like, That was kickass! They said if we didnt like it, we were in the wrong place. When you study the role of the United States and the British and the French pre-dating them, you start to understand what imperialism really is. For me, Icouldnt shake the fact that what we were doing was wrong and morallyreprehensible. In October, he said that Iadvocated violence and was athreat to national security and Ishould have my commission revoked, my degree revoked. Rainmixing with snow overnight. At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who came from a good family. Robert Heffington, a former lieutenant colonel and West Point instructor who met Mr. Rapone, told the website that his online ideological screeds reveal the philosophical infatuations of a precocious adolescent in a best-case scenario. Sometime last year, he posted a picture on Instagram of an Antifa flag in his room next to a print of Che Guevara. The former West Point cadet who called himself Commie Beebop on Twitter rejoined civilian life without an honorable discharge. Have a tip or story idea? Spenser Rapone is a former Army Ranger and Infantry Officer who resigned his commission in June 2018 due to his opposition to United States imperialism. x. Rapone will eventually have an opportunity to petition for an upgrade in his discharge status, however, which would have a positive impact on his eligibility. He is also a teaching assistant, which gives him a platform to inflict his twisted worldview upon students who might think that if they don't go along, their grades could suffer. Let there be no doubt that we have unequivocal solidarity with and pride in Spenser. In an interview with In These Times, Rapone tells his story of his journey from GI Joe to an anti-war activistand why Rubio got himwrong. In the liberal mentality, if you get this particularly disgusting person out of office, then things will change. <>/Metadata 248 0 R/ViewerPreferences 249 0 R>> Second Lieutenant Rapones actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army, it said. Two weeks later, they issued me my discharge papers and Ileft. Its my belief when he returned back from Afghanistan there was a notable difference in his political views. I love you: Chilling note found at murder scene after husband allegedly drives 500 miles to tell mom he shot and killed his wife, This was not a random act: Person of interest in custody after Detroit neurosurgeon found shot in head and wrapped in blanket, Following early morning 911 call, 87-year-old man found dead with pistol in bed after shooting 86-year-old woman: Cops, Preschool teacher reportedly arrested for murder during the childrens naptime, broke the story of the West Point Communist on September 25, 2017, An investigation into Rapones behavior quickly commenced, late Marxist revolutionary, physician, and guerrilla leader, stressed this point to American Military News, Lori Vallow Daybell Trial: Live Updates from Day 14 of Shocking Testimony, Gruesome Evidence, 'Coward' whose co-workers joked he looked like serial killer on the news pleads guilty to 2017 murders, Arrest made in cold case murder of woman killed at home while her infant daughter was in the next room, Prosecutors seek death penalty against plastic surgeon accused of murdering missing lawyer who represented former employer in suit, 'Extremely mad' driver who chased car full of teens at 99 mph over 'ding dong ditch' prank convicted of triple murder, Gwyneth Paltrow no longer seeking attorneys fees from retired doctor who sued her over ski crash, Transgender lawmaker Zooey Zephyr sues Montana over removal from House floor, Im the only one who hasnt lied: Stormy Daniels wants to testify against Trump in New York criminal case, talks sex worker shooting verdict in interview, Washington mom vanishes moments after calling 911, White woman who made false accusation that led to lynching of Emmett Till, one of the most infamous acts of racial violence, dies at age 88. Investigators found that he had been hiding in an engine room aboard the ship, the cruiser Shiloh, for a week. Officially, the Army said in a statement only that it conducted a full investigation and appropriate action was taken., An unrepentant Rapone summed up the fallout in yet another tweet Monday that showed him extending a middle finger at a sign at the entrance to Fort Drum, accompanied by the words, One final salute., I consider myself a revolutionary socialist, the 26-year-old Rapone told The Associated Press. Soon after getting to West Point, I saw that this was a structural problem across the military and that the military itself, its material relation to power, serves the capitalist class. Despite his growing disillusionment about the military, he applied and got in. As a caption to that photo, Rapone tweeted, In case there was any lingering doubt, hasta la victoria siempre, a popular left-wing slogan oft-attributed to thelate Marxist revolutionary, physician, and guerrilla leaderwho was ultimately killed and captured by the U.S. CIA. Its my belief when he returned back from Afghanistan there was a notable difference in his political views, Richard L. Rapone said. Now through Monday, sign up to become a Sustainer for just $5 a month and you'll receive your choice of one of three booksas well as an ongoing subscriptions (10 issues a year) to the print magazine. The academy is prepared to assist the officers chain of command as required.. Spenser Rapone, 26, became notable a bit faster than most graduates. On March 24, 2014, Rapone posted a picture of himself and Hosein in front of the Taj Mahal. (Source: Twitter). He didnt really partake in the social life when he was at the Ranger Battalion. I would encourage all soldiers who have a conscience to lay down their arms and join me and so many others who are willing to stop serving the agents of imperialism and join us in a revolutionary movement., Rapone said his journey to communism grew out of his experiences as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan before he was accepted into the U.S. Military Academy. Its out there now and Ithink the narrative of this is starting to shift alittle bit, which is good because people are starting to understand my experience. A review of Rapones Facebook page shows that over time, since 2014, his posts became increasingly anti-racism, anti-Israel, pro-Muslim, pro-Communist, anti-military, and anti-police. A recently retired CIA officer remarked to SOFREP that right now our counter-intelligence is so bad that we are only catching the dumb ones, the people stupid enough to out themselves on social media or who mail classified documents to news outlets, Mr. Murphy continued. According to popularmilitary.com, Rapone, 25, from New Castle, Pennsylvania, first enlisted in the Army in 2010 and was assigned to Fort Benning for basic training and infantry training. An other than honorable discharge means Rapone will not be entitled to VA benefits or the GI Bill. % Rapone is scheduled to speak in July at a Socialism 2018 conference in Chicago, where he and fellow far-lefty Rory Fanning, an ex-Army ranger, will appear together in a "War Resister in the . On Monday, the United States Military Academy welcomed more than 1,190 candidates for Reception Day. Then-Lieutenant Rapone put his own continued service on the line in order to speak up in support of blacklisted ex-49ers quarterbackColin Kaepernick. ", "I consider myself a revolutionary socialist," the 26-year-old Rapone told The Associated Press. "He was an honors student, an athlete, a model citizen who volunteered in the community," recalled Altmire, a Democrat. Rainmixing with snow overnight. The Superintendent of West Point Military Academy, Lt. Gen. Robert L. Caslen, Jr., released a letter on Wednesday. Don't knowingly lie about anyone 2UOgS[M . I have no doubt that the U.S. Army will take appropriate action, Altmire said. Spenser Rapone, a former second lieutenant whose "Communism Will Win" photo rocked the internet in 2017 after being featured by this publication, has received an "Other Than Honorable" discharge from the U.S. Army. Spenser then enlisted in the Army and deployed to Afghanistan after which point he again applied to West Point. Contents 1 Austin academic 2 DSA resolution on Red Deal 3 Socialism 2018 4 Radical soldier 5 DSA solidarity 6 DSA Veterans Closed Facebook Group 7 DSA Veterans Working Group Statement on Afghanistan 8 Altmire support 9 Socialist Punk Caucus Rubio was apart of that cabal of capitalists andcollaborators. There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do.". Rapone has also posted on Facebook a picture of himself holding up the Communist Manifesto, with his Army dress uniform hanging in the closet in the background and a number of posts showing opposition for Trump policies and administration officials and support for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) at least since 2015. Hes also tweeted out that hell happily dance on GOP Sen. John McCains grave. Vice President Mike Pence called the class of 2019 the most diverse in West Point's history during the commencement address. His Facebook, where he goes under Giuseppe Impastato, was private. The last 15years have shown otherwise. Episode 19: No War But The Class War w/ Spenser Rapone (Podcast Episode 2018) Parents Guide and Certifications from around the world. The Army confirmed that Rapone graduated from West Point in 2016 and is now serving as a second lieutenant with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based in Fort Drum, New York. Chance of precip 90%.. Top brass at Fort Drum accepted Rapone's resignation Monday after an earlier reprimand for "conduct unbecoming of an officer." Greg Rinckey, an attorney specializing in military law, said it's rare for an officer out of West Point to receive an other-than-honorable discharge. A Primer for Radicals ITS GOING DOWN. He also reposted a meme from a group called Anarchist People of Color criticizing white privilege., Rapone posted on several forums in support of Chelsea Manning, the Army soldier who went to jail for leaking classified intelligence to WikiLeaks. He added that its possible the military academy could seek repayment of the cost of Rapones education because he didnt serve the full five-year service obligation required upon graduation. Law&Crimebroke the story of the West Point Communist on September 25, 2017 after speaking with Rapone and confirming his identity, intentions and political ideology. Threats of harming another US report shows China taking steps toward space dominance, Biden to allow Afghans to stay longer in US, sources say, Michigan expands absentee voting for military members, Some companies charge hefty fees to help vets with disability claims, Meet 12M+, the new community app for military spouses, Your next tech and incoming AI | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 4.28.2023, Home Improvement Loans What are my options? Ifigured if he could put his skin in the game on anational stage, then Icould do my small part and it kind of took off fromthere. Parents Allowed to Collect Sperm From Son Killed Skiing 'Commie Cadet' Spenser Rapone Discharged From U.S. Army West Point Marries First Active-Duty, Same-Sex Couple Compared to the 294 women. Officials also confirmed that, following his commissioning, he had failed out of Ranger school before being assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. In the middle of all of this, these right-wing sites were saying stuff about me and Iwas under investigation, so Icouldnt say anything because theyd use that as ammunition. Then American society and political culture influences you because we are constantly slapped with patriotism and respecting the troops. What does that even mean? pic.twitter.com/BIPzfEHmoP, Rory Fanning (@RTFanning) June 5, 2018. On the other hand, many people reached out and showed me support. A search of Rapones page shows they are still Facebook friends. He didnt want to be paraded around or be used by the Bush administration to sell awar. On March 23, 2014, Rapone posted about anti-corporatism and racism. U*Z|rqO "I would encourage all soldiers who have a conscience to lay down their arms and join me and so many others who are willing to stop serving the agents of imperialism and join us in a revolutionary movement. "Of course my military career is dead in the water. At West Point, Irealized Imight be asocialist. endobj The two appear to have traveled together to the Taj Mahal in March 2014, according to pictures posted on his Facebook page. "We were bullies in one of the poorest countries on Earth," Rapone said. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. But Trump is just asymptom of alarger disease. "Several years ago, I met Spenser Rapone when he was a high school student seeking an appointment to West Point," Altmire said. Sign up to become a Sustainer before the deadline and take advantage of our best offer ever. Iremember one time it achaplain said we were about bringing wrath upon these people, and Iwas like, Wow, these people have some kind of crusader fantasy. It was prettyunsettling. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. You start to see why these wars are endless. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. I was still idealistic, he said. I figured maybe I could change things from inside.. I knew there could be repercussions, said Rapone, who is scheduled to speak at a socialism conference in Chicago next month. One of six children growing up in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Rapone said he applied to West Point, which is tuition-free, because he couldn't afford college. Its a program for Indigenous liberation, life, and landan affirmation that colonialism and capitalism must be overturned for this planet to be habitable for human and other-than-human relatives to live dignified lives. At the end of this Convention, the GNDCC will be tasked with initiating a more direct working relationship between DSA and The Red Nation. The DSAs Veterans Working Group, of which Rapone is a member, also offered support to him in a statement. As figures of public trust, members of the military must exhibit exemplary conduct, and are prohibited from engaging in certain expressions of political speech in uniform. Don't Threaten. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. There were no red flags of any kind.". "At the time, he was an outstanding, well-rounded student who . Mar 29 Damascus is under attack. Communist ex-Ranger and West Pointer receiving a other than honorable discharge. Iwas in the field at the time helping at afire range and so they took me out of the field, met with my attorney and was told Iwas under investigation. This time around, West Point accepted him. It wasnt nearly to that level before the 9/11 era and thats part of why Ispeak out.
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