Update from Author: Since writing this article I have been made aware of other posts in which Rapone appears to engage in direct personal attacks on the President, Vice-President ,and Secretary of Defense. Such actions are incompatible with the principle of unity of command and far more serious than the photo tweets as outlined below. I stand by my comments in relation to the photo tweets, but accept that more serious UCMJ action may be necessary in relation to the personal attacks.
The U.S. needs military officers who are skilled and intellectually curious and predisposed to challenging groupthink. Correspondingly, the Army shouldn’t overreact in punishing 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone for his apparent endorsement of communism.
At contention are two tweets Rapone posted to Twitter on September 24th and 25th, which seem to endorse communism.
#VeteransForKaepernick pic.twitter.com/3jnCtawvHc
— ❄️Winter Soldier? (@punkproletarian) September 24, 2017
In case there was any lingering doubt, hasta la victoria siempre pic.twitter.com/0XrW38wcCk
— ❄️Winter Soldier? (@punkproletarian) September 25, 2017
In response, Rapone’s alma mater, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, has confirmed the Army are investigating his conduct. According to West Point, “2nd Lt. Rapone’s actions in no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army.”
That’s a necessary clarification, but it would be a mistake to ruin Rapone’s career over this matter.
First off, as attested by the various badges and medals he is wearing in his Twitter photos, Rapone would appear to have excelled in his training. He wears the combat infantryman badge, so has obviously served in combat, and is also airborne qualified. In addition, that Rapone was able to branch as an infantry officer, the most highly prized officer-specialty, suggests that he graduated near the top of his West Point class (branch preference is given to top ranked cadets).
The sum of Rapone’s record would suggest that he has the potential to lead both in brutal conflicts and in complex political environments.
Of course, the Army cannot tolerate political statements from personnel in uniform, especially from a young officer expected to set an example to the soldiers under his command. But the question is, how should Rapone be punished?
I hope Rapone’s commanding officer applies an Article 15 non-judicial punishment. This approach, short of a court martial, would not seriously affect Rapone’s Army career but would discipline him. Such a punishment might involve an oral reprimand or extra duties for 14 days. Hopefully, Rapone would get the message and learn not to repeat his mistake.
Ultimately, it is utterly irrelevant that Rapone is a communist. Like all his fellow officers, 2nd Lt. Rapone has chosen to train, serve, and defend the nation and its Constitution; privately-held viewpoints do not affect that solemn responsibility.
So yes, while the Army must punish Rapone, his lapse of judgment does not justify a ruined career.
