The Pentagon has an extremist problem, and it has little to do with antifa or Black Lives Matter

“We in the Department of Defense are doing everything we can to eliminate extremism in the Department of Defense,” said Garry Reid, currently serving as the Pentagon’s director for defense intelligence, in a call with reporters, noting that the department already “expressly prohibits military personnel from actively advocating supremacist, extremist, or criminal gang doctrine, ideology, or causes.

“All military personnel, including members of the National Guard, have undergone a background investigation, are subject to continuous evaluation, and are enrolled in an insider threat program,” Reid said. “Simply put, we will not tolerate extremism of any sort in DOD.”

MILITARY A LURE FOR WHITE SUPREMACISTS: A Pentagon official who briefed reporters on background said white supremacy and white nationalist movements have been growing for the past five or six years, culminating in the 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which he called “probably the largest gathering of white supremacy in this country in decades.”

“We know that some groups actively attempt to recruit our personnel into their cause, or actually encourage their members to join the military for the purpose of acquiring skills and experience,” the official said. “We recognize that those skills are prized by some of these groups, not only for the capability it offers them, but it also brings legitimacy in their minds to their cause — the fact that they can say they have former military personnel that align with their extremist and violent extremist views.”

A review of public records, social media posts, and videos by the Associated Press found that at least 21 current or former members of the U.S. military or law enforcement have been identified as being at or near the Capitol riot, with more than a dozen others under investigation but not yet named.

At one point before the assault began, “a line of men wearing olive-drab helmets and body armor trudged purposefully up the marble stairs in a single-file line, each man holding the jacket collar of the one ahead,” the Associated Press reported. “The formation, known as ‘Ranger File,’ is standard operating procedure for a combat team that is ‘stacking up’ to breach a building — instantly recognizable to any U.S. soldier or Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was a chilling sign that many at the vanguard of the mob that stormed the seat of American democracy either had military training or were trained by those who did.”

A FORMER MARINE AMONG THE GROUP: One of the men in the “Ranger File” was identified by the New Yorker as a 55-year-old former Marine helicopter mechanic, wearing a combat helmet, ballistic goggles, and a tactical vest, carrying a handheld radio.

Donovan Crowl, who served aboard an amphibious assault ship in the Persian Gulf in 1990, told the New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow that he had gone to Washington to “do security” for “VIPs,” and that while he entered the Capitol, he had not participated in any violence and claimed to have “protected the f—ing Capitol Hill police.”

Among the far-right groups identified by the New Yorker at the Capitol were the Oath Keepers, the Three Percenters, the Proud Boys, and the Boogaloo Bois, as well as smaller local organizations.

A patch on Crowl’s sleeve identified him as a member of the Oath Keepers, an anti-government group founded in 2009, which claims to have recruited tens of thousands of former law enforcement and military officials into its ranks, according to the report.

NO HARD NUMBERS: The official who briefed reporters could not provide any hard data about the prevalence of troops holding extremist or anti-government views.

“Service members are prohibited from participating in or advocating for supremacist or other extremist ideologies,” one official said. “We work very closely with the FBI to identify any current or former military personnel engaged in domestic extremist behaviors.”

“There are private studies that express that between 2001 and today, right-wing extremists are responsible for more deaths in the U. S. than any other type of extremist groups,” he added. “So this is clearly of great concern to the department because as a volunteer force, as a slice of our society, all those issues that exist in society have potential to exist within the military.”

CONGRESS WANTS MORE: A group of 14 Democratic senators sent a letter to Sean O’Donnell, the Pentagon’s acting inspector general, requesting “a comprehensive investigation into instances of white supremacist and violent fringe extremist activity within the military.”

The senators noted a 2020 poll by Military Times, which found about one-third of all active-duty respondents said they saw signs of white supremacist or racist ideology in the ranks.

In response, the DOD IG said it would begin an evaluation immediately, with the objective to determine the effectiveness of current policy and procedures in prohibiting “active advocacy and active participation related to supremacist, extremist, or criminal gang doctrine.”

BRACING FOR MORE ATTACKS: FBI Director Chris Wray said at a security briefing for Vice President Mike Pence yesterday that his agency is monitoring social media and online forums where extremist groups appear to be plotting further violence.

“We are seeing an extensive amount of concerning online chatter,” Wray said. “Right now, we are tracking for potential armed protest.”

Wray said more than 100 Jan. 6 Capitol rioters have been arrested, and the FBI has identified 200 suspects from the security breach that led to the death of two Capitol Police officers and three protesters. “We’re looking at individuals who may have an eye toward repeating that same kind of violence that we saw last week,” he said.

“We know who you are. If you’re out there, an FBI agent is coming to find you,” he added.

“Remain vigilant,” Pence said after the afternoon briefing. “The American people deserve a safe inauguration Jan. 20.”

Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will not publish Monday, Jan. 18, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day federal holiday.

HAPPENING TODAY: As think tanks prepare for the beginning of the Biden administration, a number of new reports are being released this week, providing advice and hoping to influence the new president.

The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is out this morning with its report, From Trump to Biden, The Way Forward for U.S. National Security, which it bills as “a systematic analysis” by FDD experts of “Trump’s term in office, tackling on an issue-by-issue basis the vast majority of topics of greatest significance to U.S. national security.”

“They pull no punches in areas where they judge Trump’s efforts to have fallen short or even failed,” the report introduction says, “But the authors also find many instances in which his initiatives had real merit in terms of advancing important American interests and are worthy of being maintained or built upon by the Biden administration.”

The report’s 25 chapters were written before Jan. 6, but the foreword condemns the storming of the U.S. Capitol as a “national disgrace” that will forever tarnish Trump’s legacy.

EXAMINING THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEFENSE CUTS: The Ronald Reagan Institute and the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments have jointly released a report titled, America’s Strategic Choices: Defense Spending in a Post-COVID-19 World, which argues a 10% cut in defense spending, as advocated by some liberal Democrats, would significantly impair the Pentagon’s ability to implement National Defense Strategy.

Among the report’s conclusions is that a 10% cut would:

• limit the ability of the U.S. to respond to the range of military contingencies that it could reasonably expect to face.
• call into question America’s ability to win a war, let alone deter another.
• jeopardize the military’s ability to field a modern force against increasingly capable adversaries.
• increase reliance on nuclear deterrence.
• make conflict even more likely because adversaries could question the credibility of U.S. posture.

TAKING CREDIT: Banned from Twitter, President Trump had to resort to the old-fashioned White House statement to tout what he considered one of his signature accomplishments: “ending endless wars.”

“United States military troops in Afghanistan are at a 19-year low. Likewise, Iraq and Syria are also at the lowest point in many years,” Trump said in a four-sentence statement.

“I will always be committed to stopping the endless wars. It has been a great honor to rebuild our military and support our brave men and women in uniform. $2.5 trillion invested, including in beautiful new equipment — all made in the U.S.A.”

GOP OPPOSITION TO AUSTIN WAIVER: The Republican Study Committee has released a policy brief outlining its objections to granting a congressional waiver so that retired Gen. Lloyd Austin can serve as Biden’s defense secretary, even though he has not been out of uniform for the requisite seven years.

In opposing Austin’s confirmation, the group, which counts most Republican lawmakers as members, cites “lessons learned” from when retired Gen. Jim Mattis was granted a waiver four years ago.

“Mattis insulated himself in a coterie of military advisers, often pushing away civilian leadership, and in many cases was out of tune with the policy vision of the elected commander in chief, creating tensions,” the memo states. For example, they criticize Mattis for carrying on “many Obama-era ISIS policies, including deprioritizing the countering of Iranian militias in Iraq, and opposing the designation of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and many of its backed militias as terrorist organizations.”

The study group also criticizes Austin’s record as U.S. Iraq commander and later CENTCOM commander but said a bigger problem is that if waivers become routine, four-star officers may start “auditioning” for the job.

“If senior career officers see serving as secretary of defense as a new career path, it risks politicizing the military as generals begin to audition for political roles for future administrations,” the memo argues. “This could lead to a situation where there are ‘Democratic generals’ and ‘Republican generals.’ It is already the case that a number of ex-generals have become much more political in recent years, with former generals speaking at both parties’ political conventions and signing letters for and against presidential candidates.”

FILLING THE GAP: As it looks likely Austin will not be confirmed for at least a day or two after Biden is sworn-in, the plan is to have Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist serve as acting defense secretary temporarily, according to the New York Times.

A FAMILIAR FACE RETURNS: Retired Rear Adm. John Kirby, a veteran public affairs officer and former State Department and Pentagon spokesman, will be reprising his role as chief spokesman at the Pentagon, also according to the New York Times.

Kirby, most recently a paid contributor at CNN, was a “fan favorite” at the Pentagon, popular among the resident press corps for his accessibility and willingness to engage on tough issues.

Kirby was the Pentagon spokesman when Chuck Hagel was defense secretary but retired when the next secretary, Ash Carter, decided he did not want a uniformed officer serving as spokesman. Kirby then joined the State Department, where he briefed as a civilian for Secretary of State John Kerry.

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: Fortress DC: Capitol locked down a week ahead of inauguration

Washington Examiner: Pence tells law enforcement to ‘remain vigilant’ ahead of Biden inauguration

Washington Examiner: Pentagon denounces extremism after Capitol siege as National Guard prepare for inauguration security

Washington Examiner: Capitol siege was not the first tight spot for these battle-tested members of Congress

Washington Examiner: BLM activist charged for participation in storming of Capitol

Washington Examiner: Trudeau calls for Biden to bring a ‘reengaged’ US back to world stage

Washington Examiner: Should a single person be able to trigger nuclear Armageddon?

New York Times: Biden will keep a Trump appointee at the Pentagon until Austin is confirmed, and will name a new spokesman.

Air Force Magazine: Air Force Comptroller to Step in as Acting Secretary After Inauguration

The New Yorker: A Former Marine Stormed the Capitol as Part of a Far-Right Militia

Wall Street Journal: Extremists In Capitol Riot Had Histories Of Violent Rhetoric And Threats

Politico: Feds Edge Closer To Sedition Charge In Capitol Riot Aftermath

Just the News: Lawmakers ask Army to provide cots for National Guard members sleeping on Capitol floor

AP: N Korea holds huge military parade as Kim vows nuclear might

Reuters: North Korea Shows Off New Submarine-Launched Missiles After Rare Party Congress

Stars and Stripes: Expect North Korea’s Nuclear And Missile Tests To Resume, Japanese Security Expert Says

Kyodo News: Japan Hails Britain’s Plan To Send Aircraft Carrier Group To Asia

ABC: Sending U.S. Carrier Back To Middle East Will Keep Iran Tensions Low, Top Admiral Says

The Drive: Iran Films One Of America’s Most Powerful Submarines Lurking Near Its Military Exercise

Defense News: U.S. Navy’s No. 2 Civilian Claims Leadership Shouldn’t Be Blamed For Old Failures. Some Disagree.

19fortyfive.com: Su-57: Why Russia And India Killed Their Joint Strike Fighter Deal

Defense News: Can Biden solve the Space Force’s public relations crisis?

Calendar

FRIDAY | JANUARY 15

9 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast: “A New Transatlantic Agenda,” with European Union Director General for Trade Sabine Weyand. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event

9:30 a.m. — George Washington University School of International Affairs webinar: “U.S.-China Relations Under the Biden Administration,” with David Michael Lampton, director of China studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies; Barbara Stallings, research professor at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs; William Rhodes, research professor at Brown University’s Institute for International and Public Affairs; and Deborah Lehr, vice chairman and executive director of the Paulson Institute https://calendar.gwu.edu/us-china-relations

1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcas on “great power competition with China, COVID-19 relief efforts, the Trump administration’s work on religious freedom, the future of U.S. foreign assistance, and opportunities and challenges for the incoming Biden administration,” with Jim Richardson, director of U.S. foreign assistance resources at the State Department. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event

2 p.m. — Atlantic Council “Front Page” virtual event: “A Conversation with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., with Major Garrett, CBS chief Washington correspondent; Frederick Kempe, president and CEO, Atlantic Council; and Emma Ashford, senior fellow, New American Engagement Initiative. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event

3 p.m. — Reagan Institute virtual discussion: “”U.S. Foreign Policy in 2021 and Beyond,” with Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo and Roger Zakheim, director, Reagan Institute. https://www.reaganfoundation.org/programs-events

MONDAY | JANUARY 18

Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Federal holiday

TUESDAY | JANUARY 19

11 a.m. — Arms Control Association Zoom webinar “Nuclear Challenges for the Biden Administration in the First 100 Days,” with Kelsey Davenport, director for nonproliferation policy; Kingston Reif, director for disarmament and threat reduction policy; Daryl Kimball, executive director; and Tom Countryman, fmr. acting undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and ACA’s board chair. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register

12 p.m. — Association of the U.S. Army “Noon Report” with Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville; and retired Gen. Carter Ham, President and CEO, AUSA. https://www.ausa.org/events/noon-report-mcconville

3 p.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee holds confirmation hearing for Lloyd J. Austin III to be Secretary of Defense. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 20

Inauguration Day — Federal holiday

TUESDAY | JANUARY 26

3 p.m. — Air Force Association “Air and Space Warfighters in Action” event, with Brig. Gen. Jeremy Sloane, commander of the 36th Wing, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register