Pentagon issues rules to combat extremism in the ranks

The U.S. Department of Defense released new extremism definitions and rules of conduct on Monday. The guidelines follow a broad review by the Countering Extremist Activities Working Group that the military ordered after reports came out that several dozen service members participated in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. According to Pentagon officials, roughly 100 military members are known to have been involved in extremist activity in 2021. That’s an increase from previous years, though it is unclear whether the higher number reflects a spread of extremism or better awareness of the problem.

What are the new rules? The policy largely clarifies many existing orders, and it also for the first time lists specific banned social media activity, such as reposting extremist content. The report creates a two-step process for commanders to hold service members accountable: The questionable action must be “extremist” as defined in the regulations (the definitions include terrorism and activities “advocating widespread unlawful discrimination”) and the service member must have actively participated in the prohibited activity. The regulations focus on action, not ideology, outlining six broad groups of extremist activities and 14 definitions that constitute active participation. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin directed military leaders to schedule a “stand-down” day to talk with troops about the new policy and extremism.

Dig deeper: Read Esther Eaton’s report in The Stew about changes to the military included in the latest National Defense Authorization Act.