Is Major General Rick Lynch illegally making statements?

Question

I admire Major General Rick Lynch for the sacrifice he is making in Iraq but I disagree with the appearances on C-Span and other politically motivated forums while he is Active-Duty and is wearing the uniform while addressing callers concerned with the war because often the conversation is not apolitical.

For instance:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2155891,00.html

He is violating Paragraph 4.1.1.3 of DOD Directive 1344.10 and Section j of Paragraph 1-10 of AR 670-1.
http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/r670_1.pdf
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134410p.pdf


Do you believe something more should be done about the media and the military, especially in this case? Why is he allowed to wear the uniform and make statements on political issues yet I am not?

Quite the opposite, Robert.

Sounds good to me, desert.

Answer 1

Are you active duty military?

If so, get a job in the public information service and you, too, will be able to make such statements in uniform.

However, if what you want to do is parrot the Bush admin. line on the war, I'm sure you can speak out now without any fear of reprisal.

Answer 2

Glad you cited those directives. Now, could you explain to me how Army Specialist Albert Francis Gore, Jr. avoided court-martial when he campaigned for his father's re-election to the Senate in full uniform? I never heard a peep from the "mainstream press" or the shapers of "conventional wisdom" when that happened! By your definition, Mister Gore would have gone to Leavenworth instead of a Senate seat in his own right from Tennessee and two terms as Vice President of the United States.