MRFF Advisory Board Member Brig. Gen. USAF (Ret.) Marty France Op-Ed Admonishes USAFA’s Slide Toward Partisanship and Authoritarianism
Excerpt from Op-Ed:
“…the Military Religious Freedom Foundation was founded and exists to this day—to remove the specter of religious bias from our military services. We can’t allow the same threat to flourish in the name of partisan politics for any party. […] the Academy’s military leadership MUST reassert the principle of non-partisanship among the cadets, faculty, and staff—just as all senior military leaders must do in the face of unprecedented pressure from the Trump Administration to mold the military into the President’s own praetorian guard.”
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- November 7, 2025 | No comments
Fall Semester, 1972. Nixon was headed for a second term. I was a fourth classman (“squat” or “doolie”) at USAFA. (I would be taking a voluntary discharge within a few months because reasons.) We were doolies and the lowest of the low, so we were required to run on a narrow strip bordering the terrazzo, the large parade/review area surrounded by dorms, as we headed to and from Mitchell (dining) Hall while 3rd, 2nd, and 1st classmen walked in a leisurely manner to and from meals at Mitchell. As we ran, since it was Fall, we had to pause and greet each upperclassman we encountered with, “Good morning/afternoon, sir! Beat [whichever school the football team was playing that week]!” After a week or so of that bullshit, the greetings changed, to: “Good morning/afternoon, sir! Beat McGovern!” I don’t know who started it, but like blue-clad sheep, every squat picked it up, and each week’s game against Colorado, Notre Dame, Army, or Navy was forgotten. The nonsense went on for a few weeks, and no one applied any critical thinking to it because, well, blue-clad sheep. One evening as we ran back to the dorms to study and get ready for the next day, an upperclassman turned to stop the parade of blue-clad morons running from Mitchell. He told us to fall out and remain where we were while he waited for a bunch more idiots to cram behind us. Finally, he angrily declared that as members of the American military, we had no right, while wearing the uniform, to publicly declare an electoral preference. He also said if McGovern won the election, we had an absolute duty to respect him as the commander in chief in the same manner we had his predecessor. He ordered us to stop with the bullshit and greet upperclassmen the traditional way. He also ordered us to circulate his order to every squat in our squadrons because he didn’t want to ever hear that shit again. So we stopped because it was the right thing to do. For years I thought that episode would have been an appropriate subject of study in the USAFA Department of Psychology.
Rob Belgeri, I’d suggest that it would be more appropriate to get the Department of Sociology to conduct such a study. But otherwise, your point is well taken!
Good story Rob. I think most that have spent time (I hate saying “served,” I got paid for it, not like I saved a child from a burning building, and it just sounds so plastic, so disingenuous), in the military will concede that it is and always has been more substantially right wing than not (I was young and impressionable then).
The hilarious part is that they didn’t consider it might go this bat shit crazy! Who would ever have thought America could become an autocracy? Or that we’d have a president that would invoke the insurrection act, suspend posse comitatus, impose martial law. Because, you know, we’re living in war zones according to the diaper boy.
I’ve said before, I’m betting most (80+%) of flag officers will fall right in line, just like Republicans in Congress, their careers and power more important than little things like honor, integrity, values, and the constitution. I hope I’m wrong but the sirens are going off all around us.
History will record it for certain. A permanent record. Let’s see how they do! I’m shorting the officer corps. I don’t think they have it in them! This isn’t like Desert Shield/Storm, OIF, OEF, invading Greenland, blowing up a few fishing boats in intnl waters, etc. Dropping a few bombs on Iran, Yemen, Somalia, et al. This one takes real courage! Courage to do the right thing.
The days of the integrity represented by that upper classman? I think that train left the station long ago.
If America were a stock, I’d be shorting the hell out of it right now! I think this country is over, a dying empire, drowning, a country flailing, grasping for anything to stay above water, as the world ship passes on by! The bully that cried wolf has fallen in the water. And there’s no one there to help!
Ps USAAF veteran McGovern was a combat veteran. Nixon was a Navy lawyer. Both served in WWII
My apologies to Mr. Weinstein, but I knew an engineer that died and went to heaven.
St. Pete, going over the list of new arrivals, “um, we’ve got a little problem. We’re renovating the engineer quarters. We’re going to have to send you down there, but it’s only for a week.”
Off to hell the engineer goes.
God, looking over the list a week later says, “Hey Pete. Where’s that engineer?” Pete replies, “I’m glad you said something, I forgot.”
He calls up the Devil and tells him to send up the engineer, the renovations completed.
The Devil responds, “he ain’t coming. He’s staying here. He fixed my big screen TV, put in air conditioning, and now I’ve got cold running water!”
Pete responds with, “don’t make me put the man on!”
God gets on the line and says, “OK look, he belongs up here. Stop messing around and send him up!”
The devil responds, “nope. He’s staying here. And there’s nothing you can do about it!”
God thinks a minute and says, “I’ll sue!”
To which the Devil replies, “where you gonna get a lawyer?”
OK, cheap shot. We need the law more than anything right now as our country slides down the abyss. But, I think it’s funny! :-)
Steve McCarville: Democrats haven’t gotten political credit for their service since PT109 days. Just ask J. Kerry.
And ask yer man Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville. Says he’s the most military man in the U.S. Senate, Walter Mitty and George Orwell all rolled up into one! Never served a day in his life but he has a friend who has a friend of a friend that served!
Remember Donnie Boy saying to Howard Stern that Studio 54 was his own personal Vietnam avoiding venereal disease? Course, he couldn’t serve in the military, could barely walk with those bone spurs.
But speaking of political credit, MAGA Sho nuff getting them some political pedophilia credit right about now! Amirite? Got them photos of Trump with topless little girls on his lap and them pointing and laughing at the stain in the front of his trousers according to Michael Wolff.
Remember that pose of Ivanka, when she was a teen, sitting provocatively on Trump’s lap in a photo shoot for Vanity Fair next to the statue of two copulating macaws? What a fatherly photo for Vanity Fair. Wonder what his buddy Epstein thought of that photo? Prolly had to go get him a quick massage.
I’m wondering when Ghislaine is gonna get the Presidential Medal of Freedom? C’mon Donnie. She covered for you bro. Let her out!
Got a convicted serial sex offender in the White House and, of all things, women married into the MAGA Christian Klan, “oh, he didn’t mean to hit me. I got in the way of his fist when he was practicing beer-hop-ki-do. It was my fault! I’d love to talk but I’ve got to get back in the kitchen. He’ll be home in a few minutes! I need to make sure I didn’t forget to put his beer in the fridge and then get his dinner on! Don’t tell him but I did get him a new set of rubber balls for his bumper hitch! I got the Stephen Miller edition this time. They have a swastika for good luck on the back side. He’ll like that!”
Forget the watered Epstein files. We want the “hard” drives!
“I don’t care if it rains or freezes, long as I got some convict sneezes, rotting in some cold dank Rikers cell.
Trumptie boy mad as a hatter,
political party doesn’t matter,
lock ‘em up, time will suit them well.
I don’t care if it rains or freezes,
give me a good ole plastic Jesus,
that I can glue to the dashboard of my car.”
Have fun MAGA. “Grab ‘em by the pussy!” :-)
The breaking news: “The United States is deploying the Gerald R Ford carrier strike group to support regime change in Venezuela and secure Venezuelan oil for United States producers.” Apparently, that drill-baby-drill thing didn’t work out too well. I think they call it … economics? Am I getting that right? A supply and demand thing? You know, you produce at levels where marginal revenue equals marginal cost? I think the lower prices are related to ….. over production? At $61/barrel. I mean, would you drill another well when you already have too much oil? Kinda fucks up the shale producers doesn’t it? Oh wait a minute, shale producers. If the price of oil drops below their cost per barrel, they go out of business? Am I getting that right? What happens when they go out of business? Oh snap, OPEC reduces production and prices go back up? Naw, MBS wouldn’t do that would he? He’s our friend even though he is a bit of a cut up. Well, in fairness, he only does that in one of his embassies.
Hell, I was told Joe Biden had a meter next to his bed, looked like a clock. When he woke up every morning he just reached over and set the price of oil. Fuck, who knew it was so complicated?
But all this comes on the extra-judicial murders of 32 foreign nationals, by the President of the United States, on the open seas in fishing boats, precipitating the resignation of the U.S. Southern Command Commander, Admiral Alvin Halsey. Well, they didn’t feel any pain, never saw it coming. Plus, they’re in a better place now! Wonder if they saw Jesus on the water with open arms like the painting in the merchant marine academy? They’re Christian down there in Venezuela. Aren’t they?
However, Admiral Halsey is, in fact, black, and we know how Trumptie and Hogsbreath feel about blacks in command positions. I’m wondering if they’re triple checking birth certificates of black commanders at all levels?
Of course, these were narco terrorists making a 2,830 mile journey across open seas to the United States in little boats if you believe the White House. I’m guessing Miami the intended destination? I did notice that one of the boats, before it was blown up, did seem to have a set of oars on it, hard to see in the video, so I’m guessing, when they ran out of fuel, they’d snort some of the cocaine they were carrying and row like hell? Cartels are cheap bastards!
Fuck me, all that Naval power off the coast of Venezuela for 8% of the drugs coming into the United States! 80% of drugs coming into the U.S. being smuggled in by Americans? Can that be right?
Let’s see, if it’s a supply and demand thing, um, so if we stopped using it or directed more energy at our ports of entry. Naw, couldn’t be that easy. Find out who owns those mansions up on Franklin mountain that look out over El Paso and Juarez. Couldn’t be any CBP folks living in those mansions could there? I guess if you save real hard and don’t eat much, get a good mortgage rate, yeah, you could prolly own one on a government salary. Or marry well. Get a few cartel donations, viola!
Other news, Trumptie demolished the east wing of “the people’s house” to make way for his billionaire ballroom. I think they’re going to call it “The Grift Center.” Only two attacks in history on the people’s house, one from the British and one by Donald Trump! I’d say that’s pretty historical.
What’s funny is that there are already moves afoot to stop the construction or, alternately, tear it down when government changes hands again! Awwww, the Grift Ballroom destined for the landfill before it gets built. Maybe they can recycle part of it to build a mausoleum for Trump? There’s an idea. On one of his golf courses? Not the same one he buried his ex on. He already got a tax deduction for that property for burying her there. Pick another one so his estate gets another deduction.
But the Gerald Ford is underway. With a whole boat load of sailers that aren’t getting paid? Well, their room and board is provided. Their families? Oh snap! They may not have a home to go to when they get back!
Don’t you just love having Christian Nationalists in charge?
Speaking of the director of OMB, Russell Vought, he apparently just got divorced (it was a Christian divorce before you even start thinking bad of Christians), Trumptie has been working on getting him laid down at Mar A Lardo. Where’s them Epstein girls? Any of them still around?
Apparently, it ain’t working. As the story goes, one look at him and they become track stars!
Some more news, in a 7-2 ruling, the Supreme Court just nullified over 30+ executive orders signed by Trump Jon Un. Basically telling Donald Mitty he ain’t a king! Awww, he was doing so well with the pussy commie-tatus thing.
Yep, your boy’s on his way to impeachment number 3 MAGA! Don’t worry, he won’t do any jail time. More like a Mar A Lardo conversion to a nursing home, padded room, slapping imaginary flies (he hates flies)!
I’m hearing the rest of his staff doesn’t have immunity from prosecution. Is that right? Uh Oh!
As the world turns! What goes around comes around! Have fun MAGA. Enjoy these gas prices while you can! Stagflation your new fuel!
That little plastic Irishman Sean Duffy is saying there may be disruptions to air travel! You can MAKE them come to work, but only if they’re not sick!
FAA air traffic controllers, not getting paid because of Trump’s government shutdown, are calling in sick so they can go do side hustles to put food on the table, Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, etc.
Which leaves fewer controllers to manage air traffic. And with fewer controllers comes delays and stoppages, Reagan National, La Guardia, Newark. It’s contagious!
Good on ya MAGATs! Proving once again why you wear those red hats that say, “I’m with Stupid!”
So funny watching MAGA eat MAGA! :-)
Keystone Cops as a SWAT team? There’s your White House!
Sing it MAGA! “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right, here I am, never again voting for you!”
Oh, before I forget, Trumptie helping his buddy in Argentina out, apparently the $20 Billion you just gave him not enough, you’re going to be eating Argentine beef here pretty soon! Gonna have to get you some red gaucho hats that say ‘I’m with Stupid!’
Yeah, off topic a bit but these self-professed “good Christians” running the country, you know, the ones that have the government shut down? Yeah, those good Christian’s.
They couldn’t give two shits less about military and federal employees doing without pay while the military has to continue working, while air traffic controllers have to continue working, while daily functions of government are impacted.
They want you to feel pain, forcing your vote.
Couple of things gone wrong though. Congress still gets paid during shut downs. But they’re not in Washington “legislating,” they’re at home fucking off while federal employees stand in food lines trying to feed their families and while the military deploys to, of all places, Venezuela for the regime change you asked for!
What’s that? You didn’t ask for regime change in Venezuela? Don’t you want that oil and natural gas? Venezuela sitting on the world’s biggest reserves and you don’t want it?
The fact is, the relative number of federal workers hasn’t changed over the last 50 years although the U.S. population has grown by about 120 million over that same period.
Remember Elon and his chain saw going after federal workers? To cut waste, FRAUD, and gain efficiency?
Know anyone prosecuted for fraud? What’s that? No one got prosecuted for fraud? Trump said it was rampant! No indictments?
Five million “government workers” are employed by state governments and twenty million are employed by local governments across the U.S. So, if you were looking for cuts, shouldn’t it be at the state and local government levels? The so-called inefficiencies are not at the federal level. They haven’t changed in fifty years!
But Trumptie doesn’t control those numbers so, go after what you control – federal workers.
You know who is getting paid during the shutdown? Yep, ICE agents, border patrol, et al. In other words, those working for Kristi Noem while she lives rent free in government housing and just ordered up two new jets to cart her cosplay aas around the country. And, of course, members of Congress. The two least productive organizations on the planet. But there’s your efficiencies! It’s an “I got mine” arrangement. Pretty good little scam they’re running innit?
Destruction of the East Wing of the White House? Still going. Building Trump’s new “Grift Center” ballroom? Yep, still going!
Think about that the next time you vote (if you get to vote again – I have my doubts). I don’t necessarily want great government, just good-enough government. One that provides for a functioning government without the daily fucking drama because the man-baby has to be in the news, unloved as a child, petulance and adult diapers his calling cards (and Epstein of course – release the hard drives!).
Get rid of this chump. We’re tired of the fucking drama. A daily grind on sanity. Wouldn’t you like to wake up every morning without the thought of “what the fuck has he done now?”
Which country is he threatening to invade today? Which island with nobody on it is he going to impose tariffs on? How many fishermen 3,000 miles away is he going to blow up today?
Dump Trump. Get rid of this clown!