The commander of the base wrote, “I do not presume to understand current politics, but what I do know is the concerns of the US administration discussed by Vice-President Vance on Friday are not reflective of Pituffik Space Base.” in an email and was thus dismissed. In dismissing her, the Pentagon stated this reason. “Actions [that] undermine the chain of command or to subvert President [Donald] Trump’s agenda will not be tolerated at the Department of Defense.”

  • peoplebeproblems@midwest.social
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    5 days ago

    -.-

    Chain-of-command means orders come from your immediate superior doesn’t it? Adding “Or to Subvert President Trump’s agenda” pretty much nullifies that and by default makes our military on par with Russia’s. Good weapons do fuck and all when not used as intended.

    Putin must be laughing his ass off at how effectively he’s destroying the US military without firing a single shot at it.

    • JamesTBagg@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      That’s not what chain of command means. It simply establishes the hierarchy. Commands can be given by anyone who outranks you, or holds a billet that comes with higher authority. Trump and Vance at the top of that chain and can issue legal orders to literally anyone in the US military.

      • Notyou@sopuli.xyz
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        5 days ago

        Not that the rule of law matters, but the VP is not in the military chain of command. There is no vice commander-in-chief. It goes pres then his Chiefs of Staff/Generals.

        Of course they could just lean on the undermining trumps agenda of stripping Greenland of its resources, but that’s not why the base was there. Or I guess that is why it’s there now…idk.

        • JamesTBagg@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          No, second in command is the Secretary of Defense. But if the Vice President is acting on behalf or under direction of the president it could be seen as a billet. Walking around bases every unit has pictures of their chains of command, all of them include the VP and have for a long time.

      • whiskeytango@lemm.ee
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        5 days ago

        They can issue orders. Not all are legal. But since they replaced the JAGs, this might be closer to reality.

        • JamesTBagg@lemmy.world
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          5 days ago

          Hopefully they all remember their oaths of enlistment are to the Constitution first, THEN the president.

          • MisterOwl@lemmy.world
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            5 days ago

            If they remembered, they would have rolled through the supreme court building the day they said we have kings again.

            Military ain’t gonna do shit.

      • peoplebeproblems@midwest.social
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        5 days ago

        The concept of chain of command also implies that higher rank alone does not entitle a higher-ranking service member to give commands to anyone of lower rank.

    • KingPorkChop@lemmy.ca
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      5 days ago

      Putin must be laughing his ass off at how effectively he’s destroying the US military without firing a single shot at it.

      It’s one for the books to be sure. Also there are a huge portion of Americans cheering it on because they’re too stupid to know better.