DOD Stand-down to Address Extremism in the Ranks

Excerpt (Secretary Austin III):  “We will not tolerate actions that go against the fundamental principles of the oath we share, including actions associated with extremist or dissident ideologies. Service members, DoD civilian employees, and all those who support our mission, deserve an environment free of discrimination, hate, and harassment. It is incumbent upon each of us to ensure that actions associated with these corrosive behaviors are prevented. Commanders, supervisors, and all those who hold a leadership position within the Department have a special responsibility to guard against these behaviors and set the example for those they lead. To that end, I am directing commanding officers and supervisors at all levels to select a date within the next 60 days to conduct a one-day ‘stand-down’ on this issue with their personnel.”