Miller bodyguards at forum included active-duty soldiers

[Newsjock]

Source: Anchorage Daily News

... Meanwhile, the Army says that two of the guards who assisted in the arrest of the journalist and who tried to prevent two other reporters from filming the detention were active-duty soldiers moonlighting for Miller's security contractor, the Drop Zone, a Spenard surplus store and protection service.

The soldiers, Spc. Tyler Ellingboe, 22, and Sgt. Alexander Valdez, 31, are assigned to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Richardson. Maj. Bill Coppernoll, the public affairs officer for the Army in Alaska, said the two soldiers did not have permission from their current chain of command to work for the Drop Zone, but the Army was still researching whether previous company or brigade commanders authorized their employment.

The Army allows off-duty soldiers to take outside employment if the job doesn't interfere with their readiness, doesn't risk their own injury and doesn't negatively affect the "good order" and discipline of their unit, Coppernoll said.

... Miller's chief guard at the Middle School event, Drop Zone owner William Fulton, said it wasn't his job to ensure soldiers complied with the regulations, though he said he informs them of their duty.

... He said the two soldiers called him Monday and said they may be in trouble.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/18/1507982/questions-surround-use-of-security.html

[MineralMan]

1. I doubt that any commander would allow members of his unit

to serve as security guards for a political campaign. That just breaks all sorts of rules.

Those two youngsters are in a bit of trouble, I'm pretty sure.

[bpj62]

2. Body Guards

Couple of quick questions. 1. Why does Joe Miller feel the need to have body guards. Is it for protection, if so from whom,or is it for intimidation which I think is the more likely answer.

Also it occurred to me last night that Joe Miller and his goons are eerily familiar to the character that Martin Sheen played in the movie "The Dead Zone". He is really creeping me out and I hope the voters of Alaska figure out just how scary/dangerous this guy really is.

[bongbong]

3. Not just Miller

Miller isn't a stand-in for the Sheen character in "Dead Zone". It's more than just him. The entire Teabagistan Nation is the stand-in for the "Dead Traitors" party.

[Gin]

6. I like a nice beard on a man but he just looks shabby all the time

I know in the big scheme of things my opinion isn't important but I am adding my 2 cents anyway....he looks like a bum.

[ck4829]

5. Bodyguards also create the illusion of authority

There's a guy speaking at an event, and there are these big musclebound guys who are armed surrounding him and scowling into the crowd.

David Horowitz is well-versed in this, he goes to events at Colleges which are already screened, there is not a single threat against him, yet he has armed security on the stage by his side and walking through the audience.

[arbusto_baboso]

4. Court martial offense.

Charge 'em.

[PavePusher]

36. No, it isn't. n/t

[lanlady]

7. These boys are in trouble

Now the Army is in the position of looking as though its members support the Tea Party and use force against its opponents. What a bunch of jerks.

[Tx4obama]

8. Miller (R-AK) bodyguards at forum included active-duty soldiers

Source: Anchorage Daily News

.... the Army says that two of the guards who assisted in the arrest of the journalist and who tried to prevent two other reporters from filming the detention were active-duty soldiers moonlighting for Miller's security contractor, the Drop Zone, a Spenard surplus store and protection service.

The soldiers, Spc. Tyler Ellingboe, 22, and Sgt. Alexander Valdez, 31, are assigned to the 3rd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Richardson. Maj. Bill Coppernoll, the public affairs officer for the Army in Alaska, said the two soldiers did not have permission from their current chain of command to work for the Drop Zone, but the Army was still researching whether previous company or brigade commanders authorized their employment.

SNIP

Miller's chief guard at the Middle School event, Drop Zone owner William Fulton, said it wasn't his job to ensure soldiers complied with the regulations, though he said he informs them of their duty. "They're adults -- they are responsible for themselves," Fulton said.

He said the two soldiers called him Monday and said they may be in trouble.

Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/18/1507982/questions-surround-use-of-security.html

---

Also:
http://homernews.com/stories/101810/news_mcap.shtml
http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2010/10/joe-miller-cancels-anchor-point.html

[Blue_In_AK]

9. The Drop Zone was apparently not licensed, as well.

See The Immoral Minority here: http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2010/10/joe-millers-security-goons-were-not.html

[Itchinjim]

10. "Owner William Fulton, said it wasn't his job to ensure soldiers complied with the regulations"

Wow, way to toss those soldiers you right wingers claim to care so much about under the bus. What a steaming pile of shit you are Fulton.

[auburngrad82]

14. It's never the job of a right winger to follow the rules

They never take responsibility for anything.

[livetohike]

11. I guess Track Palin (or whatever his name is) was busy that day

:eyes:

[33Greeper]

12. This has got to be against the law.

Can someone weigh in on this?

[yellowcanine]

13. Well yes, it seems to be.

Army encourages soldiers to fulfill civic duty; rules govern political activity
By Maj. Matt Parsons, Fort McCoy Judge Advocate

snip

Soldiers May Not:

13. Perform clerical or other duties for a partisan political party or committee during a political campaign or on Election Day.

http://www.mccoy.army.mil/vtriad_online/03102000/military%20political%20activities.htm

Now this is not law but it is a Judge Advocate's interpretation of law. Seems quite clear that working as a bodyguard/bouncer for a political campaign certainly falls into the prohibited category.

[PavePusher]

27. I don't think your conclusion is quite correct.

As security guards, they are arguably not working to directly advance the goals of a political group, any more than the janatorial staff at the venue, unless this company only hires out to certain political groups and takes no other employment.

It is certainly arguable that they may have overstepped their limits/authority as security, and were possibly in violation of Army regs if they did not have off-duty employment approved by their chain of command.

[louis-t]

29. I think it depends on who hired them.

Did the Miller campaign hire them?

[PavePusher]

31. If the campaign hired the security company...

it does not therefore mean that the company endorses the campaign.

Or am I missing your point?

[yellowcanine]

37. It doesn't matter who hired them if they are acting as "bouncers" for the campaign event.

If they are vetting attendees to the event based on political criteria then they are acting on behalf of a political candidate, which they are not supposed to do.

[jmowreader]

38. He just reprinted Appendix B of AR 600-20

The "command policy" Army regulation specifically lays out what soldiers can and cannot do in politics, and Army Regulations are considered law in the military.

[Daphne08]

18. That was my first thought.

I've never seen anything like this in my life!

[Mojorabbit]

15. Oh my, this just gets worse by the moment. nt

[auburngrad82]

16. His response will be "not my fault 'cause I didn't know" nt

[Jumping John]

17. Fulton nor those 2 soldiers take the oath seriously...

I, , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

[atreides1]

20. Got news for you John

It's probably a good bet that most military personnel don't actually believe in that oath, they just repeat what they hear.

[Tx4obama]

22. They probably believe that they believe BUT don't know what's in the Constitution. n/t

[oldhippie]

32. That is not the oath that soldiers take ......

Do a little research, Officer vs Enlisted oaths. BTW, neither mention moonlighting.

[madrchsod]

19. it`s demotions time!

well at least a reprimand

[Tx4obama]

21. Update: No charges to be filed in scuffle at Miller rally

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — No criminal charges will be filed over an incident at an Alaska U.S. Senate candidate rally in Anchorage in which an online journalist was handcuffed and detained.

Alaska Dispatch editor Tony Hopfinger on Sunday tried to question GOP candidate Joe Miller at a campaign event held at a public school. Private security guards placed him under a private person's arrest for what they said was trespass and assault.

Anchorage municipal prosecutor Al Patterson tells the Anchorage Daily News that no charges will be filed against Hopfinger.

He also says no charges will be filed against the security guards for handcuffing and detaining Hopfinger.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20101019/us-alaska-senate-editor-detained/

--------------------

But I betcha the military isn't going to let the active-duty soldiers off the hook, especially now that the TV media is talking about them!

[Proletariatprincess]

23. I didn't think I could still be shocked...but I am.

We really have lost Posse Commitatis, haven't we. What is next? Will we be required to quarter soldiers in our homes?
This is a total outrage and I hope heads will roll over this...but I doubt it. Just imagine if a democrat had done the same and detained a Fox News correspondent...and used off duty military personnel to do it. Wow.

[PavePusher]

28. This had nothing to do with P.C.

The sky is not falling.

[herbm]

24. They'll end up with Blackwater.

[RamboLiberal]

25. Also in the story is that Miller is lying - he wasn't required to have security

by the school.

Was Joe Miller required to bring a security detail to his town hall meeting Sunday at Central Middle School?

That's what Miller, the Republican Senate candidate, told two national cable news networks Monday in the wake of the arrest by his security squad of an online journalist at his public event.

But the school district said there was no such requirement made of Miller -- he only had to provide a hall and parking lot monitor, and advise participants of school district courtesy and food rules.



Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/10/18/1507982/questions-surround-use-of-security.html#ixzz12qUSr900

[rickrok66]

26. Soldiers moonlighting

From my 20 years experience in the army, I can tell you that most posts (army bases) have a regulation which governs moonlighting. Soldiers who want to moonlight must get the permission of their immediate commander. Typically service members want to deliver pizzas to make a few buck. However, bouncing and acting as a body guard is usually on the list of wrong choices. The military wants service members to be deployable not to get hurt trying to bounce a biker from a strip bar (which happened outside of Fort Sill in the 1990s).

There are also rules governing political activities but it is mostly don't wear your uniform to a political event or use your rank or status.

Playing pretend secret service agent is going to get the attention of the Fort Richardson commander.

[33Greeper]

30. These Active Duty Soldiers who moonlighted without permission

should be discharged immediately

[PavePusher]

35. Ah, no. It's not that big a deal. n/t

[PacerLJ35]

33. FYSA: Some military personnel are allowed to take second jobs

As a general rule, enlisted soliders are allowed to work second jobs provided it's legal work and it doesn't interfere with their military duties. Working as a security guard somewhere isn't an uncommon thing for some enlisted personnel to engage it, provided they have permission from their commander. Working as security for a political campaign in of itself is not illegal, so long as they were acting as security and not actively campaigning for the politician. If they were wearing regular clothing and acting as security or bodyguards, and were not assisting in other campaign activities, then they are fine.

The quote that they didn't have permission from their current chain of command but the Army is looking into whether they might have had prior permission tells me that unit must have had a recent change of command, and perhaps the new commander hadn't reviewed their specific case yet. In the case that they had prior permission, they will likely not face any punishment. If they did not have permission at all, then they will likely be in trouble, although it won't be as severe as some people in this forum would think...probably a Letter of Reprimand or along those lines.

Edit: I wanted to add that officers are generally NOT allowed to take second jobs, for obvious reasons.

[Hardrada]

34. Here's five bucks for delivering the pizza, Captain. Got a few

more stops tonight?