Stolen Valor? Is Legenfelder Defying the Pentagon?

Has GleasonMachine candidate for Cambria County Commissioner Doug Legenfelder been sited defying DoD regulations by using his
military dress uniform to advance his political agenda?

Pentagon regulations prohibit Doug Legenfelder a Cambria County commissioner candidate  from using his military dress uniform on his campaign stumps for political purposes.

"The retiree is not authorized to wear his uniform to political events," said U.S. Air Force spokesman Troy Rolan. He cited regulations that say current and former service members should only wear the uniform to ceremonial events, such as Memorial Day, and should not wear the outfit to political functions.

“This is inappropriate,” said Ed Maxwell, a Jensen Beach Vietnam veteran and member of Stolen Valor, a nonpartisan group of vets committed to blowing the whistle on candidates who misrepresent their service.

Department of Defense Directive 1344.10 is entitled "Political Activities of Members of the Armed Forces."  

Paragraph 4.3.2.1 of Directive 1344.10 (see pdf Page 6 of the Directive), combined with referenced provisions of Paragraphs 4.3.2, 4.3.1, 4.2.1 and 4.2.1.2 (match the color of the text with the color of the Paragraph number) states, "Members not on active duty who are candidates for a civil office in a State or any political subdivision thereof, may NOT, in campaign literature (including Web sites, videos, television, and conventional print advertisements), use or allow the use of photographs, drawings, and other similar media formats of themselves in uniform as the primary graphic representation in any campaign media, such as a billboard, brochure, flyer, Web site or television commercial."

Paragraphs 4.3.2, 4.3.1 and 4.2.1.2 of DoD Directive 1344.10 says that the Directive applies to "Members not on active duty who are candidates for a civil office in a State or any political subdivision thereof," so this Directive applies to Legenfelder.

Directive 1344.10 also states, at Paragraph 4, "Policy" (see pdf Page 2 of the Directive), that the regulation applies to "members of the Armed Forces."  Members are defined in that same paragraph as "members on active duty," certain other members "and retired members."

In addition, the Defense Department has issued a separate regulation on when a retired member may wear his military uniform.  Department of Defense Directive 1334.01 states, at Paragraph 3.2 (see pdf Page 2 of that Directive), "Former members of the Armed Forces, who served honorably during a declared or undeclared war and whose most recent service was terminated under honorable conditions may wear the uniform in the highest grade held during such war service only on the following occasions and in the course of travel incident thereto:

3.2.1.  Military funerals, memorial services, weddings, and inaugurals.

3.2.2.  Parades on National or State holidays;  or other parades or ceremonies of a patriotic character in which any Active or Reserve United States military unit is taking part.

3.2.3.  Wearing of the uniform or any part thereof at any other time or for any other purpose is prohibited.

Is that clear enough for you, Mr. Legenfelder?  If not, you surely don't have the intelligence or judgment to be an elected official.

The theory behind these regulations makes sense.  Uniforms of any company are to be used only for company business and whatever other limited use that a company has specifically designated and approved.

Companies, not employees, are the ones who have the right to decide how and when their uniform may be used, because the use of a company uniform clearly implies that the organization has given permission for the use of its uniform for that particular purpose.  A current or former company employee has no right nor authority to unilaterally impose his personal agenda upon the image of their current or former employer through unauthorized use of a company's uniform.

The Department of Defense has gone to great lengths to make it clear that they don't take sides in elections in the United States of America.  Legenfelder is defying the Defense Department's carefully articulated neutrality with respect to political campaigns in our country.

That's not very patriotic of you, Mr. Legenfelder, to openly defy our Department of Defense.  It puts you in a league with flag burners.  Is that the kind of person you want to be regarded as?

Defying our Department of Defense says that you have no ethics or morality.  Haven't you made patriotism, ethics and morality the heart of your political campaign?