Green Bay Reporter

Representative Mike Gallagher, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation, has voiced his concerns regarding a recently released Department of Defense study that challenges the Biden administration's claims of extremism within the military. The study, titled "Prohibited Extremist Activities in the U.S. Department of Defense," was commissioned by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and cost taxpayers $900,000.00.

Gallagher highlights that the study, completed over a year and a half ago, draws on various sources such as social science databases, Department of Defense disciplinary records, and interviews with military leadership and personnel. He emphasizes that every data source used in the study indicates that there is "no evidence that the number of violent extremists in the military is disproportionate to the number of violent extremists in the United States as a whole." Furthermore, the study concludes that right-wing extremism does not constitute a disproportionate share of any existing extremism problem within the military. Gallagher views these findings as a serious indictment of Secretary Austin's efforts to combat extremism.

However, Gallagher argues that despite the study's conclusions, the damage has already been done. He points out that anecdotal accounts of military participation in events like January 6 have magnified the actions of a few individuals and provided little information on the overall scope of the problem. Gallagher believes that Secretary Austin's actions, including a 60-day stand down and the creation of a "Countering Extremist Activity Within the Department of Defense Working Group" (CEAWG), have created a false impression that the military has an extremism problem. This false perception has politicized the Pentagon, eroded trust in the military, and exacerbated the recruitment crisis among skeptical young Americans. Gallagher suggests that these actions may have also undermined cohesion within the armed forces.

To address these issues, Gallagher calls for a recommitment to excellence in warfighting and a focus on the military's core functions. He cites Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1 Warfighting, which states that the military's fundamental purposes are "waging war and preparing for war." Gallagher asserts that any military activities that do not contribute to the conduct of present war must be justified by their contribution to preparedness for future conflicts.

In conclusion, Representative Gallagher's statement highlights the recently released Department of Defense study that challenges the Biden administration's claims of extremism in the military. He argues that the study's findings are a serious indictment of Secretary Austin's efforts and warns of the damage caused by the false impression of an extremism problem within the military. Gallagher calls for a renewed focus on the military's core functions to address the politicization of the Department of Defense, the recruitment crisis, and the preservation of unity within the armed forces.

Click this link to access more information: https://gallagher.house.gov/media/press-releases/gallagher-report-extremism-military-serious-indictment-secretary-austins