A photo of U.S. Army infantry officer and West Point graduate Spenser Rapone was making its rounds online in late September due to the fact that – while in his uniform – Rapone had the words “Communism will win” scrawled inside of his cap.
In the wake of the recent NFL protests, a West Point graduate and infantry officer tweeted out the following image with the caption: “#VeteransForKaepernick” – a disgusting display from an officer.
LawNewz verified the legitimacy of the photograph with Rapone himself. He is currently in the field until Friday and unable to answer detailed questions.
The former Democrat lawmaker who nominated Communist Spenser Rapone to West Point strongly disavowed his tweets calling for political violence and claiming ‘Communism will win’.
The former Dem Rep. for Pennsylvania, Jason Altmire called Rapone’s tweets shocking, disappointing and abhorrent.
West Point released a statement via the official West Point website addressing the controversy surrounding Spenser Rapone’s ‘Communism will win’ social media posts.
STATEMENT
RESPONSE TO SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS BY USMA GRADUATE — September 26, 2017
The U.S. Military Academy strives to develop leaders who internalize the academy’s motto of
Duty, Honor, Country, and who live the Army values. Second Lieutenant Rapone’s actions in no
way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army.As figures of public trust, members of the military must exhibit exemplary conduct, and are
prohibited from engaging in certain expressions of political speech in uniform. Second
Lieutenant Rapone’s chain of command is aware of his actions and is looking into the matter.The academy is prepared to assist the officer’s chain of command as required.
Now this…
West Point grad Spenser Rapone was recently given an “other than honorable discharge” from the US military.
SOFREP reported:
Recently, Spenser Rapone re-tweeted a post on Twitter which announced that he would be speaking at a socialist event in July as he was being processed out of the Army this June with an other than honorable discharge. This was likely the harshest punishment the Army could give Rapone unless they decided to charge him with something like sedition. With an other than honorable discharge, Rapone will not be entitled to VA benefits, the GI Bill, and may have difficulties in finding employment.
As an avowed communist, one who is networked with other like-minded individuals, he may find a bit of a safety net after he is discharged from organizations he associates with such as the Democratic Socialists of America Veterans Working Group, which is reputed to be about 150 members strong. None the less, Rapone’s political decisions and judgements will likely follow him long after he separates from the military.
Rapone is scheduled tp speak at the Socialism 2018 conference in Chicago on July 5. His bio for the event, which features a photo of him in uniform ,reads:
“Spenser Rapone is a former Army Ranger and Infantry Officer recently separated from the military for speaking out against its imperialist violence. He enlisted as an infantryman out of high school in 2010, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2011. After returning from his combat tour, he applied and was accepted into the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY in 2012, graduating and receiving his commission in May 2016. Deciding he could no longer stomach the immorality of US imperialism, he spoke out against the reprehensible actions of the military in September 2017. He ultimately resigned his commission, and was separated from the Army in June 2018 with an Other Than Honorable discharge.”