Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a Space Force commander who was relieved of his duty after criticizing "Marxist" ideology within the U.S. military, revealed Monday the extent of far-left ideology within American military ranks.
Last week, Military.com first reported that Lohmeier had been relieved of his post as commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado.
He was fired after appearing on a podcast where he promoted his book, "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military."
A Space Force spokesman said:
This decision was based on public comments made by Lt. Col. Lohmeier in a recent podcast. Lt. Gen. Whiting has initiated a Command Directed Investigation on whether these comments constituted prohibited partisan political activity.
Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Lohmeier explained that, over the past several years, he has witnessed "Marxist ideology parading around by other names."
In fact, Lohmeier told Hannity he witnessed aspects of critical race theory being taught to soldiers while in command over several months.
"There were videos being sent out to every base service member that we were asked to watch in preparation for our extremism down-days and discussions on race in which we were taught that the country was evil, that it was founded in 1619, and not 1776, and that whites are inherently evil," Lohmeier said.
In writing his book and speaking out, Lohmeier said he was just following guidance from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who called on military personnel to root out extremist ideologies within military ranks.
Austin issued a memo in February directing military commanders to conduct an "extremism down-day." According to NPR, the memo came as military commanders sought to address the growing threat of right-wing extremism.
"In the guidance memorandum, he basically gave an injunction to every service member to combat extremist ideologies within the force where they saw them, and to take it upon ourselves to protect one another and to speak up and educate one another about extremist ideologies, when we discovered them causing divisions within the force," Lohmeier said. "And that's me paraphrasing the guidance memorandum."
Space Force Commander speaks out after being 'relieved of duty' www.youtube.com
In a separate interview with Fox News Digital, Lohmeier denied being political or partisan, instead saying he was simply trying to follow Austin's directive.
"I don't believe I was being partisan. It is not politically partisan to expose or attack critical race theory or Marxism," Lohmeier said. "The reason I say that is because critical race theory and Marxism are antithetical to American values. Critical race theory fuels narratives that attack America's founding documents."
"I'm being misportrayed online — I don't criticize any leader, or any person in the DoD or any elected officials — but I try to tee up ideas that I think are toxic," he added.
Though he has been reassigned, Lohmeier said he has retained his rank.
A commander in the Space Force has been fired for comments he made during a podcast appearance where he warned that Marxism is infiltrating the United States military, according to a report from Military.com.
Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier was the commander of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado. Lohmeier had served in the U.S. Air Force for over 14 years, including being a former F-15C fighter pilot and T-38 Talon jet instructor pilot.
On Friday, Lohmeier was purportedly relieved of his post because he sounded the alarm about Marxism and critical race theory in the military during a podcast appearance where he was promoting his book. Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, the head of Space Operations Command, reportedly fired Lohmeier over a loss of confidence in his ability to lead.
"This decision was based on public comments made by Lt. Col. Lohmeier in a recent podcast," a Space Force spokesperson said. "Lt. Gen. Whiting has initiated a Command Directed Investigation on whether these comments constituted prohibited partisan political activity."
Last week, Lohmeier appeared on the "Information Operation" podcast to promote his book about the dangers of Marxism in the military.
"The diversity, inclusion and equity industry and the trainings we are receiving in the military ... is rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism," Lohmeier said.
Lohmeier noted that there is a diversity initiative that instructs service members to read the book "So You Want to Talk About Race" by Ijeoma Oluo, which labels the United States as a "white supremacist nation."
Lohmeier claimed that young service members are inundated by a "hyperpoliticized work environment where diversity and inclusion initiatives are being pushed constantly."
"From his perspective as a commander, Lohmeier said he didn't seek to criticize any particular senior leader or publicly identify troops within the book," Military.com reported. "Rather, he said, he focused on the policies service members now have to adhere to to align with certain agendas 'that are now affecting our culture.'"
Lohmeier talked about Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, "I don't demonize the man, but I want to make it clear to both him and every service member this [diversity and inclusion] agenda, it will divide us, it will not unify us."
In February, Austin ordered a 60-day military-wide stand-down to address extremism within the ranks. Lohmeier said he was given a booklet that cited the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol as an example of extremism, but didn't mention any of the riots that erupted across American cities last year in response to the death of George Floyd, which caused between $1 billion to $2 billion in paid insurance claims.
Earlier this month, Lohmeier self-published a book titled "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military," which he says is not political. Lohmeier's book discusses "the impact of a neo-Marxist agenda at the ground level within our armed forces," woke ideology, anti-racism, critical race theory, cancel culture, systemic racism, white supremacy, the military's sudden focus on extremism with its ranks, and diversity training in the military.
A description of "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military":
The book's three-part framework begins with a discussion of the greatness of the American ideal (including the importance of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the notions of individual and civil liberties), transitions to an examination of the history and overarching narrative of Marxist ideology (specifically Marx's and Engels' Communist Manifesto wherein the oppressor vs. oppressed narrative is developed), and concludes by looking into the ongoing transformation of America's military culture and military policy, while also providing a warning about where the country is headed if we choose to not make an immediate course correction.
The Air Force Academy graduate told Military.com that he consulted with his chain of command, public affairs, and legal counsel about his plans to publish a book and its contents.
"I was apprised of the option to have my book reviewed at the Pentagon's prepublication and security review prior to release, but was also informed that it was not required," Lohmeier said.
"My intent never has been to engage in partisan politics. I have written a book about a particular political ideology (Marxism) in the hope that our Defense Department might return to being politically non-partisan in the future as it has honorably done throughout history," he told the outlet.
Last Thanksgiving, former President Donald Trump saluted the members of Space Force, and spoke directly to Lohmeier. "All of you are pioneers in the newest branch of our armed forces," Trump told Lohmeier.
Thank you to @realDonaldTrump for spending some of his Thanksgiving with my 11th Space Warning Squadron Knights. W… https://t.co/LZyoBKYu2g
— Matthew Lohmeier (@matthewlohmeier) 1606460366.0
On Friday, President Donald Trump agreed to create a new task force aimed at keeping neo-Marxist ideology out of the U.S. military if he is elected this November. The moment came during an on-stage exchange with Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier at the former president’s town hall in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The Space Force veteran was […]
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