OPINION:
The 38th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, David H. Berger, has called for all Confederate-related paraphernalia to be removed from all Marine installations. This is just one of the new reforms that Berger is prioritizing for immediate execution. Berger covered the other initiatives that will likely have a big impact on the Marines in an eight-part tweet, some of which are listed below.
Berger has instructed the Marine Corps to revise parental leave to include leave for adoptive parents including same-sex couples.
Revise the current parental leave policy to include parental leave for adoptive parents, to include same-sex couples. (4/8)
— David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) February 21, 2020
Two of his tweets express opening up positions within the Marine Corps to women which were previously restricted by gender and actively pursuing them to fill positions within SMCR and IRR.
Determine feasibility of identifying and recruiting for return-to-active-duty selected female Marines currently in the SMCR and IRR, with a focus on previously gender-restricted units and job specialties. (6/8)
— David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) February 21, 2020
Berger also wants more female officers in the Marines and in careers that were previously gender restricted by MOS (Military Operation Specialties).
Seek qualified active duty female company-grade volunteers for the opportunity to attend Infantry Officers Course and assignment to infantry battalions upon completion. To also include additional lateral moves for female Marines seeking careers in previously restricted MOS. (7/8)
— David H. Berger (@CMC_MarineCorps) February 21, 2020
It seems as though Berger is trying to appease someone, perhaps for future political gain, or to gain favor from someone pushing a narrative as he appears to follow in the footsteps of ‘RINO’ Nikki Haley, who rebuked Confederate history a few years ago, claiming that the meaning behind confederate symbols has been hijacked, and inferring we must now capitulate to demands the left and remove the history wherever possible. Haley made this assertion without clarifying the difference between all who honor and respect history, including Confederate history, and those who seek to do evil divisive acts. Haley’s stance gives the actions of Dylan Roof the ability to visually erase American history. See Haley’s comments on the Confederate flag in the tweeted video below:
Nikki Haley says the Confederate flag was about “service, and sacrifice, and heritage” until Dylan Roof “hijacked” it pic.twitter.com/pqdhKIezRl
— Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) December 6, 2019
While many politicians and other high government officials want to take the direction of our culture away from our Confederate history, President Trump has not shied away from it. A tweet video from NBC News, which can be seen below, highlights President Donald Trump at a rally from 2018 in Ohio, where he refers to General Robert E. Lee as “incredible” and a “great general”.
WATCH: President Trump says “Robert E. Lee was a great general” during Ohio rally, calling the Confederate leader “incredible.” pic.twitter.com/HhsLI1Mk05
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 13, 2018
The U.S. Army has made it clear it has no plans to follow the steps laid out by the Marine Corps Commandant Berger, in an article by the Army Times. According to the Army’s public affairs office “The Army has a tradition of naming installations and streets after historical figures of military significance, including former Union and Confederate general officers. It is important to note that the naming of installations and streets was done in a spirit of reconciliation, not to demonstrate support for any particular cause or ideology.”
Currently, the Army has ten installations that are named in honor of Confederate military commanders which include; Fort Rucker, Alabama, Fort Polk, Louisiana, Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, Fort Pickett, Virginia, Fort Lee, Virginia, Fort Hood, Texas, Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia, Fort Gordon, Georgia, Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
It’s important that regardless of what side people fall on this divisive topic, we don’t let major changes to our nation’s culture and history transpire without rigorous debate from all perspectives. The stance from the U.S. Army shows a strong indication that many are not willing to cede their history, good or bad, in the name of political correctness.
