By R.D. Fry
As some of you are aware Col. Kevin Benson, a “seminar leader” for Fort Leavenworth’s University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies (Note 1) at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, published in July in an operation lay out (Note 2) he deemed consistent with the Army’s current Operating Concept. (Note 3.) This article vilifies and marginalizes the “tea party” and the “tea party’s agenda.” Worse he targets the “tea party” and its “affiliates” for domestic military operations i.e., to go to war against them.
Some consider the “tea party” to be a national “political party” (it is not) but most understand it to be a political movement which Col Benson acknowledges it as a “movement” which is of course by its very nature a political movement.
As far as I can tell this is the first time the military has targeted a national (or any other) domestic political movement to vilify let alone for future military engagement. I do not think that Cary Nation and her Prohibitionists were so targeted. Neither were Susan B. Antony and her women’s suffrage movement targeted or even vilified by the military. What about Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement of the 1960s? Well the FBI certainly kept an eye on him and the leadership and developed “files” on them but they, as far as I know, were not targeted by the military. (Note 4.)
The military has no business supporting or attacking political groups or movements whether such groups or movements are good bad or neutral especially U.S. groups and movements. Under the authorization for Use of Force of 09/18/2001, Congress authorized the President (Commander in Chief) to go after those responsible for the 9/11/01 attacks. In WW II Congress authorized (by the necessary Declaration of War) the President to go after the Germans, Japanese and their allies. In WW I Congress authorized (by the necessary Declaration of War) the President to go after the Germans. But, Col. Benson we are not at War with the “tea party.”
The Army’s leadership from Col. Benson’s direct chain of command at Fort Leavenworth (note4) all the way up to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) (note 5) has implicitly approved or ratified Col. Benson’s treasonous article. It is going on three month since this seditious and traitorous article was published and we have not heard a peep from the military leadership. They are now accomplices after the fact to his conduct which well might constitute misprision of treason.
Our federal and state legislators are derelict in their duty for not having denounced this article and calling for an investigation and an apology by the military and a dismissal of Col. Benson. Let us not forget each and every state and federal legislative, judicial and executive officer are mandated by the U.S. constitution to take an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution. This is an affirmative and active duty i.e., it is required not their choice as to whether or not they will undertake. Also one of our legislative branch’s primary responsibilities is to provide oversight of the executive and judicial branches. They have failed miserably in this regard.
It appears when the military leaderships’’ (elites?) attention is called to its failings that is not tolerated. As I noted in a previous posting military officers, one an advisor to the JCS on jihad and sharia law and the other an instructor at the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC) were dismissed simply because their truthful but frank analysis offended some in the Muslim community. (Note 6.) That was a very big no-no in the Bush (43) administration and even more so in the Obama administration. However, when the military leadership’s lackeys smear, demonizing, libeling and play politics with U.S. citizens due to their political beliefs such as honoring the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution that is OK.
Benson’s political propaganda is just part of an ongoing effort by some in the federal government (apparently centered in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)) to effect a political war against conservatives. It has been going on since at least 2009. (Note 7.)It is also part of setting up a physical war or campaign of coercion against U.S. citizens started or accelerated by the PATRIOTS Act, followed by the Military Commissions Act, the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act the National Defense Authorization Act FY2012 and with the pending Expatriations Act (where the government will strip citizens of their citizenship to deny them of their Constitutional protections) just to name a few.
Yes there are a lot of bad boys and girls involved in undermining our Republic and in allowing our military to be corrupted. But, ultimately it is our fault for not protesting and talking very loudly and often about it. You need to write our federal Senators Moran and Roberts and tell them to get off their butts and do their job and demand an explanation of not only the Benson article by but the deafening silence that has endured since its release. Likewise with Congresspersons: Yoder, Pompeo, Jenkins and Huelskamp.
I do note that unlike our other federal legislators Tim Huelskamp did not support the 2012 NDAA and has consistently supported amending out its citizen detention provisions. Yeah for him!!!!! But, his duty does not stop there and this is unfortunately another issue which he is duty bound to take up on our behalf in support of the Constitution. He deserves our support and frankly it is our duty to give him our support. An honorable and moral person does not simply leave the point person out front without back up.
Write the Commander of Fort Leavenworth and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and demand an explanation. After all they all work for you; you are the boss, even if they no longer wish to recognize it. You must become the 800 pound gorilla in the room or you will soon be the chimp in the cage.
Please send a copy of your letters and e-mails to me via the www.intolerableacts.org site and post them here.
1. The University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies (UFMCS) at Fort Leavenworth is an Army-directed education, research, and training initiative for Army organizations, joint organizations, and other government agencies.
Red Teaming is a structured, iterative process, executed by highly trained, educated, and practiced team members that provide commanders an independent capability to fully explore alternatives to plans, operations, concepts, organizations, and capabilities in the context of the operational environment and from our partners’ and adversaries’ perspectives.
UFMCS educates Red Team Leaders, Members, and Practitioners; researches best practices for Red Teaming tactics, techniques, and procedures; and develops a reach-back capability to provide commanders and staffs alternative perspectives. Graduates of Leader and Member courses receive an additional skill identifier (ASI).
UFMCS offers four courses of instruction: An 18-week Leaders Course, a 9-week Stop-Gap Leaders Course, a 6-week Members Course, and a 2-week Practitioners Course (no ASI). https://usacac.army.mil/cac2/UFMCS/
What is “Red Teaming”
The concept of “Red Teaming” is far from new. Used effectively by the military services to think through campaigns, red teaming acts as a devil’s advocate to review strategic processes, reveal tactical weaknesses, assess capability preparedness and effectiveness of their military readiness.
If conducted effectively, red teaming can yield a more closely synchronized planning staff; drives a more complete analysis at all phases, and ultimately delivers a better plan of operations into the hands of the tactical commander. An effective Red Team can pinpoint key opposition (Blue Team) decision points, identify planning shortfalls, show deviations from doctrine, reveal overlooked opportunities, and extrapolate unanticipated strategic implications.
The use of red teaming practices and effective capability analysis to assess success on the battlefield is no longer just confined to military campaigns. In today’s corporate battlefield decision makers are realizing the need to reassess their approach to winning and maintaining their businesses. An innovative, proactive strategy to business management is required where vulnerabilities of systems, practices, processes and structures need to be quickly addressed, and dealt with.
https://www.redteamconsulting.com.au/red-teaming
RDF Note: Col Benson’s article had nothing to do with red teaming. Red teaming is not about attacking a political movement and putting out propaganda it’s about development and fortifying strategy and tactics.
2. Kevin Benson and Jennifer Weber, Full Spectrum Operations in the Homeland: A “Vision” of the Future, Small War Journal, (July 25, 2012 – 4:53am) https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/full-spectrum-operations-in-the-homeland-a-%E2%80%9Cvision%E2%80%9D-of-the-future
Kevin Benson, Ph.D., Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired, is currently a seminar leader at the University of Foreign Military and Cultural Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He holds a B.S. from the United States Military Academy, an M.S. from The Catholic University of America, an MMAS from the School of Advanced Military Studies and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. During his career, COL Benson served with the 5th Infantry Division, the 1st Armored Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, XVIII Airborne Corps and Third U.S. Army. He also served as the Director, School of Advanced Military Studies. These are his own opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army or Department of Defense.
3. US Army Training and Doctrine Command, The Army Operating Concept 2016 – 2028, TRADOC Pamphlet 525-3-1,(08/19/2010)
4. A lot of people feel that the level and degree of surveillance put on MLK and the civil rights movement by the FBI was not only unwarranted but in some cases illegal(un-constitutional.) I am certain the action by some state and local law enforcement was as well.
5. Commanding General Lt. Gen. David G. Perkins, General Martin E. Dempsey Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.
6. R D Fry, OPINION: Military Oath of Service has been Changed, Salina Post (10/10/12) https://archive.salinapost.com/2012/10/10/opinion-military-oath-of-service-has-been-changed/
In reference to Lt. Col. Matthew Dooley who tough at the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC) and Maj. Stephen Coughlin.
7. The Modern Militia Movement, Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) (02/20/2009)
https://www.wikileaks.org/wiki/Missouri_Information_Analysis_Center:_The_Modern_Militia_Movement,_20_Feb_2009 ; Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment, Depart of Homeland Security – Office Intelligence and Analysis (04/07/2009); Operation Closed Campus 2011 Full Scale Exercise Pottawattamie County, Iowa School Shooting, Homeland Security Exercise & Evaluation Program (HSEEP) (03/26/2011).
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