With 100 active duty service members being involved in verified cases of extremism in the past year, the Pentagon has introduced new rules explicitly prohibiting members from participating in such activities, the Associated Press reports.
The move also follows the arrests of dozens of active duty service members, reservists and veterans following the January 6th domestic terrorist attack on Congress, when people with connections to the formed military-style “sticks” in efforts to breach the Capitol building.
While the new rules do not differ in substance from the previous guidelines, they are far more explicit in banning specific activities such as liking the social media posts from extremist groups. It’s the first time the Pentagon’s codes of conduct include provisions for social media.