Non-Vets Should Have No Place in Elected, Appointed Offices

By
Rev. Jim Purcell, MPS, CPSP1

No American citizen who has failed to complete a tour (of three years or greater) in one of the armed forces of the United States of America should be permitted to participate in the American political process, aside from holding voting rights. There must, of course, be exceptions established for those who are disabled, but otherwise there should not be any.

Political and Governmental Office is a serious thing, too long left to unqualified hands, who were and are of the mistaken belief that education, business acumen, family connections or money alone should allow them a place at the table of power in the United States and/or any of the governments organized within the United States. In truth, no one who has failed to serve and defend their nation in its uniform is deserving, nor should be permitted, to stand for any elected office or appointment, and where it includes legal and medical posts -- they too should be exclusively filled with candidates otherwise qualified for such positions, but who have also served their nation in its uniformed services for a minimum of one tour.

Without the element of brotherhood and/or sisterhood with Americans, which is derived from military service, it has been learned in the present and past that office-holders, politicians and politicos hold their first loyalty to political parties, corrupt patrons or oft-demented personal desires. However, where it involves the vast number of veterans of the nation, their first loyalty shall always be to God, their family and this nation.

The non-veteran, regardless of governmental post held, does not understand what patriotism or citizenship in this nation truly includes and does not include.

Patriotism is surrendering one's own will to that of the Republic and the officers appointed over them by their nation. Enlistment in the U.S. military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard) is a leap of faith -- a physical demonstration of the inner loyalty one has to the land of their birth or naturalization. And, these people -- our service members and veterans -- are patriots; only veterans or service members, by definition, can be patriots. Someone who has not so subordinated their will to this nation (a non-veteran) is not, nor shall ever be a patriot of this Republic.

Further, for any veteran, enlisted or officer, to be qualified for elected or appointed office, they must have honorably completed a tour in the U.S. military to become eligible to hold such office in the United States, its territories or possessions. Through completing a period of honorable service in the U.S. military, discipline, faith and dedication is amply demonstrated by veterans, which is requisite for being a successful office holder.

Barring satisfaction of these standards of service no citizens, naturally born or naturalized, should be permitted to run for or place their name in nomination for elected office in the United States, its territories and possessions. In addition, to wrongfully assert one's military status as rendered or  "honorably served" under this system, incarceration in a Federal prison for not less than one year and not more than two years should be established within the Federal Courts System.

This measure needs to be emplaced for the following reasons:

I. Office holders, confused over their proper loyalties, have placed party ahead of the interests of the Republic and its citizenry. And, this is disloyal and treasonous;

II. Governmental gridlock has adversely impacted the nation and states within this nation, requiring more responsible leadership than can be otherwise offered by non-veterans;

III. Political parties, of both persuasions, have each actively sought to unfairly target and/or harass specific, identifiable groups within the American Republic -- and so have betrayed the Constitution of the United States of America: Clearly, the vast majority of office-holders, holding allegiances to these parties, are unfit to hold office; and

IV. Disloyal acts, in official and unofficial capacities, by American politicians, office holders, staff appointees, boosters and contributors have warranted a formal return of the once informal precedent that elected office holders should have successfully served previously in the military. With frequency, American office-holders are routinely committing acts that could be labeled as treasonous if brought to the full-light of public attention, as it should be. Patently, non-veterans are not trustworthy, by definition, despite notable exceptions.

There are devious, unpatriotic and un-American groups operating in and around the institutions of power in this country, who will not like this standard to be established. As a result, such groups and politicians would be seeking to make war against the Constitution of the United States and its intent. Accordingly, a law-enforcement and/or military formula should be made to nullify this threat to the common good.

Make no mistake -- I am proposing an emergency measure following the collapse of our governmental processes since the late 20th century. The very nature of this collapse threatens every American community and the very fabric and stability of the American Republic. This is especially so where it involves the securement of our borders, economic interests, foreign policy, economic prosperity and national security. All of these have been left in the hands of non-patriots from political parties. These groups have attempted to make arguments to avoid the blaring fact that none of them, who has not served in the military, should be holding office right now.

Further, no non-veteran should be permitted to hold office within political parties, due to the proximity of these offices to seats of power.

Why all of this? Well, the armed forces are enormous teams, which exist only to serve this nation and its people. Servicemen and women the world over dedicate their lives to serving our nation responsibly night and day, without fail. They do not make speeches about honor -- they live honor.

There is a fundamental tenant of leadership that one cannot lead without first having followed. Further, in spite of many good office holders in the current and past who have been non-veterans, the non-veteran performing admirably in elected office without using advanced marketing to disguise their unpatriotic flaws, is rare. Non-veterans, far and away are not patriotic and do not even know what that phrase means. As a result, they are unclear about what their duties to the Republic actually are.

To prove my point, many Americans mistakenly believe espousing a certain political set of beliefs (and often bitching about it loudly) amounts to patriotism: it is not.

Former soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are truly citizens of this nation who have proven their fidelity, patriotism and dedication in hostile environments and climates all over the world, at sea, in the air and on battlefields when summoned to them. It is the veterans of this nation who -- now and forever -- need to teach Americans what loyalty to this country is -- by serving in its halls of power at every level, as responsible guardians of our nation's stores, lands, money, resources, shores, skies and waterways.

The 'cure' to America's political issues is not allowing one political 'side' or the other to win, or even to keep on arguing; it is solved by removing these false 'patriots' from their seats and positions of power to allow for more competent, resolved leadership that will protect the Republic rather than damage it any further.

Without this kind of creativity, I cannot believe that our nation has even another century as the greatest power on earth: Does anyone believe that our way of doing government and politics will 'work' without true Americans -- veterans -- at the helm of our nation? I, for one, do not.

In Rome, the Republic was strong when its veterans ran the nation and its commerce. It was when Rome became weak by employing mercenaries and fat from its own greed that their empire fell to pieces, as ours is currently. I believe, this course of action, is the only one that will reverse our collective governmental trajectory.

(The Rev. James J. Purcell is a graduate of the New York Theological Seminary and Capital Healthcare, respectively. He is a former Sergeant who served as an Intelligence and Infantryman in the U.S. Army and its components between 1983-1998. He is also a former long-time member of the Greater Long Branch NAACP and is also a life-member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association.)