Who is Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman?

 

To ask this question is forbidden. As I was told by one of my Ricochet colleagues the other day, “you do not publicly convict a decorated soldier for espionage either. Especially to save your own rear end. Stop telling me how much you love the troops, Donald. You are full of it.”

I’ve seen a lot of that sentiment. No one respects the uniform more than me but I also know that the uniform is not a cloak of holiness. Like the rest of the society it draws from, the US armed forces has its share of people whose actions do not represent the uniform in a good light. The Disciplinary Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth is full of them.

So who is Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman? Let’s ask someone who knows. This was posted on Twitter by Lt. Col. James Hickman, US Army (ret.):

I know LTC Alex Vindman from a Combined US-Russian exercise called Atlas Vision 13 in Grafenwoher, Germany. He worked with the Russian Embassy and I was assigned to the JMTC (Joint Multinational Training Command), within USAREUR (US Army Europe). He worked coordination with the Russian 15th Peacekeeping Brigade, and I was in charge of all Simulations planning, as well as assisting the USAREUR Lead Planner as the Senior Military Planner.

The following account of LTC Vindman’s words and actions are completely accurate to the best of my recollection and have been corroborated by others. We interacted on several different occasions throughout the planning cycle, but it was during the actual execution of the exercise, that we had an issue relevant to his recent testimony. As stated earlier, Atlas Vision 13 was conducted at JMTC in the VBS2 (Virtual Battle Simulations 2) Classrooms for Simulation. Vindman, who was a Major at the time, was sitting in one of the classrooms talking to the US and Russian soldiers, as well as the young officers and GS employees about America, Russia, and (President) Obama. He was apologetic of American culture, laughed about Americans not being educated or worldly, and really talked up Obama and globalism to the point of uncomfortable.

He would speak with the Russian Soldiers and laugh as if at the expense of the US personnel. It was so uncomfortable and unprofessional, one of the GS employees came and told me everything above. I walked over and sat within earshot of Vindman, and sure enough, all was confirmed. One comment truly struck me as odd, and it was with respect to Americans’ falsely thinking they’re exceptional, when he said, ‘He [Obama] is working on that now.’ And he said it with a snide ‘I know a secret’ look on his face. I honestly don’t know what it meant, it just sounded like an odd thing to say. Regardless, after hearing him bash America a few times in front of subordinates, Russians, and GS employees, as well as, hearing an earful about globalization, Obama’s plan, etc…I’d had enough. I tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to step outside.

At that point I verbally reprimanded him for his actions and I’ll leave it at that, so as not to be unprofessional myself. The bottom-line is LTC Vindman was a partisan Democrat at least as far back as 2012. So much so, junior officers and soldiers felt uncomfortable around him. This is not your professional, field-grade officer, who has the character and integrity to do the right thing. Do not let the uniform fool you…he is a political activist in uniform. I pray our nation will drop this hate, vitriol and division, and unite as our founding fathers intended!

Note: The above was written over the course of 11 Tweets and has been edited for readability.

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  1. Doug Kimball Thatcher
    Doug Kimball
    @DougKimball

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    Doug Kimball (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    EJHill (View Comment):

    HeavyWater: When you have an idiot as President…

    I am always amused by this line of argumentation. If the President is an idiot, why is he where he is and you are where you are?

    Did you ever consider that Trump might have benefitted from loans from his wealthy father and later benefitted from inheriting money from his wealthy father?

    Do you think Trump could pass a first semester calculus exam?

    I give you this: He read that column that the Kurds weren’t with us at Normandy and he thought it sounded good. So he repeated it to the public.

    You don’t need to think that Trump is smart in order to prefer him over a Democrat.

    I’d vote for a pair of old sneakers over a Democrat.

     

    I believe that the young DT was admitted to the Wharton School of Business at UPenn. This happens to be the single most selective program in the Ivies, themselves the most selective schools, arguably, in the country. Wharton students must first be accepted into Penn, and then Wharton. It is double secret difficult. The reason? An undergraduate degree from Wharton is the near equivalent of an undergraduate Ivy degree and an MBA, combined, like a BA in Economics from Harvard and an MBA from the Business School. You can go from your last Frat party to your new office at Goldman Sacks without the useless BA, a three year wait and a two year grind in Business school; a five solid year’s head start toward millionairedom.

    Trump did pass a first semester calculus exam. It’s a requirement.

    Let’s say I don’t just want to take your word for it.

    Do you have a link to where I can verify that what you have written is true?

     

    Wharton requirements

    Math course details

    Harvard vs. Wharton – which is better?

     

    • #121
  2. She Member
    She
    @She

    Spin (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):

    As a general statement, let me just say: never trust a Lieutenant Colonel.

    Double trouble in this case: two Lieutenant Colonels. Or should that more properly be two Lieutenants Colonel? The mind boggles.

    Just don’t call ’em lefftenant colonels.

    I’ll start calling them Loo-tenants when you start calling them COL-o-nels.

    Deal?

     

     

    • #122
  3. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    EJHill (View Comment):
    Oh, no. The public is exactly where we should wash our dirty laundry. Hiding it, keeping secrets, allowing it to fester and spread is how we reached this point, not just in America but throughout the entire Western World.

    Just ask ABC news.

    • #123
  4. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Zafar (View Comment):
    Washing it overseas is a step too far. Jmho. 

    Why not, this is how one deals with allies/ partners.

    • #124
  5. Instugator Thatcher
    Instugator
    @Instugator

    Al Sparks (View Comment):
    (if you retire as a major, you either screwed up, or you didn’t work hard enough; or you entered the officer ranks later in your career starting as enlisted).

    Nah, I just wanted to kill bad people and break their stuff. The near 100% promotion rate to Lt Col post dates my own in the zone promotion boards.

    • #125
  6. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    Spin (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Spin (View Comment):

    As a general statement, let me just say: never trust a Lieutenant Colonel.

    Double trouble in this case: two Lieutenant Colonels. Or should that more properly be two Lieutenants Colonel? The mind boggles.

    Just don’t call ’em lefftenant colonels.

    Last folks who served under me called me ma’am, colonel, and their commander. I was damn good at growing leaders and writing packages that won below-the-zone promotions and other awards.

    • #126
  7. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    “Let me state categorically that I am not implying dual loyalty or questioning Vindman’s patriotism or even his devotion to duty as he sees it. I’m questioning his judgment about where that duty lies and the execution of those duties as a military officer and civil servant.”

    https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/12/alex-vindman-is-living-breathing-proof-that-the-deep-state-exists-and-it-is-corrupt/

    • #127
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