Posted on Jul 12, 2016
Can a retired Senior MSGT be be denied the First Amendment and forcibly removed from giving a retirement speech for another MSGT ?
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Oscar Rodriguez Removed from Air Force Retirement Ceremony
Visit StandWithOscar.com for more information. Oscar Rodriguez, Jr. is a decorated Air Force veteran who has delivered a patriotic flag-folding speech over 1...
This is the second link that I mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wo9mQoPVsM
"How? ... Did we ever let it get this far...
At Travis Air Force Base in California,
A Retiring Master Sergeant Chuck Roberson, had asked Senior Master Sergeant Oscar Rodriguez if he would Honor him and his family by reciting the “American Flag Folding Ceremony” at his retirement celebration. This was something Oscar had done over a hundred times throughout his decorated thirty three year career in the United States Air Force and agreed to do so.
When Master Sergeant Chuck Roberson’s Commanding Officer heard about this he took steps to band Oscar Rodriguez, a retired fellow airman now, from entering the base. Having no right to do so the Commanding Officer thus, had US Air Force NCOs physically throw Senior Master Sergeant Oscar Rodriguez out the doors of Roberson’s retirement celebration, in the belief that an assault on Oscar’s person would be far more professional and less offensive than to allow him to mention the word “God” in the flag folding ceremony, which he had been invited to do so.
This “scandal” is made all the more onerous because a retirement ceremony isn’t even a required Air Force function (see AFI 36-3203). It is performed at the pleasure of the retiring Airman, to honor him and his family.
“This Speech means so much to so many, and I (Master Sergeant Oscar Rodriguez) hope you will help in letting all the nation listen to its words, it may not be for everybody, this I understand, but every time I say these words I think about those who have touched the hand of God, and those sacrifices of so many who keep the dreams of all Americans alive so they can pursue their happiness”.
There is no greater Love than for a man to lay down his life for another. This is what Oscar Rodriguez means when he says, “To touch the hand of God”. Please take 10 minutes to search your heart and view the links above.
I know of a Grandmother who is making a plea with all American Women throughout our nation to put aside their bias and their prejudice against Trump and think of their children and grandchildren. Donald did not create this problem. Although, Hillary is the problem! This Grandmother asks that you PLEASE vote!
Semper fi,
Tommy"
"How? ... Did we ever let it get this far...
At Travis Air Force Base in California,
A Retiring Master Sergeant Chuck Roberson, had asked Senior Master Sergeant Oscar Rodriguez if he would Honor him and his family by reciting the “American Flag Folding Ceremony” at his retirement celebration. This was something Oscar had done over a hundred times throughout his decorated thirty three year career in the United States Air Force and agreed to do so.
When Master Sergeant Chuck Roberson’s Commanding Officer heard about this he took steps to band Oscar Rodriguez, a retired fellow airman now, from entering the base. Having no right to do so the Commanding Officer thus, had US Air Force NCOs physically throw Senior Master Sergeant Oscar Rodriguez out the doors of Roberson’s retirement celebration, in the belief that an assault on Oscar’s person would be far more professional and less offensive than to allow him to mention the word “God” in the flag folding ceremony, which he had been invited to do so.
This “scandal” is made all the more onerous because a retirement ceremony isn’t even a required Air Force function (see AFI 36-3203). It is performed at the pleasure of the retiring Airman, to honor him and his family.
“This Speech means so much to so many, and I (Master Sergeant Oscar Rodriguez) hope you will help in letting all the nation listen to its words, it may not be for everybody, this I understand, but every time I say these words I think about those who have touched the hand of God, and those sacrifices of so many who keep the dreams of all Americans alive so they can pursue their happiness”.
There is no greater Love than for a man to lay down his life for another. This is what Oscar Rodriguez means when he says, “To touch the hand of God”. Please take 10 minutes to search your heart and view the links above.
I know of a Grandmother who is making a plea with all American Women throughout our nation to put aside their bias and their prejudice against Trump and think of their children and grandchildren. Donald did not create this problem. Although, Hillary is the problem! This Grandmother asks that you PLEASE vote!
Semper fi,
Tommy"
God
Patriotism
Military service
Freedom of Speech
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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I think this one has been discussed already. I will look for it and try to link it back.
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SSgt (Join to see)
LTC (Join to see) It is not a bad thing to repeat for those who have not seen it before..
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Assault is assault! As the article articulates these services members were completely wrong and should be ashamed of themselves. They all also should face UCMJ for assault and other violations forced upon their brother in arms. I want to know where the Senior NCO was in all of this. This is a crying shame. Think of the poor Family and the retiring Service member.
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CPT (Join to see), please consider editing your post, the title doesn't suggest the actual question. Can a CO control his base? Yep. But that's not the question you're really raising.
That said, there's probably more to this story than is immediately apparent.
That said, there's probably more to this story than is immediately apparent.
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CPT (Join to see)
This story is more about an American citizen's first amendment right than anything else. I recognized that there is potential for this post to resemble a Trump endorsement. It is not meant as an endorsement. The man (Trump) speaks in hyperbole and is somewhat offensive to people, I get it. There are two links that I posted earlier, and that I edited out a narrative of this particular post a long caption earlier this morning. But the more that I think about it, the narrative belongs in the post even though the narrative references Donald Trump. The narrative underneath the youtube link above is not my words, as evidenced by the quotation mark, but I think that it belongs.
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Capt Richard I P.
CPT (Join to see) I'm talking about the title of your question in specific. "Can a retired Senior MSGT be be denied the First Amendment and forcibly removed from giving a retirement speech for another MSGT ?" (Yes, he can, he was, and under military policy the CO is capable of giving orders about who can and cant say things on his base, maybe you meant "Should it happen or is it right or just or good leadership?") I see from your answer this post relates to another post and other links and has some content edited from it, perhaps linking to both of those could improve its clarity?
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CPT (Join to see)
Capt Richard I P. - Yeah, you're probably right, but I am unaware on how to link two related posts together.
You answered the question in this most recent post. Yes, this is about the first amendment and to some extent the content of the speech, but an additional question is: why was the Senior MSGT allowed to give his speech in one retirement ceremony and not in the other? If one CO allows it and the other does not then that answered the question.
I am just glad people responded! Take care
You answered the question in this most recent post. Yes, this is about the first amendment and to some extent the content of the speech, but an additional question is: why was the Senior MSGT allowed to give his speech in one retirement ceremony and not in the other? If one CO allows it and the other does not then that answered the question.
I am just glad people responded! Take care
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MSgt John McGowan
Capts. The SMgt had permissiom to be there. The squadron CO was not authorized to block the SMgt from being at the retirement. There is past history between the SMgt and the CO. To me it should have never happened. The retiring MSGT had his retirement screwed up and the CO and his goons looked like fools. The SMgt was assaulted and i believe he has other actions planned. The best article was on jqpblog.com. It explains a lot better than I did and gives more information.
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