The Pentagon Fails to Send Absentee Ballots to Active Military Service Members

I'll be the first in line to lead the advocacy for changes that need to be made when it comes to voting, but this is not one of those cases. The laws and processes that have been set-up for military service members could not be easier when it comes to voting, ESPECIALLY in the last 10 years as more and more of the MOVE Act was implemented (it was part of the 2010 NDAA).

DoD isn't at fault in the design and structure of the process/program - they have an extensive library of "advertisement" videos for service members, a structure program to ensure voting assistance personnel are properly trained and know how to locate resources, command emphasis from the senior DoD leadership to the 'field' that it's a priority, etc.

However, like many things, it very well could be experiencing issues where the rubber meets the road .. and like almost all things where it's been resourced and prioritized 'on high', it sounds like a local leadership issue if it's screwed-up. Did the voting assistance personnel go through the required training*? Are the individuals they have in place completely clueless about all the different resources that DoD has created for them to access*?

Heck, if nothing else all the voting assistance personnel need to remember is 'FVAP.gov'. I can't think of a single military installation I was associated with (both CONUS and OCONUS) in the three previous presidential elections where you weren't hit with "FVAP.gov" at least once on a daily basis (email blast, PSA from leadership, posters, etc.) during an election year.

Also, in this day and age, the criticism also applies to a lesser extent to the "clueless military voter" who uses technology on a daily basis but somehow can't simply read the directions on the Federal Voting Assistance Program* webpage or even do a internet search for "how can I vote when deployed?". Even if the voting assistance program was completely dead on the installation they are on, they would be led through by the nose by going to FVAP.gov.

However, if we're specifically referring to deployed individuals (except Navy since they drag their home along with them .. they should be called hermit crabs instead of squids), then the onus remains squarely on the shoulders of leadership to provide the resources.

You've likely heard the old saying that starts, "You can lead a horse to water..." but I really think that the rest of the saying should be "but while you can't make it drink, you can smack it upside the head for being stupid if it doesn't".
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* DoDI 1000.04, Federal Voting Assistance Program - https://www.fvap.gov/uploads/FVAP/Policies/dodi1000.04.pdf
* FVAP training - https://www.fvap.gov/vao/training
* Military OneSource (Voting While You’re Away From Home: The Absentee Voting Process) - https://www.militaryonesource.mil/deployment/on-deployment/voting-while-you-re-away-from-home-the-absentee-voting-process/
* Service Voting Action Officers - https://www.fvap.gov/vao/svao
* Federal Voting Assistance Program (Military Voters) - https://www.fvap.gov/military-voter

As someone who was a voting assist with my last unit: it's not on the Pentagon to get servicemembers the means to vote; whether it's in-person or absentee. Helped two personnel get registered to vote and always was ready to offer to walk through with whoever wanted to vote via absentee ballot.

Not surprised...we fight for it and can't even exercise the privilege!!!