In the wake of the Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin, the U.S. military is again coming under scrutiny for allowing white supremacists to join the Army and gain weapons training later used against minorities.

The August 5 attack that killed six people and wounded three others in Milwaukee was committed by a former soldier, Wade Page, who was well known in the white supremacist music scene.

Others like Page who ascribe to neo-Nazi and skinhead philosophies have served or are still serving in the Army. Many of these violent racists claim to be preparing for a racial holy war they call “rahowa” or to overthrow the government, labeled ZOG (Zionist Occupation Government).

Reuters says no official numbers exist that reveal how many white supremacists have served in the military. The Department of Justice estimated in 2008 that half of all right-wing extremists had military experience.

At least three times since the 1980s the Department of Defense has launched initiatives to eliminate racist extremists from the armed services.

Former neo-Nazi Marine T.J. Leyden told Reuters, “I went into the Marine Corps for one specific reason: I would learn how shoot. I also learned how to use C-4 (explosives), blow things up. I took all my military skills and said I could use these to train other people.” Leyden later renounced white supremacist causes.

Despite such examples, one Army spokesman, Colonel Kevin Arata at Fort Bragg, told Reuters: “We don’t really think this is a huge problem, at Bragg, and across the Army.”

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

U.S. Army Battling Racists Within Its Own Ranks (by Daniel Trotta, Reuters)

Pentagon Restricts White Supremacist Activity by Members of Military…Finally (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)

Neo-Nazis Infiltrate the U.S. Army (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)