Pentagon to lift ban on Democrats serving in the military
THE PENTAGON — The Defense Department has announced plans to repeal a long-standing policy that barred Democrats from serving in the military, sources confirmed today.
"Democrats, liberals, and swing voters will now be able to serve openly in the armed forces," Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in a statement. "As long as they meet readiness standards."
"I can't believe this day is actually here," said Spc. Wade Serkis, a Democrat from California who enlisted in 2016. "It feels like I'm no longer living a lie."
Not everyone was pleased with the announcement. Several Pentagon officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, condemned the decision.
"The military shouldn't be used as a social experiment to see if communists and conservatives can work together," one official said. "This is bad for unit cohesion, bad for morale, and it's just plain wrong."
Originally instituted in 1951 to target communists and socialists, the military political-orientation ban found new life under President Rich…
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