Major General James Post was addressing the Air Force’s “Weapons and Tactics” conference. During Q&A someone asked about the future of the A-10 Thunderbolt plane, aka The Warthog.

“If anyone accuses me of saying this, I will deny it,” began Post. Much chuckling. Ha ha, just among the 350 of us officers.

He went on: “Anyone who is passing information to Congress about A-10 capabilities is committing treason.”

That threatening charge “froze the room into stone silence,” according to the John Q. Public blog.

Treason?

The officers were alarmed. “In the American lexicon, the word “treason” is something akin to hate speech. To someone serving in the nation’s defense, association with this word is repugnant.” Not to mention that it can get you life in prison.

 

What was going on? What do bumpy pigs have to do with treason?

The A-10 Thunderbolt is an Air Force jet designed in the 1970s. It’s durable, well-armored, maneuverable at low speeds and low altitudes, and easy to repair in the field. (Also? A weapon. It shoots things and beings.)

In the last few years, the Air Force has proposed retiring A-10s to save money and shift spending to other planes. A lot of people think that’s a rotten idea. They say other planes can’t do what the A-10 does well. Different branches of the armed services have been fighting about this. So has Congress. The 2014 National Defense Authorization Act prohibited the Air Force from spending money to retire the A-10. But Chuck Hagel wants the A-10 gone. But the House Armed Services Committee is digging in its heels pending studies. (SorryWatch has no opinion.)

Yes, some Air Force members with experience and informed opinions have been telling representatives what they think. Not the usual definition of treason. (It does sound worse when you call it “passing information.”) If I were making decisions, I would want to hear from them.

So Major General Post’s remark that talking to congresspeople about the A-10 was TREASON – upset his audience. Perhaps some had already “committed treason.” Which would make them TRAITORS.

Post’s remarks were soon leaked. “Pssh,” said the Air Force. “If he said that, it was just hyperbole. Post was merely woofing.” (I paraphrase. But they did say “hyperbole.”) They went on to say “our job as airmen is to continue to execute our mission and duties. Certainly our role as individual military members is not to engage in public debate or advocacy for policy.” But they said they’d investigate.

Larry Youngner, a former Air Force Judge advocate, told Stars and Stripes “it was so outrageous that he couldn’t have been serious.” In fact, members of the armed services have the right to communicate with congressional representatives, whether privately or officially.

The Air Force did investigate. They found that Post did say those things, in those words. They found that his remarks had a “chilling effect,” and that Post had been “attempting to prevent” some officers from talking to their representatives. They reprimanded him and removed him from his position.

“General Post understands the impact of his actions and has expressed his sincere regret to me, a regret he extends to all airmen,” said the (wonderfully named) Gen. Hawk Carlisle.

Post released a statement:

It was sincerely never my intention to discourage anyone’s access to their elected officials. I now understand how my poor choice of words may have led a few attendees to draw this conclusion and I offer my humble apology for causing any undue strain on the command and its mission.

That’s a bad apology. It contradicts General Carlisle’s statement that Post understands the impact of his actions. It minimizes the effect of an accusation of treason. It ignores his “I will deny it” phrase. Post tries to trivialize his remarks as simply poor word choice. Most attendees knew better! Only a few sillies misunderstood.

Also, I’m not sure I believe him.

 

(Note: I would have posted sooner, but I was fighting the temptation to do a version of W.S. Gilbert’s great “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General.” Not as easy as it might look. “When I have viewed the PowerPoint on making good apology…” Naah.)