If you grow up in a military family, like I did, you don't just learn the rank structure or how to fold a flag. You grow up with an inherent respect for duty, service, and the rules that govern both. One of the biggest rules? Keep your politics to yourself when you're in uniform.
So when the story broke this week about the 821st Space Base Group commander at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland being relieved of duty after a snarky, partisan email targeting U.S. Vice President JD Vance, I wasn’t surprised. I was disgusted.
Colonel Susan Meyers, in a wildly inappropriate and insubordinate move, decided to flex her self-righteousness in a private email chain following Vice President Vance's visit to the base. Her message, which became public, aimed at the Vice President in a tone that can only be described as condescending, partisan, and unbecoming of an officer in the United States Armed Forces.
Let’s set the record straight: Vice President Vance was on an official visit. He represented the elected government of the United States and, in his executive role, engaged in strategic oversight of critical military assets abroad. Colonel Meyers’ job wasn’t to editorialize or belittle him behind his back. Her job was to provide support, transparency, and respect to a duly elected representative of the American people.
In the military, we have a clear chain of command. Civilians run the show, and our armed forces are tasked with carrying out the lawful orders of that civilian leadership. That means whether you personally voted for the sitting administration or not, your job is to serve them—faithfully, apolitically, and without editorial comment.
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Colonel Meyers apparently missed that memo.
She seems to have believed that she could carve out a little fiefdom on the frozen tundra of Greenland and rule it with her own ideological compass. Unfortunately for her, that’s not how the U.S. military works. And lucky for her, she got off with just a reassignment. She could have been staring down a court-martial if she had pulled that stunt under other circumstances or during wartime.
This isn’t just about one rogue officer with a superiority complex. This is about preserving the integrity of the most respected institution in American life: our military. Americans still trust the armed forces, in large part, because they have traditionally kept themselves above the political fray. When that trust is violated by overt partisanship from within, it damages more than just the career of one officer. It threatens the entire institution.
The Trump administration, especially those advising on military readiness and strategic global presence, understands the enormous strategic value of Greenland. With China sniffing around the Arctic and Russia continuing its saber-rattling, Greenland isn’t some remote outpost to be ignored. It is a critical asset in the new geopolitical landscape.
Denmark, admirable though its intentions may be, simply doesn't have the resources or strategic will to develop the island. The United States does. Under the leadership of the current administration, a sober, serious effort is underway to increase our presence there, improve the infrastructure, and work alongside the Greenlandic people to help them prosper.
Colonel Meyers’ email not only betrayed a disdain for Vice President Vance, it implicitly mocked the United States' larger vision for Greenland's future. A vision where the people of Greenland benefit from U.S. investment and cooperation. A vision where the island is not abandoned to neglect but brought into the fold of 21st-century development.
Instead of recognizing that opportunity and supporting her chain of command, she chose to indulge her inner Mean Girls club and shoot off a message dripping with "know-it-all" snark. It was petty. It was insubordinate. And it was a disgrace to the uniform she wears.
That uniform is the greatest on the face of the earth. It represents more than just rank or position. It represents the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of generations who have died to keep us free. It should never be worn lightly, nor should it be politicized by those entrusted with its honor.
Colonel Meyers doesn’t work for Joe Biden. Or Lloyd Austin. Or whomever her political crush may be. She works for the United States of America. Her Commander-in-Chief is the President. Her duty is to the Constitution. And her loyalty, at all times, must be to the mission—not her ideology.
She should be a cautionary tale to every officer, enlisted member, or Pentagon pencil-pusher who thinks they can toe the line of partisanship without consequence. The American people deserve a military that reflects their values and carries out their will—not one that tries to undermine it from within.
Do you want to make political commentary? Great. Take off the uniform, resign your commission, and join the ranks of everyday civilians who have every right to say what they think.
But if you wear that uniform, you don't get to editorialize, tweet, or email your snide political observations. You get to serve.
The military isn't a social club. It's not an influencer platform. It's a calling. A sacred trust. And when that trust is broken, the consequences should be swift and serious.
Colonel Meyers got lucky. She should've been court-martialed.
America deserves better. And thankfully, this time, the system worked to deliver it.
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