NOPE! There is ZERO need for politicians to use their past-army credentials to "REMIND" soldiers to not follow "unlawful" orders. It was uttered by people suffering from severe and end-stage Trump Derangement Syndrome... and meant to be deliberately INFLAMMATORY! They were reminders that have NEVER been needed or done before by politicians. There is no need for these fools to do it... as this concept is ruthlessly grilled into US soldiers' heads continuously and ongoing:
-: Every soldier hears this for the first time within their first 60–90 days in the Army
- Then at least annually (often more frequently) for the rest of their career. The message is deliberate, explicit, and never optional.
- Annual Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) / Rules of Engagement (ROE) training is mandatory for all active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard soldiers
- Before every combat deployment, units receive detailed mission-specific LOAC and ROE training that again emphasizes the duty to refuse manifestly unlawful orders.
- Professional Military Education (PME) at every level (Basic Leader Course, Captains Career Course, NCO academies, War College, etc.) includes blocks on military ethics and unlawful orders.
- After any high-profile incident (e.g., My Lai historically, or more recent cases such as Abu Ghraib), the Army typically pushes refresher training across the force.
Key Doctrinal References Soldiers Are Taught:
- Department of Defense Law of War Manual (2015, updated 2023)
- Army Field Manual FM 6-27 / MCTP 11-10C – The Commander’s Handbook on the Law of Land Warfare
- The “Nuremberg Principle”: Following orders is not a defense if the order was clearly illegal and a person of ordinary sense and understanding would know it was illegal.
I hope this helps with those people who are suffering from full-blown and incurable Trump Derangement Syndrome!
