Retired Army Officer Remembers Lt. Col. Vindman as Partisan Democrat Who Ridiculed America

[GURPS]

Aretired Army officer who worked with Democrat “star witness” Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in Grafenwoher, Germany, claims Vindman “really talked up” President Barack Obama and ridiculed America and Americans in front of Russian military officers.

In an eye-opening thread on Twitter last week, retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Jim Hickman said that he “verbally reprimanded” Vindman after he heard some of his derisive remarks for himself. “Do not let the uniform fool you,” Hickman wrote. “He is a political activist in uniform.”

Hickman’s former boss at the Joint Multinational Simulation Center in Grafenwoehr has since gone on the record to corroborate his story.

Hickman, 52, says he’s a disabled wounded warrior who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who received numerous medals, including the Purple Heart.

The retired officer said that Vindman, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Ukraine, made fun of the United States to the point that it made other soldiers “uncomfortable.” For example, Hickman told American Greatness that he heard Vindman call Americans “rednecks”—a word that needed to be translated for the Russians. He said they all had a big laugh at America’s expense.

https://amgreatness.com/2019/11/04/...n-as-partisan-democrat-who-ridiculed-america/

 

[Hijinx]

Benedict Arnold was in the military too.( I read that somewhere.)
Some actions taken in the military while exemplary and worthy of merit do not give license for the remainder of ones life.
They lead to expectations of greatness for life, but unfortunately it is not always true.
I wish it were.

 

[Yooper]

Interesting reading the ad hominem being heaped on Hickman.

Here's the Hickman Twitter thread and comments I posted a few days back:

You reap what you sow

Your assumption was that the WB ‘could only be one of vindman’s higherups’. The could haves I describe prove your assumption is faulty. Yup... just like your assumption (could have) that the WB got his info from anyone in intel. Neither one of us really know, do we? So we're both making...

forums.somd.com

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[Kyle]

An Obama cheerleader ridiculing his own country?

I'm gonna have to come back to this thread later... I just can't seem to find my "shocked" face.

 

[Hijinx]

I am surprised he only made it to Lt. Colonel.
Surprised Obama didn't make him a 2 star/.

 

[WingsOfGold]

Why didn't his aholeism reflect in his fitness reports?

 

[Yooper]

Why didn't his aholeism reflect in his fitness reports?

Here's my take (since I worked in the same field as he does).

His being a fluent Russian/Ukrainian speaker was his ticket. Since native speakers in uniform are hard to come by perhaps his faults were overlooked to some extent?

His schooling (got his MA at Harvard) and his assignments seem to suggest a very connected operator. (Unfortunately, we have way too many of them on both sides of the political divide; in his case, pro-Dem.) I suspect he sought out similar-thinking "mentors" and rode along. That he was a "movie star" from the beginning* may explain his decision to testify.

In the end, though, I think it was his language capability and cultural familiarity that helped him along.

* According this howler of a bio:

Who is Alexander Vindman, the White House expert who testified about Trump’s Ukraine call?

Alexander Vindman's testimony marked the first time lawmakers heard from someone who listened to Donald Trump's call with the Ukrainian president.

www.usatoday.com

I say "howler" because the fluff piece is the occasional fact filled with so much propaganda. The comments about his star appearances in a photo collection and in a Ken Burns film are hilarious. The use of "expert" in the article's title equally so. And the final one..., "director of European Affairs at the National Security Council"! (He may be A director, but as a LIEUTENANT Colonel he is not THE director. Laughable.)

But most wouldn't know that and thus easily persuaded that this dude is on par with George Washington. When, in fact, he was a worker bee in the NSC who has very pronounced political leanings and had his feelings hurt.

Army needs to do a 15-6 on this dude once the dust settles.

AR 15-6 Investigations

Commanders have the inherent authority to investigate any matter under their responsibility, unless otherwise limited or prohibited, for the purpose of furthering good order and discipline. Suspens...

learn.myjag.com

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