{"id":34339,"date":"2017-10-04T13:37:30","date_gmt":"2017-10-04T13:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/10\/04\/senator-wants-communist-west-point-grad-booted-from-the-army\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:01:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:01:59","slug":"senator-wants-communist-west-point-grad-booted-from-the-army","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2017\/10\/04\/senator-wants-communist-west-point-grad-booted-from-the-army\/","title":{"rendered":"Senator wants communist West Point grad booted from the Army"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is demanding West Point officials revoke the commission of an officer who posted photos of himself with pro-communist messages hidden under his graduation uniform, calling it an \u201cextreme embarrassment\u201d for the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a letter to acting Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy Tuesday, the Republican senator also questioned whether service officials ignored signs of misconduct and potential insubordination during the cadet\u2019s time at the U.S. Military Academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is extremely concerning that someone who so often expressed such hostile views towards the United States\u2019 system of government was able to obtain a commission,\u201d he wrote. \u201c(His) revolutionary ideas were harbored long before he was commissioned as an Army second lieutenant. Were West Point administrators or faculty aware of his views and behavior?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photos of 2nd Lt. Spenser Rapone from the academy\u2019s graduation in May 2016 surfaced in recent weeks, showing him posing with a Che Guevara t-shirt under his uniform and \u201ccommunism will win\u201d written under his cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, West Point officials issued a statement noting that Rapone\u2018s actions \u201cin no way reflect the values of the U.S. Military Academy or the U.S. Army.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is currently assigned to the 10th Mountain Division. In a statement to Army Times, officials there said the division supports freedom of speech for soldiers but \u201cwhen our soldiers are in uniform, politics must be set aside. Our uniform represents every corner of our nation and it cannot be used to promote any single ideology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t