It is true that democracy in the US was seriously injured by the widespread incidents that took place a few years ago with the occupation of the US Senate by Trump supporters who were contesting the result of the presidential election.
This year is the year of the new presidential election - in November - with Trump likely to be a co-candidate for the presidency again with incumbent President Biden.
"Lighthouse" for US Officers is loyalty to the country's Constitution
The U.S. military is not immune to the country's deep political polarization, and military service academies are trying to inform how they teach future officers to "navigate" this divide, a reputable international media outlet reports, noting among other things:
"The emphasis for the next generation of military officers that their loyalty must be focused on the nation's democratic foundations rather than on any individual is a reflection of the way the armed forces are being forced to confront America's deep political polarization at a time when trust in traditional institutions is eroding.
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Trump's declarations
The role of the military in particular has come under scrutiny as former President Donald Trump races to reclaim the White House and has set an aggressive agenda should he win.
It includes possible use of the military in ways that other presidents have not.
That could mean invoking the Sedition Act to send units to the border or patrolling the streets of largely Democratic cities.
Trump's rhetoric about senior commanders has also raised concerns. While in office, Trump once referred to his administration's military leaders as "my generals."
Earlier this year, he recommended that a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Gen. Mark Millie, be sentenced to death for treason.
President Joe Biden, in his first campaign speech of the year, warned against Trump's rhetoric about the military and its leadership.
Students at West Point and other military academies are aware of the potential for political divisions to seep into the military.
They meet in a series of classes on the Constitution and, in some cases, the history of the civil-military relationship. Each graduate who is commissioned takes multiple oaths at the school and during their service.
Milley stressed the importance of the oaths in his retirement speech last fall, taking aim at Trump.
"We don't take an oath to a king or queen or a tyrant or a dictator. And we don't take an oath to an unfit dictator," he said.
The Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill attack traumatized along with the American people and the U.S. Armed Forces
At the Air Force Academy, the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was a top topic of discussion in Civil and Military Affairs class when junior and senior year cadets began the spring semester the following day.
The serendipitous timing "brought introspection about their oath as future officers," said instructor, Marybeth Ulrich. One result was a cadet-driven initiative, the Oath Project.
"Inciting a possible riot or any issues on Capitol Hill raises immediate concerns for the military and for the public at large as a whole. So we were very aware of the events as they were unfolding," said Lt.
Dozens of former and active duty military members have been charged in the Jan. 6, 2020, attack.
A recent report by the Defense Department's inspector general found that dozens of military members were suspected of extremist activities that included plotting to overthrow the government, though the number represents a small fraction of the more than 2 million members of the U.S. forces.
When the students reviewed the three oaths they had sworn to, Miller said they realized there was not much training on them , "line-by-line analysis. What they mean and what you actually swear to."
Since then, the Oath Project has been instrumental in further changes, including basic training for new students and their textbooks. The group's work is also embedded throughout academic and military training for students.
At West Point, the Constitution and oaths are not only embedded throughout the curriculum, but also permeate the campus.
The Constitution Corner Monument is located near student housing and a place where cadets pass by daily.
"The Constitution remains absolutely central to all the things we teach, whether it's explicitly or tied into the courses," said Brigadier General Shane Reeves, dean of the academic council and a 1996 graduate.
The goal is to train officers to win wars, but current events are intertwined, including Jan. 6, which usually comes up in classroom discussions.
"We want cadets to be mindful and think and understand what their responsibilities are," he said. "They have some very important obligations , such as inspiring confidence in the American people, and trying to remain unbiased."
What is feared in the U.S. ahead of the presidential election
In a word, division in the country's Armed Forces, which will have to remain unbowed and firmly committed to the country's Constitution.
Any diversion from the above will have tragic consequences not only for the US, but for the entire planet, as dictatorial-authoritarian leaders in different corners of the globe will find an opportunity to "divert", causing chaos at the regional level.
Let's keep it as Greece in mind....
