Having watched a VICE program on the militia in this country, I was brought back to my time in two militias. And the reason I left both. So, in this article you will see some of the inner workings of both, a national militia and a local statewide militia.
First a small background. I was in the US Infantry (11B) and the Mechanized Infantry (11M). I left the Infantry in 1989. In 1995, I joined the SC National Guard as 11M with a Mech Inf unit. This is infantry that is mobilized. When 9/11 hit, I was still on inactive status but was not reactivated. The shock and awe phase of Operation Freedom occurred after my full enlistment time has ended. In 2019, I felt the urge to serve again but was over the age of acceptance. So, having a co-worker that was part of a national militia suggested applying. I did and was accepted into the III% Defense Militia (DM), Indiana unit.
There were no real issues and I earned a bit of rank (CPL) and attained the position of Chaplain. But, when the BLM, Antifa storm him in 2020, I started to see a mentality in many personnel that did not go with my faith as a Christian. It started with the forming of the NFAC.
For those that do not remember, the NFAC was an all black militia. They first came to prominence at Stone Mountain Georgia. But the big coming up was in Louisville, Kentucky during the protests over the Brianna Taylor killing. Yes, I remember her name. And my personal thought in this matter is that the actions following the no-knock raid, and her death, could have been avoided. As a former EMT-A in Indiana, I felt her death but not only for that reason.
While the protests were warranted, the DM was watching the situation and many units were responding, although it was left to the KY unit to deal with it and Indiana to hold at the Ohio River in case of spill over. And at that point, I argued with command stating we should have been on the side of the protesters. This thought was because one of our fell during a no-knock raid that also wounded his pregnant girlfriend.
The position of the DM was that armed BLM supporters would follow the steps of places like Ferguson, MO. It became heated in debate. My reasoning was this. We had a member fall in the same manner. We should have supported the protest. And I started to learn the mentality of the national group. They, like both liberal and conservative, choose to demand their Constitutional protects while denying the same for the side they don’t agree with. The had an issue with the protest (1st Amendment) and militia/arms (2nd Amendment) because they were against the ideology of the other side. Instead of supporting the same rights for others, I saw the racist mentality in those that I called my brothers in arms.
And let me make this clear so there is no misunderstandings about the makeup of my unit. We were 90% ex military. Some like me who never saw action, but the majority were combat vets. The XO having started his service in the first Gulf War in the 90’s and the rest from Operation Freedom. So it was not the typical non-schooled backwoods redneck. Most of us were trained infantrymen and some truly born in the flames of combat.
I resigned my position because I believe that the rights of protest/free speech and militia/arms belong to everyone with our borders. They are the guaranteed rights by which our nation was forged.
In 2021, the Indiana unit went independent and became the 19th Volunteer Militia. Personnel had changed a bit and I joined the state group, with my son, with the hope that things would be better without the national command. I was wrong. I found that looking back, despite the mentality and command by national hq, they were actually holding those racist soldiers back and somewhat in line. My son left first and I transferred into intelligence gathering. I would run the dark web and minute news sources, as well as social media, to gather information need for operations. Two things made me leave this group and call against militias. The first was personally related. My son, after leaving, outed the group including locations, names, and handles. They put cross hairs on his back. That brought the defiant parent out in me. Discussing it with command, the target was removed because I let them know that a strike against him would bring a vengeance from me.
The second reason was the lock down. While I did not agree with forced closures and masks, I knew enough of how disease worked throughout US history, I did not let it bother me. But during that close down here in Indiana, the racist hatred reared its head.
The Indianapolis group of BLM had set up emergency distribution. They did not discriminate but aided those who needed it. In intelligence, I was tasked with gathering the information the group needed to shut it down permanently (I’ll let you determine the meaning of that).I refused. This caused an issue to erupt. On comms (how we talked and had meetings) the XO and I went at it over my refusal. This then got my squad leader to personally call and read me the riot act for going against command’s order and doing so vehemently over an open meeting.
One light in the whole of this episode was my intelligence commander. He told command that they should be a bit more proud that they had a member that refused to go against his faith and ideals. The call from my squad leader was proof that they expected robots not individuals. I tendered my resignation.
What I did then was a spur of the moment decision, but the right one. I gathered all intel I had gathered from the group and notified the Indianapolis BLM of the groups intentions. Giving away names and handles, and operations. One may ask why I would have gone to this extreme. It’s simple. Evil on exists when good men choose to do nothing. I could not have allowed an operation to occur in my absence an look at myself. My faith would not allow me to go after BLM just because I disagreed with their politics. I support humanitarian aid no matter where it comes from. And despite my disagreements with much of BLM’s ideology, I saw them doing the works that Christ told us to do. Help those in need.
All of these things only led to Jan 6th. These were the precursors. Mix that hatred with the perceived wrongs of an election and the rantings of a demigod and it was only a matter of time. I do not know if my former comrades in arms went to that insurrection. But the mentality was the same as those who did. And through all of this, we have seen the rise of Christian Nationalism. Which, can not co-exist. Should one love where they come from? Of course. But Christians are held to a standard set by Christ and the Apostles. It only has two precepts (commandments). Love God and man. It does not say if they agree with you. It does not say if the look like you. Nationalism led to the National Socialist Party (NAZI) in Germany and we see how that went.
I still hold to the right to protest and speak your grievances. I still hold to the right of free speech. I still hold to the right to keep and bear arms and form a militia. What I do not believe in is the using of those rights to terrorize those you disagree with. And that goes for both liberal and conservative. Polarization from both ideological camps have caused the majority of the trouble our nation sees now. But it is not going to get any better.
The prophets of the Tanach, Christ himself, and the visions given to John on Patmos all speak of the times we see now. And whether one believes or not, Christ is the only way to turn to save your soul and help you deal with everything going bad globally. Because, even though all of this (and worse) was prophesied, we are also told the way to overcome it. Thos who have the faith of Christ and the commandments of God and endure to the end will be saved.
Now is the appointed time. Seek Christ.
Shabbat Baptist Ministries 