From Newsgroup: rec.aviation.military

WASHINGTON rCo Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that the
Pentagon is taking steps to downgrade Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly's
military retirement rank and pay because of his "seditious statements."

Hegseth said in a statement that Kelly, of Arizona, a retired Navy
captain, was part of a group of members of Congress who six weeks ago
"released a reckless and seditious video that was clearly intended to
undermine good order and military discipline."

"As a retired Navy Captain who is still receiving a military pension,
Captain Kelly knows he is still accountable to military justice. And the Department of War rCo and the American people rCo expect justice," Hegseth
said in the statement on X, using the Trump administration's name for
the Defense Department.

The Pentagon said in November that it was launching an investigation
into Kelly because of the video he and other Democratic lawmakers
recorded urging members of the military and the intelligence community
not to follow illegal orders from the Trump administration.

The other Democratic lawmakers who appeared in the video message also
served in the military or the intelligence community. They included Sen.
Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie
Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania. No action has been taken against them.

Hegseth said on X that in response to Kelly's "seditious statements rCo
and his pattern of reckless misconduct," the Pentagon started
"retirement grade determination proceedings" against him, "with
reduction in his retired grade resulting in a corresponding reduction in retired pay."

He added that he also issued a formal letter of censure, which outlines
Kelly's "reckless misconduct."

"This Censure is a necessary process step, and will be placed in Captain KellyrCOs official and permanent military personnel file," he said.

In the censure letter, which Kelly's office provided to NBC News,
Hegseth said Kelly had "directly attacked the legitimacy of military
leadership and the lawfulness of their orders," had said things that
"directly prejudice good order and discipline" and had "engaged in
conduct that seriously compromises your standing as an officer and
brings dishonor to the officer corps."

Kelly has 30 days to submit a response, and the process to downgrade his retirement rank will be completed within 45 days, Hegseth said.

"These actions are based on Captain KellyrCOs public statements from June through December 2025 in which he characterized lawful military
operations as illegal and counseled members of the Armed Forces to
refuse lawful orders," Hegseth said. "This conduct was seditious in
nature and violated Articles 133 and 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, to which Captain Kelly remains subject as a retired officer
receiving pay."

In a sharply worded response, Kelly noted on X that he had served more
than 25 years in the Navy, including involvement in 39 combat missions
and four missions to space, and "risked my life for this country and to
defend our Constitution rCo including the First Amendment rights of every American to speak out. I never expected that the President of the United
States and the Secretary of Defense would attack me for doing exactly
that."

Those years didn't make you any smarter. Open mouth insert foot,
Mark Kelly.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/pentagon-seeking-reduce-sen-mar k-kellys-retirement-rank-video-urging-t-rcna252363
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