Overview
- The inquiry, launched at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s direction, is reviewing service members, civilian employees and contractors for online comments following the Sept. 10 shooting.
- As of Sept. 30, 128 service members and 158 non‑uniformed personnel, including 27 Defense Department civilians, had cases opened, with most still under review.
- Documented outcomes so far include 26 administrative reprimands, three nonjudicial punishments, three separations in progress, and two removals of non‑uniformed employees.
- The totals were compiled by the Defense Department for leaders of the Republican‑led House Armed Services Committee, according to documents reviewed by the Washington Post.
- Critics, including former defense officials and congressional Democrats, call the directive suppressive and hypocritical, while Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell says those who rejoice at an act of domestic terrorism are unfit to serve.