Retired three-star Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky has been suspended from the Army after he made a Twitter post mocking first lady Jill Biden.
The post, from June 24, said he was glad Biden “finally knew what a woman was” following the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
Retired three-star Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky, the former top spokesman for the U.S. Army and recipient of the Silver Star for his service, has been suspended from his contract with the Army after he posted a tweet appearing to mock first lady Jill Biden.https://t.co/RMXJ5vyNeW
— Newsmax (@newsmax) July 9, 2022
The message
“Lt. Gen. Theodore Martin, commanding general of the Combined Arms Center, has suspended retired Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky from performing duties as an Highly Qualified Expert— Senior Mentor pending the outcome of the commander’s inquiry,” Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, told the Washington Examiner.
Retired three-star general Gary Volesky suspended for tweet mocking Jill Biden https://t.co/TZPIba1xB6
— Rusty Haigh (@haigh_rust) July 9, 2022
The post appeared to refer to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s hearing when she refused to define the term woman during her March hearing.
The concern
“Volesky’s tweets reflect a trend of recently retired senior officers who take political stands, including retired Marine Gen. John Allen, who endorsed then-Democrat nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016, and retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump who also served as his national security adviser,” Newsmax reported.
“Volesky was a highly decorated infantry officer recognized for his bravery after leading a rescue mission in Iraq in 2004. He was later named as the Army’s chief spokesman, leading its office of public affairs, and also commanded the 101st Airborne Division, including leading part of the unit to Africa to respond to the Ebola outbreak in 2014,” it added.
Andy Vermaut shares:Retired US Three-Star Army General Is Suspended From Mentoring Job For Mocking Jill Biden’s Tweet On Abortion Rights: This screenshot of a since-deleted tweet posted by Retired Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky shows his response to a… https://t.co/ub1GcMwZUY Thank you. pic.twitter.com/GNKHRiKmA2
— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) July 10, 2022
The case is likely to lead to more concerns over freedom of speech among retired military members.
The situation is also concerning as it notes the Biden administration’s increased censorship, an issue that has been in contrast with its originally stated plans to bring people together in unity.
The Biden administration may not like the leader’s statement but may have drawn more attention through its response.