A former parachutist with the 82nd Airborne Division who has been arrested said he enlisted to become more proficient at killing black people and made overt references to white supremacy.
A soldier. Ryan was kicked out of the Army the same day he was taken into custody for lying on his security clearance. According to court records, the FBI found ties to white nationalism and threats of violence against minorities on social media.
Ryan wrote in a social media post that he was more proficient in killing black people because he served for combat experience. Two weeks after he enlisted in the army, that comment was posted. He had a personal email address that referred to Adolf Hitler and white supremacy.
Military must beware of extreme strain from political divides.
Changing the vetting process to join the military is one of the measures taken by the Pentagon to crack down on extremists. The line of questioning may be based on honesty.
Ryan filled out a Standard Form 86 in order to get his security clearance. He was asked if he advocated for terrorist acts.
He was arrested in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and charged with making a false statement.
Red flags were raised by his social media posts and email handle.
The phrase "We must secure the existence of our people and the future for white children" was created by David Lane, a convicted felon and leader of The Order. Lane passed away in prison. The 8th letter of the alphabet is H, which is what the 88 stands for.
Ryan was removed from the Army after his arrest. According to two sources with direct knowledge of the situation, he was kicked out due to two incidents of driving under the influence of alcohol.
One of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press.
It's not clear if the chain of command knew about his ties to extremists. Ryan was stationed at Fort Bragg in December of 2011. There was no deployment for him.
Ryan claimed to have no relationship with his father, a convicted felon with a history of drug charges. Ryan and his father talked a lot on his social media activity.
The Pentagon is struggling to understand the scope of extremism within the ranks, especially after the January 6, 2021, pro-Trump assault on the U.S. Capitol. The radicalization of troops and the use of military training by extremists came to the attention of service members and veterans.
People with a military background are not more likely to be radicalized. Experts have warned that even the most basic combat training can be attractive to extremists. Veterans and service members have social credibility that can be used for radical causes.
Even as law enforcement agencies see right-wing extremism as one of the most prevalent domestic terrorism threats, military leaders have largely kept the issue at arm's length.
A Montana National Guard officer who was accused of pushing white nationalist viewpoints was allowed to serve. The Wisconsin and Virginia National Guards had soldiers who took part in the January 6 riot and took a long time to remove them from service.
Steve Beynon can be reached at Military.com. You can follow him on the social networking site.
There is an accused white nationalist in the Montana Guard.
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