Clearance Suspended for Navy Sailor Who Refused to Stand During the National Anthem – Another Social Media Frenzy Starts

Those in the military forfeit many personal freedoms that the rest of the civilian population take for granted. Following rules, regulations, and the orders of those appointed over you are an essential part of military discipline and order. All enlistees take  an oath of enlistment which states  “I, (name of enlistee), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

A Navy Reserve sailor, Janaye Ervin, has apparently forgotten that oath and instead, chose her own personal opinion and beliefs over following regulations and the orders of her superior officers by not standing during the playing of the national anthem. The story broke because of her posts in social media which claim the Navy revoked Ervin’s security clearance. Article 92 (UCMJ) – Failure to obey order or regulation is pretty straightforward so if this story is true then the Navy was well within its authority to suspend her clearance pending further investigation and the issuance of a statement of reasons with the intent to revoke. As is usually the case with social media posts and events that have political undertones, there is more to this story that probably reads a bit differently and makes perfect sense to anyone that has any.