Newsweek:
This week, I had the privilege of testifying at the House Armed Services Committee on the topic of "Extremism in the Armed Forces." I must confess, however, that I was not quite sure what to expect. I seriously doubt anyone in Congress or military leadership disagrees with the notion that there is no place for true extremists in America's military.
By "true extremists" I mean anyone who uses, threatens or advocates violence to achieve their objectives. But the threat of such extremism pales in comparison to the threat to our First Amendment rights that will result if we allow anti-extremism efforts to be weaponized against entire classes of people just because those in authority disapprove of their religious or political views.
When I joined the Marine Corps, I was thrust into a strange new environment in which I was surrounded by people who held attitudes, beliefs and ideologies very different from my own. Some even voiced disapproval of my lifestyle choices. My superiors reassured me this was a feature of military service, not a defect.