LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Values of armed forces under attack

Last (month), six U.S. lawmakers, all veterans or former intelligence officers, shared a fundamental truth known to every service member: Our military has a duty to disobey unlawful orders. In response, the president of the United States accused them of "seditious behavior" and suggested they should be "punished by death." (Last) week, the Pentagon announced that it is investigating one of those lawmakers, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly from Arizona, a retired Navy captain, combat veteran and former astronaut, for potential court-martial for his remarks..

This is a direct attack on the core values of our armed forces.

When we raise our right hands to serve, we swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is clear: Service members are required to obey lawful orders. However, they also have a moral and legal obligation to refuse orders that are illegal, a principle taught to every recruit from boot camp to officer candidate school.

The lawmakers who spoke out, including Sen. Kelly, were not calling for mutiny. They were reminding our service members that their ultimate loyalty belongs to the law and the Constitution. To threaten execution for restating this fact is conduct unbecoming of an American president.

New Mexico has a proud and deep military history. Our veterans know the difference between discipline and blind obedience. We stand with those who uphold the Constitution, and we reject any attempt to weaponize our military against the very laws it is sworn to protect.

Semper Fi,

Frank J. Smith

Rio Rancho

Marine Corps veteran and chair of the NM Veterans & Military Families Caucus