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President Donald Trump has tapped two former lieutenant colonels, Stuart Scheller and Matthew Lohmeier, for Defense Department positions years after they were relieved of command for publicly criticizing senior military leaders.<\/em> Two of President Donald Trump\u2019s picks for Pentagon posts are former officers who publicly challenged senior military leaders and during the most recent administration: Former Space Force Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier and former Marine Lt. Col. Stuart Scheller.<\/p>\n Trump prizes loyalty first and foremost in his subordinates and he has shown an eagerness to reverse many of his predecessor\u2019s policies. The fact that Scheller and Lohmeier are critics of the military under President Joe Biden, and the views that got them in trouble in uniform now mirror many that Trump has publicly endorsed, could give them clout with the new administration.<\/p>\n Along with Trump\u2019s nominee for defense secretary Pete Hegseth, both men have criticized military diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, or DEI.<\/p>\n Lohmeier has been nominated to serve as undersecretary of the Air Force. In May 2021, he was fired as commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, after talking about his book \u201cIrresistible Revolution: Marxism\u2019s Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military\u201d on the \u201cInformation Operation,\u201d podcast hosted by Creative Destruction, or CD, Media, Military.com reported.<\/p>\n \u201cOur diversity, inclusion, and equity industry and the trainings we\u2019re receiving in the military via that industry are rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism,\u201d Lohmeier said. \u201cAnd the language of the training, which most people don\u2019t understand but I help laid out in the book, was devised by Marxists.\u201d<\/p>\n In a Jan. 17 post on X, Lohmeier thanked Trump for nominating him and wrote that he was looking forward to \u201ccontinuing my service to our great men and women in uniform.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo all men and women with a desire to serve your country in uniform, come join us now!\u201d Lohmeier wrote. \u201cWe want the best, brightest, and strongest of you at this critical juncture in American history.\u201d<\/p>\n Separately, Scheller made headlines for posting videos, while in uniform, in which he criticized senior military leaders over the Afghanistan withdrawal, and was later sent to the brig and subsequently court-martialed. He announced on Monday that he had \u201caccepted the position of Senior Advisor to the DoD Under Secretary in personnel and readiness.\u201d<\/p>\n Scheller received a punitive letter of reprimand and was ordered to forfeit $5,000 of one month\u2019s pay in October 2021 after pleading guilty to showing contempt toward officials, showing disrespect toward superior commissioned officers, willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, dereliction in the performance of duties, failure to obey an order or regulation, and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.<\/p>\n On Monday, Scheller posted on social media that he had accepted a position with the Defense Department. He also accused the Biden administration of \u201cincompetence\u201d and claimed that no senior active general officers have accepted responsibility for their mistakes in recent history.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nJeff Schogol<\/strong><\/p>\n