Do you lose your freedom of speech when you join the military?
No, you do not lose your First Amendment right when you join.
Let me explain.
Hey, I'm Cody Harnish, UCMJ attorney.
When you join the military, you retain your First Amendment rights.
But those rights can be applied differently because you're in the military.
Members of the military are not excluded from the protection granted by the First Amendment, but the different character of the military community.
And the military mission requires a different application of those protections.
And this is because primary business of armies and navies, is to fight and to be ready to fight wars should the occasion arise.
Under UCMJ you can't publicly criticize the president or military leadership OpSec.
You can't share sensitive information because that can jeopardize the mission and lives professional conduct.
Maintaining professionalism is essential both on and off duty. So you still have your First Amendment rights, but the military balances them with discipline, security and readiness needs.
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In the meantime, I'm going to keep defending America's defenders.
At Harnish Law, PLLC, we are committed to providing exceptional legal representation for U.S. military service members worldwide. UCMJ Lawyer across all branches of the military.
DEFENDING AMERICA’S DEFENDERS
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