Aaron Grant, LinkedIn profile, annotated by DFP, retrieved 2022.03.22.
But whether you’re a retired Marine running for office in Groton, New York, or anywhere else under the Stars and Stripes, you have to follow the military’s rules on using your uniform in your campaign materials. Check out Grant’s campaign Facebook page:
Should we be more alarmed by the violation of DOD policy with the profile photo or by the background photo that suggests that staging an armed attack on a town is the experience the candidate feels is most relevant to serving as mayor of Groton? Aaron Grant, “GRANT for Mayor” FB page, retrieved 2022.03.22.I assume that saluting soldier is Grant, because why would any candidate put a photo of some random dude at the top of his campaign materials? And as we have discussed multiple times before (Jason Ravnsborg, Dan Kaiser), old soldiers cannot use photos of themselves in uniform “as the primary graphic representation in any campaign media, such as a billboard, brochure, flyer, Web site, or television commercial” [Department of Defense, Directive 1344.10, 2008.02.19, p. 6]. Grant’s placement of his full-dress uniform as the primary representation of himself on his campaign Web site violates this Department of Defense policy. Grant could slip this photo in farther down on his campaign materials: candidates may include photos of themselves in their old uniforms with other nonmilitary biographical details, but “Any such military information must be accompanied by a prominent and clearly displayed disclaimer that neither the military information nor photographs imply endorsement by the Department of Defense or their particular Military Department.” Grant’s Facebook page includes no such disclaimer.
Having moved to Groton in 2020, Grant probably still has plenty to figure out about Groton and South Dakota, like where’s the nearest book store where one can hawk one’s book. But one would think that, having spent most of his adult life in the military, Grant would already have Defense Department regulations down pat.
In about 1970 or so, my very furious retired Air Force, Republican father wrote the Sioux Falls Argus Leader after it ran a photo during the Vietnam War. Dad cited Senator George McGovern with what he believed was the unforgivable offense of a civilian wearing a USAF flight suit. The letters in the paper that followed afterwards accused Dad of nitpicking while he got volumes of support in the mail from the likes of the John Birch Society. Dad never forgot it: clearly I haven’t either.
In commentary further removed from Grant’s ability to serve as mayor of his newly adopted town, Grant appears to post to a Facebook page titled “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” (The page includes a first-person promotion of Grant’s mayoral campaign page.) On March 1, Grant appears to have posted the following opaque statement on the war in Ukraine:
Ukraine. The art of war is deception. Everything you hear and see are not as they seem. Half of it is truth, which are full lies. If you really want to know the truth, keep your eyes open to the breaking story that never gets mentioned again. The story that is a thirty second blip and gone, those are the ones to pay attention to.
When the same thing is played over and over again for days, weeks; that is misdirection from the real story.
The border
Afghanistan/Iraq
Militarization
Elections
Death rates
Exodus
The real story is out there. Be careful, many will be deceived [Aaron Grant, FB Post, “Loose Lips Sink Ships,” 2022.03.01].
Perhaps voters in Groton will ask Grant to explain what he means when he says coverage of the war in Ukraine is just “misdirection” from some “real story.” What is that real story, candidate Grant, the elusive Fox-Mulderian truth that’s out there that you can see but can’t clearly explain to the many deceived commoners?
Dear sweet Jesus, what a glob of word salad. Read it three times and still can’t make any sense of it.
cibvet
2022-03-22 11:01
Given the titles of his books, I would say he is just another flamboyant narcissist who found a home in welfare red state SD.
Retiring as a staff sergeant says a lot about his quote of Socrates.
Tom
2022-03-22 13:10
jarheads be jarheads and never the twain shall meet…
mike from iowa
2022-03-22 13:13
He knows how to lie like a champion already. Never gonna move again?
Buckobear, yes, I am bothered by the very vagueness of that post. Grant has a few other posts like that, masquerading as speech, pretending to say something, but not really saying anything that a reader can pin down. If I’m generous, I say that such posts are simply ill-formed writing, the words of someone who has some vague notions but hasn’t taken the time to really think about how to frame them clearly and explain them to others. If I’m suspicious, I hear hints of the code right-wing radicals may use to keep from saying anything that can be used against them in court.
M
2022-03-22 18:21
I don’t think grudz can blame pot for Grant’s outrageous mumbo jumbo. This man obviously took a wrong turn somewhere between reality and the last house on the left. What an insult to the intelligence of the Groton citizenry whom I’m sure are baffled by his lack of coherence and the SD single subject rule.
Why Groton? Hope he’s not here to start some militia. He’ll need to learn how to speak South Dakotan first.
Nah. The “R” after his name will sway any discerning voter.
Observer
2022-03-23 09:27
Fast Food. The art of the drive through is deception. Everything you order and receive are not as they seem. Half of it is diet coke, which is full of ice. If you really want to know what’s in the bag, keep you eyes open to what’s in there before you leave or never mention it again. The story that thirty minutes or free pizza is only for the ones who pay attention.
When the same special is advertised over and over again for days, weeks; that is the real story of marketing.
Run for the border
Curly fries/extra
Have it your way
Free refills
Only one napkin
Pay it forward
The real story is on the menu. Be careful, many will be deceived
In about 1970 or so, my very furious retired Air Force, Republican father wrote the Sioux Falls Argus Leader after it ran a photo during the Vietnam War. Dad cited Senator George McGovern with what he believed was the unforgivable offense of a civilian wearing a USAF flight suit. The letters in the paper that followed afterwards accused Dad of nitpicking while he got volumes of support in the mail from the likes of the John Birch Society. Dad never forgot it: clearly I haven’t either.
In commentary further removed from Grant’s ability to serve as mayor of his newly adopted town, Grant appears to post to a Facebook page titled “Loose Lips Sink Ships.” (The page includes a first-person promotion of Grant’s mayoral campaign page.) On March 1, Grant appears to have posted the following opaque statement on the war in Ukraine:
Perhaps voters in Groton will ask Grant to explain what he means when he says coverage of the war in Ukraine is just “misdirection” from some “real story.” What is that real story, candidate Grant, the elusive Fox-Mulderian truth that’s out there that you can see but can’t clearly explain to the many deceived commoners?
Dear sweet Jesus, what a glob of word salad. Read it three times and still can’t make any sense of it.
Given the titles of his books, I would say he is just another flamboyant narcissist who found a home in welfare red state SD.
Retiring as a staff sergeant says a lot about his quote of Socrates.
jarheads be jarheads and never the twain shall meet…
He knows how to lie like a champion already. Never gonna move again?
Well Mike he got tired of Middlesex, whatever that is?
He obviously wants to be a top Grant in Groton.
Buckobear, yes, I am bothered by the very vagueness of that post. Grant has a few other posts like that, masquerading as speech, pretending to say something, but not really saying anything that a reader can pin down. If I’m generous, I say that such posts are simply ill-formed writing, the words of someone who has some vague notions but hasn’t taken the time to really think about how to frame them clearly and explain them to others. If I’m suspicious, I hear hints of the code right-wing radicals may use to keep from saying anything that can be used against them in court.
I don’t think grudz can blame pot for Grant’s outrageous mumbo jumbo. This man obviously took a wrong turn somewhere between reality and the last house on the left. What an insult to the intelligence of the Groton citizenry whom I’m sure are baffled by his lack of coherence and the SD single subject rule.
Why Groton? Hope he’s not here to start some militia. He’ll need to learn how to speak South Dakotan first.
Nah. The “R” after his name will sway any discerning voter.
Fast Food. The art of the drive through is deception. Everything you order and receive are not as they seem. Half of it is diet coke, which is full of ice. If you really want to know what’s in the bag, keep you eyes open to what’s in there before you leave or never mention it again. The story that thirty minutes or free pizza is only for the ones who pay attention.
When the same special is advertised over and over again for days, weeks; that is the real story of marketing.
Run for the border
Curly fries/extra
Have it your way
Free refills
Only one napkin
Pay it forward
The real story is on the menu. Be careful, many will be deceived
Observer, I appreciate your satirical wit.