Retired Green Beret sounds alarm as identity politics seeps into military service: 'Just a distraction'

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

A retired Green Berets chief who founded a nonprofit to help veterans struggling with suicidal thoughts told Fox News Digital that identity politics has been seeping into the military, which he said works against building cohesion among the ranks to the central mission of protecting the country.

Michael R. Carmichael, a retired Army Special Forces chief warrant officer who served in the Special Forces for 22 years and deployed on 11 combat missions, is also raising awareness that veteran suicides are likely higher than the official statistics and that Americans need to help them.

"I know what's right and wrong from the eyes of the establishment," Carmichael told Fox News Digital, citing his experience.

"So, the frustrations that the departments of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine and Space Force must be feeling as a knee-jerk to all of the social issues that are bubbling over with Gay Pride Month and all of that, I can't imagine what that's like," he added.

The Navy sparked backlash on June 1 when it posted an image on its Twitter and Instagram accounts that depicted outlines of Navy vessels and aircraft with streaming rainbow trails and the word "Pride" stylized in different colors. By the next day, the pictures had been removed without explanation.

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When reached for comment, a Navy spokesperson said in a statement at the time, "The U.S. Navy posted graphics in support of the start of Pride month to honor the service, commitment, and sacrifice of the LGBTQ+ Service members and personnel who volunteer to defend our country."

"As we do with all Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) observance months, we will look for additional opportunities to celebrate the diversity and strength of our Sailors. Members of the LGBTQ+ community serve their country, fully contribute to the DOD mission, and deserve a welcoming environment which enables them to reach their full potential," the spokesperson added.

Carmichael warned that singling out any identity group over another is not conducive to the military's goal of building a unified team. He traced the beginning of such trends to the repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy during the early years of the Obama administration in 2011.

"I would say immediately, [there was] a huge shift from 'Let's all just get along, we're all different shades of green or blue or light blue' to now ‘I have a team within a team, but really my loyalties are toward this little team of people who are like me,' and less toward the big group," he said.

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"All of these people joined a military whose goal is unit cohesion, everybody working together," he said. "But by coming with this baggage or shifted priorities, and holding them more dear than the values of whatever branch you're in, these are the things that the generals and the sergeants major were warning us of during the final debate on [repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell]."

"They weren't Nostradamus, they were in leadership and service," Carmichael continued. "Everything that they said back then is coming true now."

Carmichael said such issues and the debate about them serve as "just a distraction" from the military's goal of molding a close-knit team and "getting the mission done."

Carmichael also maintained that the importance of being a team extends beyond a service member's years of service. To that end, he founded Check A Vet, a nonprofit that aims to prevent veteran suicide and raise awareness about the many veterans who struggle with their mental health.

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The rate of veteran suicide may be more than double than that reported annually by federal officials, according to a joint study released last year by America’s Warrior Partnership with the University of Alabama and Duke University.

The study analyzed potential undercounting related to drug overdose deaths and service record errors in eight states whose records on such issues were reliable, according to the Military Times. If those numbers were extrapolated nationwide, the number of veteran suicides would jump from the official tally of approximately 17 per day to 44.

Carmichael said that in his position as president of Check A Vet, he fights to reduce these numbers by interacting with some of the hardest-hit veterans after most others in their life have alienated them.

"Veterans can be our own worst enemy in that we can be mean, we can be short, we can be opinionated in ways that aren't popular," he said, adding that getting people to look past those issues is one goal of his organization.

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Another is encouraging such veterans to open up and accept the help they need.

"We need to get our veterans back on a team, and that's a team of support, getting that lock to open to the key of people wanting to be involved in their lives in a meaningful way," he said. "That's what we do."

Carmichael said all Americans "can make a huge difference in just uplifting your veteran, your service member and making a personal difference at the most micro of levels," which he believes "is the most important level."

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"Peel the camouflage off of this thing, and what are we trying to do? Get people to love their neighbor," he added.