Retired Army Officer Remembers Lt. Col. Vindman as Partisan Democrat Who Ridiculed America

by Debra Heine

 

A retired Army officer who worked with Democrat “star witness” Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman in Grafenwoher, Germany, claims Vindman “really talked up” President Barack Obama and ridiculed America and Americans in front of Russian military officers.

In an eye-opening thread on Twitter last week, retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Jim Hickman said that he “verbally reprimanded” Vindman after he heard some of his derisive remarks for himself. “Do not let the uniform fool you,” Hickman wrote. “He is a political activist in uniform.”

Hickman’s former boss at the Joint Multinational Simulation Center in Grafenwoehr has since gone on the record to corroborate his story.

Hickman, 52, says he’s a disabled wounded warrior who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and who received numerous medals, including the Purple Heart.

The retired officer said that Vindman, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Ukraine, made fun of the United States to the point that it made other soldiers “uncomfortable.” For example, Hickman told American Greatness that he heard Vindman call Americans “rednecks”—a word that needed to be translated for the Russians. He said they all had a big laugh at America’s expense.

Vindman, who serves on the National Security Council (NSC), appeared last week before the House Intelligence Committee and testified that he’d had “concerns” about the July phone call between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Vindman’s testimony rested on his negative opinions of the call, rather than any new facts about the call.

Yes, Every Kid

Vindman’s former boss, NSC Senior Director for European Affairs Tim Morrison, threw cold water on Vindman’s claims in his own testimony later in the week, saying he didn’t have concerns that “anything illegal was discussed” in the phone call.  Morrison also testified that Ukrainian officials were not even aware that military funding had been delayed by the Trump Administration until late August 2019, more than a month after the Trump-Zelensky call.

“Completely Beyond Reproach”

Hickman said he decided to come forward because Vindman “disobeyed a direct order from the commander-in-chief, his boss,” made his testimony “about his foreign policy opinions versus facts,” and “wore his Army service uniform to make a political statement” against the president.

“Then right on cue, the mainstream media began calling him a war hero with a purple heart, and completely beyond reproach,” Hickman wrote in a statement to American Greatness and another journalist. “Knowing his political bias, backed by his somewhat radical left-leaning ideology, it was my obligation, indeed my duty, to come forward with this information. I couldn’t go to the same mainstream media to put it out, nor could I go to the Army, as they’re backing Vindman, so I took to Twitter, a source for getting the truth out,” he added.

According to Hickman, Vindman was the Defense Department attaché at the Russian embassy in Germany when he met him in 2013. He told American Greatness that he also met Vindman’s twin brother Lt. Col. Yevgeny Vindman while he was stationed in Germany.

“I know LTC Alex Vindman from a Combined US-Russian exercise called Atlas Vision [13] in Grafenwoher,” Hickman wrote on Twitter. “He worked with the Russian Embassy and I was assigned to the JMTC (Joint Multinational Training Command), within USAREUR (US Army Europe). He worked coordination w/the Russian 15th Peacekeeping Brigade, and I was in charge of all Simulations planning, as well as assisting the USAREUR Lead Planner as the Senior Military Planner.”

Hickman provided American Greatness with a picture of himself and his wife while he was on vacation in Venice during that time period.

He noted that he and Vindman had “interacted on several different occasions throughout the planning cycle, but it was during the actual execution of the exercise that we had an issue relevant to his recent testimony.”

Laughing At Americans’ Expense

Hickman said he had pretty much forgotten about Vindman until recently.

“When I saw him, and understood what he was trying to accomplish, I knew immediately he was involved in this mess as a partisan Democrat,” Hickman said in his statement.

He explained on Twitter that Vindman, who was a major in 2013, sat in on the US-Russian exercises that were conducted in “Virtual Battle Simulations 2 (VBS2) classrooms simulation.”

According to Hickman, Vindman spoke with “U.S. and Russian Soldiers, as well as the young officers and GS employees about America, Russia, and Obama.”

Hickman’s Oct. 31 tweets continue below in paragraph form for easier reading:

He was apologetic of American culture, laughed about Americans not being educated or worldly, & really talked up Obama & globalism to the point of (sic) uncomfortable.

He would speak w/the Russian Soldiers & laugh as if at the expense of the US personnel. It was so uncomfortable & unprofessional, one of the GS [civil service]employees came & told me everything above. I walked over & sat w/in earshot of Vindman, & sure enough, all was confirmed.

One comment truly struck me as odd, & it was w/respect to American’s falsely thinking they’re exceptional, when he said, “He [Obama] is working on that now.” And he said it w/a snide ‘I know a secret’ look on his face. I honestly don’t know what it meant, it just sounded like an odd thing to say.

Regardless, after hearing him bash America a few times in front of subordinates, Russians, & GS Employees, as well as, hearing an earful about globalization, Obama’s plan, etc., I’d had enough. I tapped him on the shoulder & asked him to step outside. At that point I verbally reprimanded him for his actions, & I’ll leave it at that, so as not to be unprofessional myself.

The bottom-line is LTC Vindman was a partisan Democrat at least as far back as [2013]. So much so, junior officers & soldiers felt uncomfortable around him. This is not your professional, field-grade officer, who has the character & integrity to do the right thing. Do not let the uniform fool you…he is a political activist in uniform. I pray our nation will drop this hate, vitriol & division, & unite as our founding fathers intended!🇺🇸

Thomas Lasch, Hickman’s boss at the time, corroborated his story on Twitter.

“Jim, I remember exercise ATLAS VISION and this incident. I was your Boss at the time and was satisfied when you told me that you ‘took care of it’ (meaning then MAJ Vindman’s disparaging comments about the U.S. to the Russians ) and I just put things together this past week,” Lasch tweeted.

Lasch is a highly respected simulation strategist at the Joint Multinational Simulation Center in Grafenwoehr, Germany where he is responsible for the “Live Virtual Constructive and Gaming simulation program for all U.S. Forces in Europe.”

Lasch vouched for Hickman in a second tweet: “Everyone on this thread should know that Jim Hickman’s patriotism and honesty is unparalleled. He is one of my personal heroes.” He added: “This is not about Trump! This is about an officer [LTC Vindman] that is disloyal to the United States of America.”

American Greatness was able to reach Lasch through his LinkedIn account. He verified that the recently established Twitter account in his name vouching for Hickman was indeed his.

“Yes this is my LinkedIn account. It is really me. And the Twitter account is mine as well,” Lasch said.

In his statement, Hickman explained why Lasch remembered the incident with Vindman: “I did question his patriotism to our nation, and the lack of respect given to Americans in general. I was indeed furious and that’s most likely why my boss Tom Lasch remembers it so clearly.”

“I corrected him solely as a superior officer witnessing a junior officer doing something wrong,” Hickman explained. “We as officers are not supposed to talk about our political leanings, especially in front of subordinates, and never are we to talk down about Americans and our culture.”

Hickman further explained to American Greatness that Vindman spoke favorably of the United Nations, and appeared contemptuous of Americans who didn’t appreciate the U.N.  Vindman, Hickman said, believed that “the U.N. should have broader powers” and “talked about how the American people weren’t worldly.”

He noted that Vindman actually used the word “globalism” during the conversation and “talked about American culture versus European culture,” unfavorably, essentially suggesting that “the U.S. has no culture.”

Hickman also told American Greatness that Vindman talked about “Obama changing America” and that it reminded him of Obama’s infamous “Fundamentally transforming America” speech of October 2008.

The former officer stressed that he was not seeking recognition or praise but instead, “to just get the facts and truth out that are relevant to the current situation.”

Hickman said in his statement that he began his Army career in military intelligence and was commissioned in 1996 as a field artillery officer.

He retired from the service in 2017 and now resides near Tampa, Florida.

Trump Weighs In

President Trump hinted on Saturday that more would soon be coming out about Lt. Col. Vindman’s partisan nature when a reporter asked him if he regretted calling Vindman a “NeverTrumper.”

Trump answered cryptically: “Well you’ll be seeing very soon what comes out and then you can ask the question in a different way.”

Trump was asked about Vindman again on Sunday. “We’ll be showing that to you real soon, okay,” he responded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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21 Thoughts to “Retired Army Officer Remembers Lt. Col. Vindman as Partisan Democrat Who Ridiculed America”

  1. […] type, and we don’t like him. They’re ticket punchers, the political soldier. Willing to say and do anything while throwing anyone under the bus to further their career. That’s […]

  2. Steve

    Pull his commission and revoke his passport. Maybe McDonalds is looking for a new line server.

  3. Charles Guthrie

    I do not know LTC Vindman nor his career. But I do know this. Any LTC that served in a combat Zone and was injured. If he just did his job, not even very well. He would have a Service Bronze Star. Which he did not. In my observation he probably wasn’t that much of an officer or soldier. I served 23 years with a lot of officers. All but the bad were awarded it. Just saying.

  4. Nona

    FWIW, Benedict Arnold was a “highly respected military person,” too.

  5. Joseph Durr

    Lt Col Vindeman is the kind of officer who no one would have enjoyed working for. I served in US Army, 20 years, 6 months and 13 days. Saw many of these glorified mostly 2nd Lieutenants. I’m amazed this guy wasn’t fr@gged in Iraq..

  6. Kmcdan

    I felt the Lt. Col was showing off. He did not ring true in his story., Another cocky Schiff talking. He acts the same as Schiff. His opinion of himself is far greater than those having to stomach listening to him. Thank you to his former
    Boss for confirming what we very 8obvious to many of us. Sir, you Rock!
    Thank you for your service, not surprised you have a few medals of your own!

    1. K M

      Typos*** thanks for confirming what was very obvious to many of us!

    2. Lavetta Reicher

      Thanks to Hickman for the truth. I figured this one out before he ever took to saying anything. Some how when the dems have anything to do with any thing you can always smell a BIG FAT RAT. THANKS SIR FOR YOUR SERVICE.

  7. Gene

    Nice uniform , he earned it and is still 100% an HONORABLE American(just glad I’m not caught in your food chain..) We American Indians have given you all freedom, yeah it’s kinda burned us because tend to forget what’s RIGHT. Your all Americans and equal … unless your rich(then you tty an step on people, shameful behavior brought forth by GREED) Have a lovely peaceful afternoon, Also ..”your welcome”✌

    1. Will

      Your ancestors had no written language and you proved it.

  8. […] Retired Army Officer Remembers Lt. Col. Vindman as Partisan Democrat Who Ridiculed America – T…19) Ukranian Pres. Zelensky is laughing with the Americans and holding the equivalent of a Ukraine “MAGA” hat docs.house.gov/meetings/IG/IG… […]

  9. […] 40) What happens to a “political activist in uniform?”Well, they get an unofficial reprimand.What happens when the majority of the government is engaged in the activism? https://tennesseestar.com/2019/11/05/retired-army-officer-remembers-lt-col-vindman-as-partisan… […]

    1. JB

      Tennessee Star you just wrote a article about a made up situation. Have all investigate Hickman yet????? He little wild conspiracy theory love!!! If Vindman was speaking to Russian solider he would have been speaking in Russian…duh!!!
      Are you all big follower of QAnon at this paper???

      1. BT

        JB, you are a moron. LTC Vindman is a Ukrainian, and he speaks fluent Russian, both ‘high’ Russian and its Ukrainian dialect. Of course was speaking to the Russian soldiers in Russian! LTC Hickman’s recollection is credible, and it has a contemporary witness and is consistent with the public behavior we’ve seen from Vindman.

        1. Mark Berry

          BT you are the moron. Vindman is an American patriot but saying Ukrainian is a dialect of Russian is so laughable and is the sort of thing only a true Russian would say and not an American. Don’t try and fool others on this site as Ukrainian is a separate language to Russian and NOT a Russian dialect as you mention above. I’m an outsider from Australia but can clearly see through your views as a pro Russian troll. If Vindman was such a bad person he would never have made it as an advisor to Trump in the first place.

          1. Did you ever hear of the saying…”Screw up and move up”. That was how some of the truly good commanders got rid of their “non-performing trash” in their units. Officially due to the “mentality of military at this time’” you could not get rid of a non-performer through regular channels. These nit-wits stayed just outside the influence of UCMJ. Thus the only recourse was “PROMOTE HIM AND GET HIM OUT!” I perceive that some of the higher echelons in the present military are products of this policy. I am a retired Infantry Sergeants Major , with 30 years of honorable serviced and am 100% disabled (from a RVN combat wound). In my final tours of duty, in staff positions, I have witnessed many “Field Grade Officers” who I believed couldn’t lead their drivers or clerks out of a paper bag.

        2. Jesamiah Tiola

          How is his recollection credible and how do YOU know it is credible? do yourself a favor and look at what media organizations are running his story….preferably two or three will have a reputation for veracity.

      2. Mark Berry

        JB agree with you completely this is a made up accusation that is very laughable at best. Russian trolls will go to any lengths to discredit a highly respected military person who would never had made it as far as he has if these allegations had proved truthful years ago. These comments are so pro Trump it is really funny reading them as an outsider from Australia who can see through all the bull shit.

      3. Jesamiah Tiola

        Thank you! This is just how fake news, conspiracy theories, outright lies, and more divisive attitudes and behavior get started – no one does research!

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