The Virginia National Guard confirmed that it has launched an investigation into two soldiers who have espoused anti-government views while running a county militia in the state.
Last week, Military.com reported that two Guardsmen — Staff Sgts. Daniel Abbott and Alexandra Griffeth — are running the Campbell County Militia, which operates in the countryside around Lynchburg, Virginia, with the blessing of Campbell County’s Board of Supervisors.
In a statement provided to Military.com, Virginia National Guard spokesman A.A. Puryear said that it is “aware” that the pair are active in the militia “and have initiated an investigation into the matter.”
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Puryear said that the service component “will take appropriate action, in accordance with U.S. Army guidelines and directives, once the investigation is complete” and noted that the state Guard “welcomes the focus on extremism and discussions about what meets the Army’s definition of extremist behavior.”
When asked for a comment last week, Puryear declined to say whether the Guard was investigating Abbott and Griffeth.
After reviewing several hours of the militia’s meeting videos, Military.com discovered a pattern of Abbott issuing threats against the federal government and making it clear that his militia’s mission is to be ready to wage a potential war.
At an event earlier…
