Latest news with #CameronHighlanders


Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Military commander steps down amid probe into Cameron Highlanders social media posts
Images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons, posted to Facebook group Col. James McKay, commander of 33 Brigade, has decided to leave the Canadian Armed Forces. Photo by CANADIAN FORCES The commander of the brigade group that oversees units throughout eastern Ontario has resigned in the wake of a social media scandal centred around the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Col. James McKay, commander of 33 Canadian Brigade Group, has stepped down, Lt.-Gen. Michael Wright confirmed to the Ottawa Citizen on Monday. ''On 21 July 2025, I accepted the letter of relinquishment of command from the Commander of 33 Canadian Brigade Group Colonel James McKay,' Wright stated. 'Being accountable for both our action and inaction, and the respective consequences of those decisions, is foundational to the Profession of Arms and achieving a ready, resilient, and relevant Canadian Armed Forces.' The resignation comes as the Canadian Army and military police continue their investigations into a controversial private Facebook page. As first reported in the Ottawa Citizen, some soldiers from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa have been operating what they call the Blue Hackle Mafia Facebook group. They have posted images of male soldiers in uniform exposing their genitals, others posing naked with Canadian Forces weapons or simulating sexual acts with each other in uniform. Some of the photos were taken at military installations. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Facebook page also includes hateful comments directed towards women and derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers. In other cases, posts disparage both Jews and Muslims. Complaints were made in December to military police about the Blue Hackle Mafia group but the law enforcement organization decided not to investigate at that time. In addition, complaints about the group and the contents being posted by soldiers were made to Lt. Col. Hendy, commander of the Cameron Highlanders, as well as McKay, according to whistleblowers interviewed by the Ottawa Citizen. The Cameron Highlanders is one of the 16 army reserve units under the command of 33 Canadian Brigade Group. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canadian Army commander Lt. Gen. Michael Wright has acknowledged he didn't know about the Blue Hackle Mafia group until the Ottawa Citizen provided him with various screenshots from the Facebook account and asked him for comment. Wright told the Ottawa Citizen he was disgusted by the content of some of the posts. 'The circumstances surrounding the social media group remain extremely disturbing and disappointing, but actions taken to date are important in underlining the Canadian Army's commitment to ensuring our culture meets the expectations of Canadians,' Wright stated in his email Monday. McKay was asked previously for comment by the Ottawa Citizen. Comment was requested again on Monday but he did not respond to either request. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hendy has been temporarily removed from his position. He has not responded to a request for comment. The units controlled by 33 Canadian Brigade Group are located in Ottawa but also in other cities such as Oshawa, Timmins, Cornwall and Sault Ste Marie, according to the Canadian Forces. The 33 Canadian Brigade Group headquarters is located in Ottawa. The Blue Hackle Mafia has operated its Facebook page with around 200 participants since 2007. Wright said in a July 16 message to army personnel that he was taking steps to address the 'inappropriate behaviour' in the Blue Hackle Facebook group. 'As of 16 July 2025, the Commanding Officer of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa has been temporarily removed from his position and all individuals involved will be provided procedural fairness in accordance with the applicable policies,' Wright said in his statement to the army. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wright noted in his statement that the Canadian Army started a summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of any currently serving Canadian Army members who were part of the online group. Military police were originally provided with videos and screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia material. Instead, military police turned over the investigation to the Cameron Highlanders. A reserve force captain who serves with some of those involved in the Blue Hackle Mafia was assigned to investigate their behaviour. After the Ottawa Citizen provided Wright with the screenshots of some of the Blue Hackle Mafia material on June 24, military police opened a new investigation into the group. The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) serve as the city of Ottawa's official regiment, according to the Canadian Forces. The regiment is tasked, as needed, to provide ceremonial guards of honour for visiting dignitaries and for national ceremonies and events. The reserve unit operates out of the Cartier Square Drill Hall on Queen Elizabeth Driveway. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In his statement sent to army personnel, Wright pointed out that the organization 'will continue to ensure that our culture reflects the values and ethics of the Canadian Armed Forces, and I expect the chain of command across the Canadian Army to deal immediately with any inappropriate behaviour that deviates from those values and ethics.' 'This incident has damaged the reputation of the Canadian Army at a time when we are engaged in important modernization work as part of a ready, resilient, and relevant Canadian Armed Forces,' he added. The Ottawa Citizen reported that the soldiers on the Facebook page knew what they were doing was wrong but their focus was on not getting caught. They warned each other not to take photos of the wild antics that were taking place at the Cartier Square Drill Hall. David Pugliese is an award-winning journalist covering Canadian Forces and military issues in Canada. To support his work, including exclusive content for subscribers only, sign up here: Read More MLB Sunshine Girls Opinion Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Canadian Army brigade commander steps down amid 'Blue Hackle Mafia' investigations
The officer in charge of a Canadian Army brigade has stepped down in the aftermath of a controversy over a now-defunct Facebook group where members of an Ottawa-based reserve unit allegedly posted hateful and inappropriate content. CBC News has learned Col. James McKay, the commander of the 33 Canadian Brigade Group, told staff late last week that he has relinquished command following embarrassing revelations this month involving the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own). Members of the unit are accused of posting antisemitic, misogynistic, homophobic and racist comments on the social media page along with explicit photos. The "Blue Hackle Mafia" group has now been taken down. The commander of the Cameron Highlanders, Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy has been temporarily removed from his post and given other duties while both military police and the army conduct separate investigations. McKay was Hendy's immediate superior and was apparently involved in early discussions when concern about the Facebook group first surfaced last December."My actions in dealing with the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' Facebook group did not meet [Canadian Armed Forces] and my personal expectations," wrote McKay in an email obtained by CBC News. "Over the past 15 months I have balanced multiple obligations and took on more than I should have. This balancing act impeded my ability to make the right decisions at the right time. Therefore, I am exiting command sooner than anticipated for both the brigade's sake and to establish a sustainable balance." The Department of National Defence confirmed McKay's resignation as brigade commander, which was submitted and accepted on July 21. "Being accountable for both our action and inaction, and the respective consequences of those decisions, is foundational to the profession of arms and achieving a ready, resilient and relevant Canadian Armed Forces," Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright said in a statement released late Monday to CBC News. "The circumstances surrounding the social media group remain extremely disturbing and disappointing, but actions taken to date are important in underlining the Canadian Army's commitment to ensuring our culture meets the expectations of Canadians.'' It's unclear whether McKay will stay in the military, or who will replace him on an interim basis. McKay's note went on to suggest the controversy over the unit's behaviour has become a distraction from the brigade's core responsibility "to focus on what is truly important — training soldiers and teams." Concerns raised last year Concern about the contents of the Facebook group, which allegedly included hateful comments directed toward women, derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers, were brought to light internally last year. Hendy and McKay discussed the matter and notified military police last December. But after three months of investigation, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal deemed no service offence had been committed. Hendy ordered an officer within the Cameron Highlanders to conduct an internal investigation. In late June, the Ottawa Citizen obtained screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia group and asked the Defence Department for comment. In his initial response, Wright said he was blindsided by the controversy. In an internal message obtained by CBC News in early July, Wright described the group's content "abhorrent," and warned of consequences. "I have ordered that any serving Canadian Army members currently on this social media group immediately cease their participation," Wright wrote in the internal note. He ordered an immediate summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of the serving members who were part of that online community. The provost marshal, in a statement also shared with CBC News in early July, acknowledged the initial investigation. "The transfer to the unit for a disciplinary investigation was considered the best use of options available in the military justice system, in this case," said the statement. The military police have since opened a fresh investigation. The file was initiated on June 27 after the Ottawa Citizen made its first inquiries. Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, a defence researcher specializing in social issues in the military, said the conduct and decisions of military police in this instance need to be thoroughly examined. "If we look at other controversies that happened around sexual misconduct, the military police has been a challenge," said Duval-Lantoine, who noted that issues such as racism and homophobia in the ranks have not been given as much attention as sexual misconduct and mechanisms for dealing with them may be inadequate. In the fall of 2020, the former commander of the army, the now retired general Wayne Eyre, ordered a crackdown on hateful conduct online after a series of incidents. One of them was a case brought to light by CBC News involving a now-former Canadian Ranger who associated online with two well-known hate groups, and who referred to Trudeau as a "treasonous bastard." Additionally, an ex-reservist, Patrik Mathews, was sentenced to nine years in a U.S. prison for his role in what investigators called a violent plot to trigger a "race war" in the United States through the right-wing extremist group The Base. Eyre's response at the time was to issue a 25-page directive that requires soldiers to report to their superiors when they witness or become aware of racism and hateful conduct. If they fail to do so, Eyre warned at the time there could be serious consequences. "Is it enough?" Duval-Lantoine says of those measures. "Is it adapted for the kind of action that would lead to discipline for racist, or what the military calls hateful, conduct?" Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Canadian Army brigade commander steps down amid 'Blue Hackle Mafia' investigations
The officer in charge of a Canadian Army brigade has stepped down in the aftermath of a controversy over a now-defunct Facebook group where members of an Ottawa-based reserve unit allegedly posted hateful and inappropriate content. CBC News has learned Col. James McKay, the commander of the 33 Canadian Brigade Group, told staff late last week that he has relinquished command following embarrassing revelations this month involving the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own). Members of the unit are accused of posting antisemitic, misogynistic, homophobic and racist comments on the social media page along with explicit photos. The "Blue Hackle Mafia" group has now been taken down. The commander of the Cameron Highlanders, Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy has been temporarily removed from his post and given other duties while both military police and the army conduct separate investigations. McKay was Hendy's immediate superior and was apparently involved in early discussions when concern about the Facebook group first surfaced last December."My actions in dealing with the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' Facebook group did not meet [Canadian Armed Forces] and my personal expectations," wrote McKay in an email obtained by CBC News. "Over the past 15 months I have balanced multiple obligations and took on more than I should have. This balancing act impeded my ability to make the right decisions at the right time. Therefore, I am exiting command sooner than anticipated for both the brigade's sake and to establish a sustainable balance." The Department of National Defence confirmed McKay's resignation as brigade commander, which was submitted and accepted on July 21. "Being accountable for both our action and inaction, and the respective consequences of those decisions, is foundational to the profession of arms and achieving a ready, resilient and relevant Canadian Armed Forces," Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright said in a statement released late Monday to CBC News. "The circumstances surrounding the social media group remain extremely disturbing and disappointing, but actions taken to date are important in underlining the Canadian Army's commitment to ensuring our culture meets the expectations of Canadians.'' It's unclear whether McKay will stay in the military, or who will replace him on an interim basis. McKay's note went on to suggest the controversy over the unit's behaviour has become a distraction from the brigade's core responsibility "to focus on what is truly important — training soldiers and teams." Concerns raised last year Concern about the contents of the Facebook group, which allegedly included hateful comments directed toward women, derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers, were brought to light internally last year. Hendy and McKay discussed the matter and notified military police last December. But after three months of investigation, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal deemed no service offence had been committed. Hendy ordered an officer within the Cameron Highlanders to conduct an internal investigation. In late June, the Ottawa Citizen obtained screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia group and asked the Defence Department for comment. In his initial response, Wright said he was blindsided by the controversy. In an internal message obtained by CBC News in early July, Wright described the group's content "abhorrent," and warned of consequences. "I have ordered that any serving Canadian Army members currently on this social media group immediately cease their participation," Wright wrote in the internal note. He ordered an immediate summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of the serving members who were part of that online community. The provost marshal, in a statement also shared with CBC News in early July, acknowledged the initial investigation. "The transfer to the unit for a disciplinary investigation was considered the best use of options available in the military justice system, in this case," said the statement. The military police have since opened a fresh investigation. The file was initiated on June 27 after the Ottawa Citizen made its first inquiries. Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, a defence researcher specializing in social issues in the military, said the conduct and decisions of military police in this instance need to be thoroughly examined. "If we look at other controversies that happened around sexual misconduct, the military police has been a challenge," said Duval-Lantoine, who noted that issues such as racism and homophobia in the ranks have not been given as much attention as sexual misconduct and mechanisms for dealing with them may be inadequate. In the fall of 2020, the former commander of the army, the now retired general Wayne Eyre, ordered a crackdown on hateful conduct online after a series of incidents. One of them was a case brought to light by CBC News involving a now-former Canadian Ranger who associated online with two well-known hate groups, and who referred to Trudeau as a "treasonous bastard." Additionally, an ex-reservist, Patrik Mathews, was sentenced to nine years in a U.S. prison for his role in what investigators called a violent plot to trigger a "race war" in the United States through the right-wing extremist group The Base. Eyre's response at the time was to issue a 25-page directive that requires soldiers to report to their superiors when they witness or become aware of racism and hateful conduct. If they fail to do so, Eyre warned at the time there could be serious consequences. "Is it enough?" Duval-Lantoine says of those measures. "Is it adapted for the kind of action that would lead to discipline for racist, or what the military calls hateful, conduct?"
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Canadian Army brigade commander steps down amid 'Blue Hackle Mafia' investigations
The officer in charge of a Canadian Army brigade has stepped down in the aftermath of a controversy over a now-defunct Facebook group where members of an Ottawa-based reserve unit allegedly posted hateful and inappropriate content. CBC News has learned Col. James McKay, the commander of the 33 Canadian Brigade Group, told staff late last week that he has relinquished command following embarrassing revelations this month involving the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own). Members of the unit are accused of posting antisemitic, misogynistic, homophobic and racist comments on the social media page along with explicit photos. The "Blue Hackle Mafia" group has now been taken down. The commander of the Cameron Highlanders, Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy has been temporarily removed from his post and given other duties while both military police and the army conduct separate investigations. McKay was Hendy's immediate superior and was apparently involved in early discussions when concern about the Facebook group first surfaced last December."My actions in dealing with the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' Facebook group did not meet [Canadian Armed Forces] and my personal expectations," wrote McKay in an email obtained by CBC News. "Over the past 15 months I have balanced multiple obligations and took on more than I should have. This balancing act impeded my ability to make the right decisions at the right time. Therefore, I am exiting command sooner than anticipated for both the brigade's sake and to establish a sustainable balance." The Department of National Defence confirmed McKay's resignation as brigade commander, which was submitted and accepted on July 21. "Being accountable for both our action and inaction, and the respective consequences of those decisions, is foundational to the profession of arms and achieving a ready, resilient and relevant Canadian Armed Forces," Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright said in a statement released late Monday to CBC News. "The circumstances surrounding the social media group remain extremely disturbing and disappointing, but actions taken to date are important in underlining the Canadian Army's commitment to ensuring our culture meets the expectations of Canadians.'' It's unclear whether McKay will stay in the military, or who will replace him on an interim basis. McKay's note went on to suggest the controversy over the unit's behaviour has become a distraction from the brigade's core responsibility "to focus on what is truly important — training soldiers and teams." Concerns raised last year Concern about the contents of the Facebook group, which allegedly included hateful comments directed toward women, derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers, were brought to light internally last year. Hendy and McKay discussed the matter and notified military police last December. But after three months of investigation, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal deemed no service offence had been committed. Hendy ordered an officer within the Cameron Highlanders to conduct an internal investigation. In late June, the Ottawa Citizen obtained screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia group and asked the Defence Department for comment. In his initial response, Wright said he was blindsided by the controversy. In an internal message obtained by CBC News in early July, Wright described the group's content "abhorrent," and warned of consequences. "I have ordered that any serving Canadian Army members currently on this social media group immediately cease their participation," Wright wrote in the internal note. He ordered an immediate summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of the serving members who were part of that online community. The provost marshal, in a statement also shared with CBC News in early July, acknowledged the initial investigation. "The transfer to the unit for a disciplinary investigation was considered the best use of options available in the military justice system, in this case," said the statement. The military police have since opened a fresh investigation. The file was initiated on June 27 after the Ottawa Citizen made its first inquiries. Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, a defence researcher specializing in social issues in the military, said the conduct and decisions of military police in this instance need to be thoroughly examined. "If we look at other controversies that happened around sexual misconduct, the military police has been a challenge," said Duval-Lantoine, who noted that issues such as racism and homophobia in the ranks have not been given as much attention as sexual misconduct and mechanisms for dealing with them may be inadequate. In the fall of 2020, the former commander of the army, the now retired general Wayne Eyre, ordered a crackdown on hateful conduct online after a series of incidents. One of them was a case brought to light by CBC News involving a now-former Canadian Ranger who associated online with two well-known hate groups, and who referred to Trudeau as a "treasonous bastard." Additionally, an ex-reservist, Patrik Mathews, was sentenced to nine years in a U.S. prison for his role in what investigators called a violent plot to trigger a "race war" in the United States through the right-wing extremist group The Base. Eyre's response at the time was to issue a 25-page directive that requires soldiers to report to their superiors when they witness or become aware of racism and hateful conduct. If they fail to do so, Eyre warned at the time there could be serious consequences. "Is it enough?" Duval-Lantoine says of those measures. "Is it adapted for the kind of action that would lead to discipline for racist, or what the military calls hateful, conduct?"


CBC
4 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Canadian Army brigade commander steps down amid 'Blue Hackle Mafia' investigations
Social Sharing The officer in charge of a Canadian Army brigade has stepped down in the aftermath of a controversy over a now-defunct Facebook group where members of an Ottawa-based reserve unit allegedly posted hateful and inappropriate content. CBC News has learned Col. James McKay, the commander of the 33 Canadian Brigade Group, told staff late last week that he has relinquished command following embarrassing revelations this month involving the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own). Members of the unit are accused of posting antisemitic, misogynistic, homophobic and racist comments on the social media page along with explicit photos. The "Blue Hackle Mafia" group has now been taken down. The commander of the Cameron Highlanders, Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy has been temporarily removed from his post and given other duties while both military police and the army conduct separate investigations. McKay was Hendy's immediate superior and was apparently involved in early discussions when concern about the Facebook group first surfaced last December. WATCH | Officer suspended amid investigations: Ottawa officer suspended as army investigates 'Blue Hackle Mafia' group 10 days ago The Canadian Army has temporarily suspended Lt.-Col. Ryan Hendy following the discovery of a Facebook group with 'abhorrent' content. CAF has been investigating the group, which is said to promote 'racist, misogynistic, homophobic and antisemitic comments and images.' "My actions in dealing with the 'Blue Hackle Mafia' Facebook group did not meet [Canadian Armed Forces] and my personal expectations," wrote McKay in an email obtained by CBC News. "Over the past 15 months I have balanced multiple obligations and took on more than I should have. This balancing act impeded my ability to make the right decisions at the right time. Therefore, I am exiting command sooner than anticipated for both the brigade's sake and to establish a sustainable balance." The Department of National Defence confirmed McKay's resignation as brigade commander, which was submitted and accepted on July 21. "Being accountable for both our action and inaction, and the respective consequences of those decisions, is foundational to the profession of arms and achieving a ready, resilient and relevant Canadian Armed Forces," Lt.-Gen. Mike Wright said in a statement released late Monday to CBC News. "The circumstances surrounding the social media group remain extremely disturbing and disappointing, but actions taken to date are important in underlining the Canadian Army's commitment to ensuring our culture meets the expectations of Canadians.'' It's unclear whether McKay will stay in the military, or who will replace him on an interim basis. McKay's note went on to suggest the controversy over the unit's behaviour has become a distraction from the brigade's core responsibility "to focus on what is truly important — training soldiers and teams." Concerns raised last year Concern about the contents of the Facebook group, which allegedly included hateful comments directed toward women, derogatory sexual comments about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, as well as discussions about raping grandmothers, were brought to light internally last year. Hendy and McKay discussed the matter and notified military police last December. But after three months of investigation, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal deemed no service offence had been committed. Hendy ordered an officer within the Cameron Highlanders to conduct an internal investigation. In late June, the Ottawa Citizen obtained screenshots of the Blue Hackle Mafia group and asked the Defence Department for comment. In his initial response, Wright said he was blindsided by the controversy. In an internal message obtained by CBC News in early July, Wright described the group's content "abhorrent," and warned of consequences. "I have ordered that any serving Canadian Army members currently on this social media group immediately cease their participation," Wright wrote in the internal note. He ordered an immediate summary investigation to examine the alleged unethical conduct of the serving members who were part of that online community. The provost marshal, in a statement also shared with CBC News in early July, acknowledged the initial investigation. "The transfer to the unit for a disciplinary investigation was considered the best use of options available in the military justice system, in this case," said the statement. The military police have since opened a fresh investigation. The file was initiated on June 27 after the Ottawa Citizen made its first inquiries. Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, a defence researcher specializing in social issues in the military, said the conduct and decisions of military police in this instance need to be thoroughly examined. "If we look at other controversies that happened around sexual misconduct, the military police has been a challenge," said Duval-Lantoine, who noted that issues such as racism and homophobia in the ranks have not been given as much attention as sexual misconduct and mechanisms for dealing with them may be inadequate. In the fall of 2020, the former commander of the army, the now retired general Wayne Eyre, ordered a crackdown on hateful conduct online after a series of incidents. One of them was a case brought to light by CBC News involving a now-former Canadian Ranger who associated online with two well-known hate groups, and who referred to Trudeau as a "treasonous bastard." Additionally, an ex-reservist, Patrik Mathews, was sentenced to nine years in a U.S. prison for his role in what investigators called a violent plot to trigger a "race war" in the United States through the right-wing extremist group The Base. Eyre's response at the time was to issue a 25-page directive that requires soldiers to report to their superiors when they witness or become aware of racism and hateful conduct. If they fail to do so, Eyre warned at the time there could be serious consequences.