The Union Veterans Council (UVC), AFL-CIO, sharply criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday following his announcement of a formal letter of censure and proceedings to reduce the retired rank of U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, calling the move a dangerous act of political retaliation that threatens the integrity of the U.S. military.
Craig Romanovich, executive director of the Union Veterans Council, said the action against Kelly—a decorated combat veteran, retired Navy captain, and former astronaut—represents a “gross abuse of power” by the Department of Defense.
“The Union Veterans Council stands in firm solidarity with Senator Mark Kelly,” Romanovich said. “Secretary Hegseth’s move to censure and demote a sitting United States senator for reminding service members of their constitutional oath is a dangerous escalation of political retaliation.”
Romanovich expressed particular concern over the effort to reduce Kelly’s retired rank, warning that such a move could jeopardize the military pension Kelly earned over decades of service. He emphasized that military pensions are not discretionary benefits, but deferred compensation for years of sacrifice.
“A veteran’s pension is deferred compensation for their service,” Romanovich said. “Using it as a lever for political discipline undermines the financial security of all who serve.”
According to the Union Veterans Council, Kelly’s remarks—described by the Defense Department as “seditious”—were consistent with the core principles instilled in military leaders. Romanovich said Kelly merely reaffirmed that service members swear an oath to the Constitution, not to an individual or political party, and that they are obligated to refuse unlawful orders.
“By labeling these basic American principles ‘seditious,’ Secretary Hegseth is sending a chilling message to every man and woman in uniform,” Romanovich said. “Political loyalty now outweighs the rule of law.”
The organization warned that using the Uniform Code of Military Justice to target a political opponent and a 25-year military veteran undermines the long-standing apolitical nature of the Armed Forces and poses a broader threat to democratic norms.
“This is not about military discipline; it is about intimidation,” Romanovich said. “It is an insult to the millions of union veterans who have served this country and fought to protect our democracy.
The Union Veterans Council called on the administration to immediately halt the proceedings, vowing to oppose any effort to strip a veteran of earned benefits for speaking out in defense of the Constitution.
The Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO, is a national organization representing union veterans and works to ensure that those who served in uniform have a strong voice in their workplaces and in government.
“This is not about military discipline; it is about intimidation,” Romanovich said. “It is an insult to the millions of union veterans who have served this country and fought to protect our democracy.”
The Union Veterans Council called on the administration to immediately halt the proceedings, vowing to oppose any effort to strip a veteran of earned benefits for speaking out in defense of the Constitution.
The Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO, is a national organization representing union veterans and works to ensure that those who served in uniform have a strong voice in their workplaces and in government.
