Fighting Extremism In The Ranks: Progress Or Backfire?

SecDef Lloyd Austin, late of Raytheon, famously started his tenure by announcing a "stand-down" to address a perceived problem of "extremism in the ranks". More specifically, "right wing" extremism:

Shaken by concerns of possible right-wing radicalism among the troops, incoming Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on February 5th announced that every single unit of the United States military; Active, Reserve, and Guard would be required to stand down within the next 60 days in order to conduct sensitivity training. The training will last at least one day and will be focused around discussions including the importance of the oath of office; a description of impermissible behaviors; and procedures for reporting suspected, or actual, extremist behaviors.

In possibly related news, Fox and numerous other outlets are reporting:

3 Army soldiers charged after guns found at Chicago mass shooting traced to illegal weapons pipeline

Fort Campbell soldiers allegedly transferred dozens of firearms from Tennessee and Kentucky

From the DoJ announcement:

NASHVILLE – Three Fort Campbell soldiers were charged today with conspiracy and offenses relating to the illegal purchase and transfer of dozens of firearms to the streets of Chicago, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Mary Jane Stewart for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

Demarcus Adams, 21; Jarius Brunson, 22; and Brandon Miller, 22, all enlisted members of the U.S. Army and stationed at the Fort Campbell military installation in Clarksville, Tennessee, were arrested this morning by ATF agents and agents of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. A criminal complaint obtained late yesterday charged each defendant with transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident; making false statements during the purchase of a firearm; engaging in the business without a firearms license; wire fraud; money laundering; and conspiracy to commit Title 18 offenses. 

According to the criminal complaint, this investigation began on March 26, 2021, when Chicago police responded to a mass shooting incident. During this incident, multiple people were shot and one person was pronounced dead at the scene. During the resulting investigation, multiple firearms were recovered from the shooting scene and five of the firearms were found to have been recently purchased from Federal Firearms Licensed (FFL) dealers in the Clarksville, Tennessee area. Further investigation identified Adams, Brunson and Miller as the majority purchasers of these firearms.

A broader investigation into firearms transaction records from FFLs in the Clarksville region determined that since September 2019, the trio had purchased 91 firearms from multiple FFLs in Clarksville; Oak Grove, Kentucky; Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; and Paducah, Kentucky.  The majority of the firearms were purchased during the last five months. The criminal complaint also alleges that after the firearms were purchased, Miller would provide them to individuals he was associated with in Chicago.

Ninety-one firearms--I guess Fox wasn't exaggerating when they said "dozens". These soldiers were very busy during the stand-down and attendant sensitivity training. No word in any of the article on their extremist affiliation(s).