THE ‘COMMIE CADET’ QUITS.

1 WHAT HE DID

Spenser Rapone, 26, was branded the “commie cadet” after he posted photos of himself at his 2016 West Point graduation, posing in a Che Guevara shirt under his uniform, along with a fist salute to underline a message written in his cap: Communism will win. The photos created a fierce backlash, even sparking death threats.

2 WHY HE DID IT

Rapone told the Associated Press he tweeted the photos in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who knelt during the national anthem in protest of police brutality. Rapone also explained that his time in Afghanistan as an assistant machinegunner in 2011 spurred an interest in radical social change.

3 THE AFTERMATH

He was reprimanded for conduct unbecoming an officer, and an investigation concluded that he advocated for a socialist revolution while insulting senior military officials. On Monday, the Army’s 10th Mountain Division accepted his resignation. Rapone received an other than honourable discharge, an administrative separation reserved for misconduct.

4 RUBIO RESPONSE

Republican senator Marco Rubio applauded the decision. “While in uniform, Spenser Rapone advocated for communism and political violence, and expressed support and sympathy for enemies of the United States,” he said.

5 KINDRED SPIRITS

Rapone said he found solace in hearing from like-minded troops. “There are a lot of veterans both active duty and not that feel like I do,” he said.