Military: D211 candidate can wear uniform in some instances
The retired U.S. Army colonel running for Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board can wear his military uniform in campaign materials, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
But any photos must be part of a series and the photo can’t be the main image displayed, under military policy that applies to both retired and active personnel.
The Department of Defense waded into the issue this week after Rob Sherman, the atheist activist from Buffalo Grove, filed a complaint accusing candidate Roman Golash of violating military regulations by having a photo of himself in uniform on his campaign website.
Golash, a 60-year-old retired Army colonel from Palatine, is one of seven candidates running for the four open District 211 seats. A photo of himself dressed in his Army uniform appears on the right of every page of his campaign site.
The DOD said on Thursday via e-mail that active and retired personnel could include photos in political materials “as part of a multiple picture, biographical photo array.”
Sherman said the response proves Golash is violating the military directive.
“The primary graphic represented is the picture of him with all the ribbons,” Sherman said Thursday.
Sherman sent a complaint to the Department of Defense after seeing Golash’s website. He said opposes Golash’s campaign platform in which he advocates that students should have a strong belief in God upon graduation.
Golash, who retired in May from the Army, maintains he did nothing wrong. He pointed out Thursday that Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk is shown in uniform on his website.
The board hopeful said he will not wear his uniform while attending any possible debates or while campaigning. That would violate military regulations, the DOD confirmed Thursday.
Golash also pointed out that the board seat is a nonlegislative position, meaning he felt his military service posed no conflict of interest for running for school board.
“There is no compensation in this position,” Golash also wrote via e-mail.
DOD regulations state that if a photo in uniform is included in campaign material, whether it’s a flyer or website, there must be a disclaimer indicating the views stated are only the candidate’s and don’t reflect on the candidate’s military service or come from the Department of Defense. As of Thursday, Golash’s website lacks such a disclaimer.
The DOD has referred the complaint to the Army.
“Our experience shows that once the rules are pointed out, the mistakes are usually corrected,” the DOD said. “Depending on the status of the person involved, the full range of administrative and disciplinary action is possible, from counseling, to action under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
District 211, comprised of Conant, Fremd, Hoffman Estates, Palatine and Schaumburg high schools, is the state’s largest high school district. The election is April 5.