By: David C. Brezina
On June 8, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit armed separation of former U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Member and Ocer James C. Wenzler for posting “a series of crass statements on LinkedIn while serving as a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and depicting himself in uniform.” He also listed an Auxiliary position, “branch Chief for Human Resources.” James C. Wenzler v. United States Coast Guard, No. 25-1896 (7th Cir. June 8, 2026). After being told to stop, he persisted. He threatened to sue. He made more inappropriate communications and was separated from the Auxiliary. Then he did sue claiming his free speech being constrained.
Disclaimer! I am not your lawyer, or a legal officer of the Auxiliary. The opinions expressed herein are my own. The citations to the case and applicable manuals are believed to be accurate at the time of writing.
Executive summary
Do not put any one of (1) government organization membership; (2) government organization o!cer position; or (3) wearing a government authorized uniform on a social media profile or page on which you want to post critical opinions. Certainly not all three.
If context or people’s knowledge of your prominence in an organization require, include some kind of disclaimer. And content wise, think through the implications of what you write to those who will read it. Think twice and re-read before you hit “Post.” Civility in communications is a plus. Read the full article here.