The Armed Forces Get Their Marching Orders This Political Season

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(Fox News) - Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen is warning American military personnel to stay out of politics this election year. Admiral Mullen's open letter to those in uniform will appear in the upcoming issue of Joint Force Quarterly, an official military journal.

He writes, "The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times. It is and must always be a neutral instrument of the state, no matter which party holds sway."

Mullen says military personnel should remember their sworn duty as the nation prepares to elect a new president: "Keeping our politics private is a good first step. The only things we should be wearing on our sleeves are our military insignia."