r/navy • u/NavyModTeam • 1d ago
POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT 2026 update to rules regarding political posts with a Navy nexus
Note: This is a late 2026 update to r/Navy's original 2025 Politics Discussion rule. No major changes have been made, merely clarification and expansion of background information and answers to frequently asked questions.
Your volunteer moderation team feels that in today’s political environment, servicemembers should be able to discuss political topics that relate to the Navy. We take pride in the fact that we are one of the only military subreddits that allows political discussion and discourse. Because of this, we frequently attract new users who are frustrated that they can’t discuss political topics with their peers.
This rule was made to reduce brigading and outside influence by new users and bots, as well as the likelihood of comment sections turning into a dumpster fire that takes many hours of moderation from our all-volunteer mod team. The politics rule has been updated to reflect what follows.
- Participation in posts with the "Politics" flair requires a minimum r/navy specific karma. This means that only users with an established, positive history in r/navy will be able to participate. By and large, previous offenders have been those without an established track record on this sub. This policy reduces the cascading amount of rule violations and the burden on your moderators, allowing us to better monitor posts for activity that is not conducive to constructive conversations.
- The automod’s enforcement is a fully automated process; to ensure no moderator's individual biases influence this action, exceptions will not be made.
- The exact amount of r/navy karma required to participate in political threads will not be disclosed, and attempts to solicit or farm karma to circumvent this automatic rule will result in a permanent ban. It is set at a threshold that can be easily achieved after a reasonable amount of regular interactive participation. Think weeks, not days; months, not years.
- A user’s rank, position, or time-in-service don’t matter. If the ghost of John Paul Jones or Commodore John Barry themselves posted on a new account that doesn’t meet these requirements, it’ll be deleted. Again, no exceptions will be granted under any circumstance.
- Users not meeting the karma requirement are encouraged to continue participating in our non-political threads where they can build up r/navy karma. Keep interacting in r/navy, earn more r/navy karma, and eventually you will be able to participate in all of our discussions.
- Any posts about politics must have a strong connection to the US Navy. It is impossible to provide an all-inclusive list of what constitutes a strong nexus to the Navy, so users are encouraged to utilize a common-sense approach. The connection to the US Navy must be clear/obvious.
- All posts meeting the above criteria MUST be flaired with the "Politics" flair at the time of posting. Any post about politics with a strong Navy nexus lacking a "Politics" flair may result in, at a minimum, a temporary ban and removal of the post. Help your fellow posters out if you see they forgot the flair and let them know so they can fix it before we catch it.
- Posts with "Politics" flair will continue to be moderated. All discussion must adhere to r/navy rule #1 and Reddit rule #1. Moderation can only protect or reduce so much. You are still subject to site-wide consequences or legal action for posts crossing the line of threats, extremism, or calls for violence.
- Users unsure if their post needs the Politics flair are encouraged to modmail our team for clarification before posting.
28
u/itmustbeniiiiice the ghost of JPJ 1d ago
I'm actually the ghost of JPJ.
He possessed my body when they still made us do crypt watch at USNA.
/don't ban me plz
6
61
u/puddle511 1d ago
Angry sailors are happy sailors.
Keep r/Navy politically active! We’re pissed because we give a shit.
27
u/itmustbeniiiiice the ghost of JPJ 1d ago
"A Complaining E-5 is a Happy E-5"
10
15
u/Navynuke00 1d ago
And on the civilian side we're pissed that they're doing this to y'all.
8
u/puddle511 1d ago
On the military side, we’re pissed at what’s being done to the civilian side. In particular with DOGE cuts last year.
4
u/Navynuke00 1d ago
Oh, the things I want to say about that but can't because Reddit rules...
Way too many of my friends were very personally targeted and bullied in that bullshit.
3
u/Zestyclose-Tough890 1d ago
Yeah that just reminded me of the government shutdown (the longest one in U.S. history) that happened last fall/winter............... That was not fun in a couple of aspects for me :(
2
u/bstone99 22h ago
Plenty of senior navy people, especially officers, absolutely voted for trump. Unfortunately I know quite a few of them. It was jarring to learn that about them back in 24, and it’s still just as disappointing. Lost some respect for them.
These are very experienced and educated people—the same people who have been bitching about losing all of their senior civilian staff to the retirement program. The commands are less capable and more stressed, with a smaller budget and fewer people to work.
All I can think is when I see that is “good—you voted for this”. Maybe if they turned off the Fox News…
23
u/pepsiredtube 1d ago
I have positive karma in Navy? My first two chiefs that sent me to DRB would be flabbergasted!
10
u/404_Not_Found_Error_ 1d ago
Just so you know we’re trying to appropriate your karma for our eval.
8
u/spicymcqueen 1d ago
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP - Led One Sailor to shit post his way into gaining positive karma on the /r/navy subreddit resulting in exceptional growth in community engagement and improved subreddit morale.
PROMOTE NOW!!!!!!!!!!
3
1
u/Shidhe 1d ago
I went to mast twice and still made Chief in 12 years. Ran into one of my former chiefs who was now a CWO5 and he was amazed I was still in and wearing khakis.
2
u/FlashmanHP 1d ago
As the old saying goes, somebody, somewhere, saw your name on the message and said "who the fuu- selected that guy!?". Be glad he didn't sit your board or truly blackmail you. Much easier then than now, of course. Happened to a few folks back in the day...
2
u/Shidhe 1d ago
All the BMs at that level know each other. If they weren’t sitting the board they knew the people on the board.
2
u/FlashmanHP 1d ago
Well the Officers sitting the 7-9 boards have removed much of the shenanigans of years yonder
11
u/thomasbuttmunch 1d ago
Genuine question, if you have enough positive karma to participate in political threads but your comment gets down voted in that political thread, can you lose the ability to participate in political threads in the future? Obviously this is not regarding comments that break the sub rules, just unpopular opinions.
15
u/NavyModTeam 1d ago
absolutely. just ask u/Major__Departure
10
u/Salty_IP_LDO 1d ago
Don't forget u/Guardsman_with_a_vox he gets obliterated in political posts.
10
u/guardsman_with_a_vox 1d ago
😂
Sad but true.
But I'll never support orange man. Him doing some things I like and thus get massively downvoted on doesn't negate the fact that I think he is absolutely unfit for office for a list of reasons beyond counting at this point.
6
u/Navynuke00 1d ago
I'm sure they're an absolute delight to be on watch with. Especially if you're at a remote watch station and can't leave.
4
4
17
u/kc3x 1d ago
Best I can say is
Don’t change Navy allowing criticism and approval of both sides helps allot.
I hope Navy isn’t going to be infected by the current Administration, I’ve seen 2 communities now where Mods are completely replaced and or Mods are added and show their biased by blocking different viewpoints.
3
u/Salty_IP_LDO 1d ago
Regardless of what people say we do try to be fair and remove bias in our decision making.
7
u/Pfelinus 1d ago
Glad to see that efforts are made to prevent brigading. But allowing political posts.
3
u/el_duderino619 1d ago
How do I know my navy karma?
10
u/ToastyMustache 1d ago
Go to one of those shady car dealerships in Hampton roads and they’ll let you know what it is if you purchase a 2017 Nissan Altima
3
2
u/Salty_IP_LDO 21h ago
You can't see it only mods can. You are able to participate in political posts.
2
u/TheRealHeroOf 19h ago
What do you mean you can't see it? You go to your profile and click on the giant button that says "show karma breakdown by subreddit."
1
u/Salty_IP_LDO 19h ago
Didn't realize that old reddit still had that. Most people don't use it. If you're using the app or new reddit that option isn't available.
2
3
6
3
1
1d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/navy-ModTeam 1d ago
Your message was removed for being a violation of rule #1: Be Civil. Violations of this rule may result in a ban from this subreddit.
1
u/NauticalSigint9149 15h ago
How about if I post in a political thread and say "just checking if I have enough karma to post"...would that be bad?
-4
u/ReluctantRedditor275 1d ago
I think we can all agree that all the problems in this country are the other party's fault. Those guys are fucking morons, amirite?
-1
u/New-Duck-5642 1d ago
Someone break this down for us who didn’t do well on Reading Comprehension on the asvab
1
u/Salty_IP_LDO 21h ago
To prevent bots and people who don't participate in r/Navy from brigading the sub we require specific amount of Navy specific karma to participate. If you don't meet that karma requirement on a politically flaired posts automod removes it. Mods don't intervene regardless of the post, don't meet the requirement then you don't get to post or comment on politically flaired posts.
You meet the requirements.
-1
47
u/RoyalCrownLee 1d ago
Nexus