( CNN ) -- What would happen if you posted derogatory comments about your boss on a Facebook page that you knew would be read by your co-workers ? How would your boss react if in those Facebook posts you called him or her a `` coward , '' a `` domestic enemy , '' and boasted that you would n't be following the boss ' instructions in the future ? And what if your boss is the president of the United States and you are a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps ? That 's essentially the case of Sgt . Gary Stein , a nine-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps , who is on the verge of being discharged from the military for making comments on Facebook about his boss : the commander-in-chief , President Barack Obama . Stein posted comments on both his personal Facebook page and on The Armed Forces Tea Party Facebook page he created , mocking the president . On those pages he referred to President Obama as a `` domestic enemy , '' a coward , and even superimposed President Obama 's face on the poster for the movie `` Jackass . '' But the comment that really drew the ire of Marine Corps brass was this post from Stein : . `` As an Active Duty Marine I say 'Screw Obama ' and I will not follow all orders from him ... has [ sic ] for saluting Obama as commander-in-chief ... I will not ! '' It 's pretty clear that Stein will not be adding President Obama as a friend on Facebook any time soon . The U.S. military has alleged that Stein 's postings violated military regulations prohibiting partisan political statements while in active service in the military . Consequently , Stein was charged with conduct `` prejudicial to good order and discipline . '' But Stein does n't see it that way . Stein appeared earlier this week on CNN 's `` Starting Point '' arguing that the Facebook posts were not his views as a U.S. Marine , but , `` ... my personal opinion as Gary Stein . '' Members of the military are free to give their personal opinions about political candidates , but Stein 's Facebook post begins : `` As an Active Duty Marine I say 'Screw Obama ... ' `` This clearly gives the appearance that Stein is speaking as a member of the Marine Corps . Secondly , the Marine Corps motto is the Latin phrase `` Semper Fi , '' which means `` always faithful . '' The motto is n't `` faithful only nine to five . '' Every Marine I have ever met has made it clear that being a U.S. Marine is a 24-hour a day job . Bottom line : Stein , upon enlisting , agreed to follow the rules of the U.S. Military , which contain express regulations prohibiting certain partisan political speech . As a result of his apparent violations of these regulations , a military panel ruled last week three to zero to discharge Stein from the military . In normal times , this case would have likely received little media coverage . But these are not normal times . Instead , we live in a grotesquely partisan era . Consequently , three Republican congressmen publicly came to Stein 's defense : Reps. Allen West , Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter . Hunter even sent a personal letter to the Marine Corps in which he stated in part : `` I urge the Marine Corps to withdraw the discharge proceedings and allow Sgt Stein to complete his enlistment . '' West , a former U.S. Army officer , issued a statement paradoxically conceding that Stein should face some form of discipline -- although less than discharge -- but then in essence pointed his finger at President Obama as the cause for Stein 's conduct : `` If America had leadership that gained the respect of our military , instead of simply using them as stage props for speeches , this atmosphere would not exist . '' Adding to the growing partisanship of this case is that the lawyer now representing Stein -- Gary Kreep -- was one of the lead organizers of the birther movement , which contended falsely that President Obama was not born in America and , thus , not legitimately the president . Kreep even created a 28-minute infomercial on the birther issue in which he hawked `` Got a Birth Certificate '' bumper stickers for $ 30 each . You have to wonder if Stein had made the comments at issue about a Republican president if these men would be offering the same support . ( It 's a rhetorical question : We all know the answer . ) Inserting partisan politics into our military is dangerous . Our nation 's military can not be divided into political factions where loyalty is based on whether service members agree with the political views of the commander-in-chief . As the U.S. Supreme Court noted when upholding restrictions on partisan politics in the military : We live under `` ... the American constitutional tradition of a politically neutral military establishment under civilian control . '' There should be zero tolerance by the military for any partisan politicking by active duty service men or women . This is not only `` prejudicial to good order and discipline , '' but could lead to the loss of lives . We already have one dysfunctional institution marred by partisan infighting -- the U.S. Congress - we ca n't afford another . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dean Obeidallah .
A Marine is facing dismissal for his anti - Obama posts on Twitter . Sgt . Michael Stein says he would n't take orders from Obama or salute him . Dean Obeidallah : Military requires obedience , ca n't be subject to partisanship . He says that GOP congressmen are out of bounds for backing the president .