Here's the thing about those cadets flashing the phony 'white power' hand-sign and whatever that rag was during the Army-Navy game:

Yes, 4chan promulgated it to 'trigger the libs' - but that's still disrespecting a whole group of people for no other reason than to get them upset.

The fact that it's been adopted enough by the reactionary right makes it inappropriate for an officer in the US military to ever use it; it implies that they are supporting that which is against their code and strictures, and that which violates the laws and Constitution of the US.

That the boys thought it was funny? Means that aside from the more serious implications above, means they are not mature enough to command or hold the rank granted on graduation, because they don't understand the concept of 'disrespect' or 'appropriate behaviour'.

A high school friend of mine went to the Naval Academy and did 20 years in the service before retiring, and he is livid about this.

He said they’re looking at “Administrative Review”, which then leads to punishment. It might be confinement to campus, confinement to campus for a particular period of time (there goes Christmas leave), confinement to quarters outside of classes and meals, extra physical training (enjoy an extra ten mile run every day)...

... “Maintenance Assistance”, which is the old “cleaning the bathroom with a toothbrush” thing, or the full court martial for “Disrespect to the Service”.

if that last one happens, one or all of the previous may happen, or they may have an entire year cancelled and need to take it again, or expulsion. And if they get expelled, all the costs of their education, which is paid off by their service time, comes due immediately.

They are going to learn just how not funny that is.

Will action actually be taken? I mean, I can see that all that goofing around could be perceived as strictly disrespectful to the position, all sociopolitics aside.

It's against regulations for both cadets and midshipmen to display anything like that.

Example: at the Army-Navy game in 1988, the sound system was playing the Billy idol cover of "Mony Mony". A group of midshipmen used a particularly obscene chant during part of it.

they got confined to academy grounds for 30 days and suspension of phone rights. Only contact to anyone outside was by USPS.

One of them waved some bastardisation of the US flag briefly, too.

uh

uh

that's straight to court-martial.

As you said, just the fact that they would do it "for fun" shows that they don't care about the people it hurts. That they could think "they are not racist cause it's just for laughs" proves they are racist. I do hope very harsh sentence will be waiting for them ahead.

Retired Navy Chief speaks on NBC about it:

Military investigating after cadets flashed possible...

ReJenerator : I finally found the video again and got a freezeframe - it's not as bad as I thought.

oh. that one would be acceptable.

ReJenerator : I was reminded of the Thin Blue Line flag variant that's borderline in-your-face-ness, you know?

This one is much more differnt from th'normal flag. Th'Blue Line one seems like it oughta be a violation of th'Flag Code.

Samm Florian : Yeah, but it was the arrangement of stripes that caught my attention; I couldn't see it well enough initially.

No, I get it? But I know that, on the Navy side, the week before the Army-Navy game, you'll get some insane behavior. Tests don't get given because the only answer written down is "BEAT ARMY"; on the Army side I expect it's similar and so that flag would be (borderline) acceptable.

Camo and black stripes with a... regimental emblem, I'm guessing, on the canton?

Like the Thin Blue Line flag, I've seen variations that would NOT be acceptable, and given the company he's keeping, I had doubts before a better look.