Military Spouse Claims Free Speech Violation After Navy Base Deletes Facebook Comments

Sergio Rodriguez is suing Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia, for supposedly violating his First Amendment rights by banning him from the base's official Facebook page. Rodriguez is an Army veteran and Navy spouse who was once named Navy Spouse of the Year.

Plaintiffs in the case filed Thursday in federal court in Norfolk, Virginia, are the base's commanding officer, Capt. Christopher Bohner and Public Affairs Officer Scott Bassett. Rodriguez says he was illegally shut down after asking questions about a power outage that happened for a long time in August 2024 and affected military families living on base.

The complaint states that Rodriguez had been using official military Facebook pages for years to assist and support military families, including those experiencing issues with their homes or infrastructure. He asked if families would be reimbursed for spoiled food and if they were moving. Soon after, his comments were taken down, and he was no longer able to view the page.

Rodriguez said that an official reason was never given to him. He later tried to get back into the base but did not hear back. The suit says that Rodriguez learned about the ban from the wife of the senior officer, not from someone at the base.

"This case is about making sure the government cannot shut down voices it does not like, especially those speaking out for other people," Rodriguez's lawyer, Mike Petrino of the Center for Individual Rights, said. "The Navy might not agree with what Sergio said, but they cannot keep him from speaking in public because of the First Amendment."

The case comes at a time when people are still arguing about whether the government should be able to censor social media sites that official communications use. The Navy's most recent social media policy, which was changed in October 2024, says that people cannot be banned for having different opinions, but comments that break the law or rules can be taken down.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden praised Rodriguez, who lives in Chesapeake, Virginia, for his work as an advocate. From 2000 to 2006, he was in the Army. In 2010, he married someone in the Navy.

Rodriguez said, "The Navy did not just try to stop me; they also tried to stop the truth." For him, "Running that down does not help anyone."