A photo of 16 black West Point cadets posing with their fists raised has been circulating around online military sites, leaving many to wonder if the girls are making a political statement in solidarity with the Black Panthers, the Black Lives Matter movement, or any other political groups who use the gesture.

Lt. Col. Christopher Kasker, West Point's director of public affairs, sent an e-mail to the Army Times this week that stated, "We can confirm that the cadets in this photo are members of the U.S. Military Academy's Class of 2016. Academy officials are conducting an inquiry into the matter."

The report also noted:

Army Times received the photo Wednesday from several readers who are concerned the women violated Department of Defense Directive 1344.10, Political Activities by Members of the Armed Forces. The policy provides a list of political do's and don’ts for service members and cautions against "partisan political activity" when in uniform.

Iraq War veteran John Burk has been one of the most vocal critics of the girls in the photo. He posted his critique to his personal fitness website and then the following video to Facebook, in which he defends himself against the many accusations of "racist" that are now predictably coming his way (language warning):