The Fort Bragg command chaplain’s office hosted the latest meeting of Strong Bonds, the chaplain-based marriage strengthening retreats intended to help troops on the homefront.

“It’s especially critical for military personnel in that it’s difficult enough being in a relationship with someone, but when you take the dynamics of the military, the Army, the separation, the work stress, the long hours from time to time, that puts additional stress on relationships,” said Chaplain (Maj.) Ralph Clark…

The chaplains host 8 such seminars every year, and are based on a variety of relationship models: 

The curriculum for married couples is based on the program referred to as LINKS, or lasting intimacy through nurturing knowledge and skill…

The curriculum for single Soldiers is based on the PICK a Partner Program, which stands for premarital interpersonal choices and knowledge, or simply, how to avoid falling for a jerk(ette)…

Both programs teach the Relationship Attachment Model, or RAM, an illustrative model depicting the balance between know, trust, rely, commit, and touch.

The Strong Bonds program was created several years ago in an effort to stave off divorces — as well as improve the quality of life on the homefront, which naturally impacts a servicemember’s attitudes and professional duties.

Naturally, Chris Rodda and Michael Weinstein have criticized Strong Bonds, calling it an “unconstitutional scandal and an outrage” so ‘enticing’ it is coercive.  Strong Bonds has also been cited as a possible future flash point for the acceptance of homosexuality in the military.  It is a chaplain-run program, and chaplains whose theologies condemn homosexuality would be faced with supporting homosexuals (in contradiction with their sending body), barring homosexuals (inviting a complaint), or potentially abandoning the program for everyone.

Jason Torpy has agreed that such a controversy is likely — and he and his atheist organization support restricting chaplains as a result.

As yet, there is no indication homosexuals have had any interaction with the programs.