New Air Force Chaplain: Race, Gender, but No Religion

The Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing in New Jersey recently published an article announcing it had commissioned 1Lt Anita Morris as its new chaplain. Interestingly, the relatively short piece on the new unit’s religious representative managed to say nothing about religion; in fact, discounting the word “chaplain,” the only word remotely related to the chaplain’s field was one occurrence of “spiritual.” Otherwise:

History was made [when] Morris became the first African-American female to serve as chaplain in the history of the 177th Fighter Wing.

“It was met with great humility and gratitude to know I am the first,” Morris said.

The article was happy to communicate Lt Morris’ race and gender, but demurred on her religion or religious freedom — about which the reader leaves the article knowing absolutely nothing.  While the article called her a chaplain, Lt Morris did not wear a chaplain’s badge, and she notably cited her “role model and inspiration” as Maya Angelou.

Lt Morris originally entered the US Air Force in 1995 and has been deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. She has a Divinity degree from Regent University and has been associated with both Methodist and Baptist churches.

Lt Morris has been a chaplain for her local VFW, and she runs something called “All My God Ministries” where she

Accepts All God’s creations and also see them through triumph in the soul-making process [sic]

and she also says she is a “commemorated 9/11 Hero for the Wyoming Air National Guard.”

3 comments

  • Biblical scholar, first African American Female, 911 hero… Good grief.

    This is why the military needs chaplains who just want to herald Christ. A biblically qualified (male) chaplain could care less about all of the things that this self-described scholar lauds herself with.

    • Brianna Frances MacKinnon

      I first met Anita when she was invited to attend services Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst MA by our Associate Rector. She sat near me in the Pews and we introduced ourselves to each other. I found out that she was a Combat Veteran like myself and also an Ordained Minister who had just moved to the Amherst area. I was at the time the acting Chaplain for our local VFW Post and I invited her to apply to join.

      That next Wednesday we had our monthly meeting and we voted her in as a new member. I next suggested to our Post Commander that Anita be appointed as our Chaplain. She has been our Chaplain since although I have occasionally filled in for her when she could not be present for a meeting. I have known her since and she IS quite knowledgeable about the Bible.

  • #Brianna Frances MacKinnon

    Have you or her ever read 1 Timothy 2:12? Obviously not, given the fact that your self-described scholarly friend ignores this verse, and you do as well.

    Repent of your rebellion.