God and Country

As previously discussed, a civilian author recently criticized a military Chaplain for “expressing contempt” for the Constitution when he made “derogatory remarks about Islam:”

When a uniformed officer of the US military makes derogatory remarks about Islam, he’s violating [his] oath and expressing contempt of the First Amendment.

The comment was made by Jeff Sharlet, posting under the moniker Ishmael, on the Daily Kos website.  Sharlet is also the author of The Family, a book that purports to be an expose on a secretive and conspiratorial religious organization (the “Christian Mafia”) attempting to influence the US government.

The comment was in defense of Chris Rodda, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation researcher, when she criticized Camp David Chaplain (LtCdr) Carey Cash for his religious views.  Sharlet’s use of the word “derogatory” notwithstanding, is he right?  Can a religious leader of one faith in the military say nothing negative about another–even if such statements are consistent with the tenets of their faith?

The core question: Can a Chaplain (or any other military officer) espouse specific, even exclusive, religious ideology?

The shortest, most accurate answer: Read more…

The US Navy has reported a T-34C training jet missing off the coast of Texas.  The aircraft is one of the basic trainers for Navy flight training.  It can carry a two person crew.

When it was first constructed, Luke Air Force Base was well outside of the small town that would eventually become bustling Phoenix, Arizona.  Now Luke suffers from a severe case of encroachment, with occupied houses literally right off the end of the runway.  That encroachment, reflected at many bases across the country, has led to noise complaints and community actions that have impacted the flight operations at major military bases.

Now the Tucson community, just south of Luke, is one among several that is weighing the pros and cons of trying to become host to a major F-35 training base.  Tucson hosts Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the current location of A-10 training.  The good part of the F-35: Such a training base would likely be a boon to the local economy.  The problem: Read more…

Recently, a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event was held at a local Florida high school under seemingly innocent and legal circumstances.  The initial news report simply described the event, in which hundreds of students gathered in the school’s bleachers in the evening to “celebrate their faith.”

However, the event has now been criticized by some who have said they were “uncomfortable” with it, despite the fact that it appears to have met all necessary restrictions and followed all rules concerning legality and Constitutionality.

Rabbi James H. Perman of the local Naples, Florida, community was a former Air Force Chaplain in Vietnam Read more…

Over at War is Boring, David Axe, a civilian war correspondent, notes the unique history of a particular F-15E Strike Eagle.  The fighter has a star and a Sidewinder stamped on its side, indicating two very unique air-to-air kills.

The star is from a kill in Operation Desert Storm.  Nearly 20 years ago, that aircraft dropped a bomb on an airborne helicopter in Iraq.

The Sidewinder is from an unofficially reported shootdown of a friendly Reaper UAV just last month.  According to Aviation Week (sometimes called “Aviation Leak” Read more…

While the nature of war spawned the cliche that “there are no atheists in foxholes,” another stereotype of religion and war is sometimes overlooked: those that grow to doubt their faith because of the brutal combat that they see–and participate in.

That questioning spirit is the objective of Chaplain (Maj) Dale Forrester.  He is the unit Chaplain for a Warrior Transition Battalion, which is composed of those who will likely not return to their unit.  Forrester was formerly Read more…

Afghans recently protested an alleged incident in which ‘foreign soldiers’ burned a Quran during a raid.  NATO and US force representatives denied that any such incident occurred, instead calling it a Taliban rumor.

Perhaps more interesting were the actions the protestors took.  While a few Americans claim that US actions are convincing the Muslim world that Americans are on a Christian ‘crusade,’ the protestors repeated the more common accusation:  Read more…

Update: A letter to the editor of the Stars and Stripes calls this a “bad decision,” saying other officers will have to “pick up the slack” when the Sikh soldier cannot be deployed due to his religious gear being incompatible with the chemical defense ensemble.

Earlier this year two Sikh medical students who had joined the US Army appealed the Army regulation that prevents them from wearing their articles of faith, including their beard, turban, and kirpan.  As discussed previously, a US appeals court had upheld the Army regulation.

The Sikh Coalition now reports that one of the physicians has been granted an exception to the uniform policy.  Notably, this is not the change in policy Read more…

Understandably, it is sometimes difficult to accurately convey the complicated relationships that military members have with the government and religion.  Sometimes, people with the best intentions misstate the proper role of military members; sometimes, people do so authoritatively–and ignorantly.

Recently, a well-publicized civilian author said this:

When a uniformed officer of the US military makes derogatory remarks about Islam, he’s violating [his] oath and expressing contempt of the First Amendment.

(For context, the ”uniformed officer” (who wasn’t actually in uniform at the time) was a Chaplain.)

Do you agree?

More to follow.

Update: See the discussion on this question here.

The sensitivities of religion, military uniforms, and weapons have frequently made for controversial accusations.  A few months ago, al Jazeera used creative cuts in a video of a Chaplain to imply that he was wearing a sidearm. (Though he wasn’t, others in the congregation may very well have been.)  When Christian basic trainees were photographed with their weapons during religious services, they were decried as morally equivalent to Islamic suicide bombers.

The apparent accusation is that American servicemembers should not be permitted to intermingle their uniforms, weapons, and religion.  Notably, that accusation has been applied only to Christians.  Other ideological adherents have been photographed in uniform with their weapons without complaint.

The military requirements, however,  Read more…

As reported in the Boston Globe, recent US intelligence reports now say that most of those fighting against NATO in Afghanistan are not fighting for religious or ideological goals.  Instead, their objectives are more familiar: power, money, and even a local form of nationalism.

Ninety percent is a tribal, localized insurgency…Ten percent are hardcore ideologues fighting for the Taliban.

Some of the fighters even oppose the Taliban.   Read more…

Tim Tebow has been a frequent subject of this site.  He is an outspoken Christian in a public position who has utilized his platform to further the cause of Christ.

He has been used as an example for those who feel they need to get out of the military and become preachers or missionaries in order to serve Christ.  Tebow, like R.G. LeTourneau, accurately points out that men and women should serve God where He has placed them, and they should use the talents that He has given them.

His life ministry–that is, his conscious desire to be known as someone who is genuine and cares–has been used as an example of the power of living evangelism, or Truth with Feet.

Now, Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, highlights a “new agenda” Read more…

One of the oxymorons of fighter pilot flying is that sometimes being unhealthy is actually an advantage.  For example, a person with constricted blood vessels and/or higher blood pressure (characteristics of someone who is a smoker or has a poor diet) often have a better tolerance to Gs.  (That’s not to say that an unhealthy lifestyle is good; just that it might be an advantage in very specific situations.)

The Associated Press recently publicized a report that fatty foods are also helpful Read more…

As frequently noted, US military Chaplains serve as far more than mere spiritual advisors.  They are counselors, marriage consultants, morale officers, and representatives to their command on issues of culture and religion that affect the mission.  They’re also sometimes just a voice of reassurance.

A Chaplain currently stationed in Iraq recounts a story of how his faith helped a soldier at Fort Benning, where paratroopers at the Airborne School learn to jump out of airplanes:  Read more…

An Army Times article notes the US Army’s struggle to end a near-tradition of cheating on military promotion tests.  It appears many of the exams are long-running, meaning that gouge of one sort or another is readily available and frequently used.

The Army is far from the only service to experience such scandals.  The Navy has had its fair share of cheating, as has the Air Force, and cheating scandals at all of the military academies have made headlines at one time or another.

Hunts for online “help” for military courses is so common that one of the frequent searches that leads people to this very site is “pme,” “sos,” or “acsc” “gouge.”  Those who land here will instead find Read more…