Month: June 2011

Military Commanders: Religious Expression or Religious Coercion?

The Journal of Faith and War has published articles on a variety of topics covering aspects of national security, leadership, God, religion, and the military.

They recently re-published the 2010 paper by Chaplain (then-LtCol) Jimmy Browning, entitled “Religious Expression or Religious Coercion: Commanders Caught in the Crossfire.”  The paper was noted here last year, and is a brief but very interesting perspective on religious issues as they pertain to military leadership.

Chaplain (Col) Browning is now Deputy Commandant of the US Air Force Chaplains’ Corps College.  The College is part of the joint Chaplain school at Fort Jackson, SC.

Air Force Chapels Raise $250K for Japan

According to an official Air Force release, the US Air Force chapel community raised more than a quarter million dollars to aid the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11, members of the Air Force Chaplain Corps on 43 installations helped raise more than $257,000 toward relief efforts for victims of the disaster, officials said here June 9.

The effort began with a call from the Air Force Chief of Chaplains:

On March 15, Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson, the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, encouraged chapel community Airmen and their families to take designated offerings at worship services to assist the earthquake victims.

The funds went to a variety of aid organizations, including a Catholic aid group and the Billy Graham-founded Samaritan’s Purse:  Read more

Military Religion Question Answered: Advertising a Bible Study

Recently, an email from an officer announcing a Bible study at Kirtland AFB was the subject of a complaint from Michael Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation, leading to the question here, “Can a military officer advertise a Bible study?”

Some relevant quotes from the original complaint, as sent to (and publicized by) the MRFF by an enlisted Airman:

During the past 6-7 months a unit commander, who is now the Deputy Group Commander decided to send mass e-mails to the wing regarding bible study sessions. These are sessions that were led by the individual sending the e-mails…a person in a command position, clearly a conflict of interest. A lot of us expressed concern about the perception that leadership is endorsing what should clearly be a chaplain endorsed and led activity.
 
Just imagine the following scenario… if you were a young Airman wanting to look good for a Below the Zone package, the Deputy Group Commander is leading a bible study, a young impressionable person might Read more

On Being a Mother and Fighter Pilot

An official news release features US Air Force Major Jaime Nordin and her attempts to balance her life as an F-16 fighter pilot and mother.  While many people consider being a fighter pilot “who they are,” it seems Nordin is in transition:

“Being a mom and a fighter pilot are both equally demanding, which makes having only 24 hours in a day hard,” she said. “But more and more, I’m becoming a mom, and a fighter pilot is my trade.”

Everyone has priorities in life; having children can put a new perspective on things.  For those that are curious, the article describes some of the details about female fighter pilots who get pregnant.  Nordin was grounded Read more

USAFA Receives New Training Aircraft

The US Air Force Academy has purchased new training aircraft to replace those it has leased for more than a decade.  USAFA has not purchased a training fleet since the ill-fated T-3A Firefly killed 3 cadets and 3 officers from 1995 to 1997.

The Cirrus T-53A is a single engine propeller driven aircraft and will be used in USAFA’s flight training program.  The T-53 acquisition will run $6.1M for the fleet of 25.  The local article also notes the aircraft is equipped with a whole-aircraft parachute.

The aircraft will be evaluated by test pilots from Edwards Air Force base before its use as a cadet trainer.

US Military Chaplains “Give Us Inner Strength”

Newly promoted Chaplain (Col) Jeffrey Houston was awarded the Bronze Star in a ceremony by MajGen David Perkins, commanding general of US Division North in Iraq. General Perkins did not mince words in lauding the value of Houston or Chaplains in general:

“While we may have the best gear in the world and the best training in the world, the thing that makes us special is the people,” said Perkins. “Chaplains, specifically people like Jeff, give us inner strength. That is what he has done for me, and that is what he has done throughout his military career.”

Military Chaplains serve in a unique — and essential — role within the US armed forces.  Regrettably, their value is most often noticed in their absence.

(As an aside, last year General Perkins had the pleasure of a meeting with Michael Weinstein — which resulted in Weinstein saying “see you in court.”  Naturally, the threat was empty.)

1 2 3 4 5