God and Country

Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. –Psalm 144:1

Can a Christian serve in combat?  Is war inconsistent with the commands of Jesus Christ?

Recent events have given new life to the age old discussion about whether “Christian” and “military” are mutually exclusive (never mind being a “Christian Fighter Pilot”).  Particularly for new Christians, or Christians who grew up in peaceful times and areas, the concepts of a “warring Christian” who is a child of the loving God can seem contradictory.

(There are also many non-Christians who try to find an apparent contradiction in military Christian service.  The intent here is to address those with a Christian worldview.)

There are many books and pamphlets written on this topic, and most categorize their analysis in two categories. The “anti-war” division centers on the ”pacifist teachings” of Jesus. The “pro-war” division centers on the Just War doctrine supported with Biblical citations. Well-researched books quote Augustine and Thomas Aquinas Read more…

It seems everybody wants to be a fighter pilot, or at least pretend to be one.  Many people seem to quote fighter pilot movies without knowing what they’re actually saying.  Some quotes are accurate (pilots do say “Fox 3″ when firing AMRAAMs and “Fox 2″ when firing Sidewinders, a la Will Smith in Independence Day); others, not so much (pretty much everything in Top Gun).  While most fighter pilot-sounding quotes may just sound cool, quite a bit of real fighter pilot lingo is laced with sexual innuendo through the use of “clever” linguistic games.

Are you sure you want to play?  Read more…

Being a Christian in the military sometimes creates challenges in situations civilians take for granted.  For example, how do you find a church?  The concept of a “home church” and steady lifelong attendance takes on a whole new meaning when you move every two to four years.

This is the third article in a series of suggestions and guidance on finding a church as you move about in your military career.  The first, Part 1: The Military Chapel, discussed the various perspectives and thoughts on attending services at the base/post military chapel.  The second, Part 2: Worshipping at Local Churches, addressed the topic of local/community churches a military Christian might choose to visit.  This final article discusses the sometimes controversial topic of “leaving” a church.

There used to be an old military Academy gripe that cadets were judged unfairly:  Read more…

Being a Christian in the military sometimes creates challenges in situations civilians take for granted.  For example, how do you find a church?  The concept of a “home church” and steady lifelong attendance takes on a whole new meaning when you move every two to four years.

This is the second article in a series of suggestions and guidance on finding a church as you move about in your military career.  The first, Part 1: The Military Chapel, discussed the various perspectives and thoughts on attending services at the base/post military chapel.  The topic of Part 2 is local/community churches a military Christian might choose to visit at a new or temporary assignment.

Attending a Local Church  Read more…

The Journal of Faith and War has a long and interesting treatise on the Biblical perspective on Christians serving during wartime.

The article covers pacifism, the Bible’s take on military service, and other angles on what is sometimes a controversial topic.

Even if you don’t find a conflict between your faith and your profession, you should still be able to articulate why you do not feel there is a conflict.  The JFW article provides an excellent starting point.

Being a Christian in the military sometimes creates challenges in situations civilians take for granted.  For example, how do you find a church?  The concept of a “home church” and steady lifelong attendance takes on a whole new meaning when you move every two to four years.

As a military Christian, the single most important thing you can do when you arrive at a new assignment is establish your spiritual support, and finding a church is crucial to that end.  There are many options and no single correct answer.  Some people prefer the locale and access of the military chapel; others, the non-military feel of community churches.  Each option has its positives and negatives — the only ‘bad’ choice is to do nothing.

The Base Chapel

As a military Christian, when you arrive at a new assignment your  Read more…

In the pattern of Tim Tebow, a local article documents the faith of Andy Dalton, the long-running quarterback of the TCU Horned Frogs.  After an already championship season (including a handy defeat of Air Force), Dalton’s finale was leading TCU to win the Rose Bowl on New Years Day — but, Dalton’s “legacy” is more than football.

But Dalton will not only leave a massive football legacy behind at TCU, he’ll leave a spiritual mark as well.  Read more…

The New Year has begun, and along with resolutions of daily Bible reading and hitting the gym to improve your fitness score, you’ve got another burning question:

What are you going to do with all that money?

The Defense Authorization Act passed by Congress includes a 1.4% pay raise for active duty military members.  Combined with the New Year it provides an excellent opportunity to review your financial stewardship, whether you’re a brand new Lieutenant or a “seasoned” senior officer.

Of course, it is difficult to be wise about your finances when you don’t even know where your money goes.  If you don’t have one already, it’s time…for a budget. 

While that may make some cringe or scoff, realize that a budget — even a very basic one — will help you be a good steward of the resources God has given you.  While the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 actually goes beyond money, its truth is applicable:  Read more…

The Air Force Times reports that pilots at Fresno’s California Air National Guard are under criminal investigation for

padding their salaries by getting paid for more than one shift on the same day.

(The Fresno Guard flies the F-16.) Guard and Reserve pilots are often paid based on how much they work (as opposed to active duty pilots, who are paid the same regardless).  According to the reports, the pilots may have been paid for “alert” time spent at home, and for more hours than they are allowed.

If the rules and claims are clear, it should be fairly simple investigation.  It is also possible there are enough ambiguities in the rules Read more…

The New York Times chronicles the daily life of Soldiers of the 87th Infantry, with particular attention to what most Soldiers spend their time doing:

One moment, their sergeants are barking at them to stay ready, eyes focused, rifles loaded, protective gear at hand. In the next, the soldiers are searching for amusement, killing time with the skill of people who have had plenty of practice.  Read more…

According to the Navy Times, Capt Charles Maher of the attack submarine Memphis was relieved of his command over allegations of a 10-person cheating ring under his watch.  There was no evidence Maher was directly involved in the cheating.

Unlike several prior instances of cheating in all of the military services (Navy, Marines, Army), this appears to be the first time the commanding officer has been relieved over ethical failures in testing by subordinates.

Officers’ Christian Fellowship has an article entitled “A Christian Officer’s Toolbox,” which presents a variety of practical ways in which Christian military officers can integrate their faith and their profession.

The list of suggested tools, written by US Navy LtCmdr Brian Haggerty, includes  Read more…

The Baptist Press notes the recent controversy that erupted when Tony Dungy criticized New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan’s common use of profanity.

On a nationally broadcast radio show in mid-August, Dungy was asked by the host what he thought of Ryan’s use of several curse words in a constant pattern on a nationally televised reality show about the New York Jets.

Dungy told the host he didn’t approve of the bad language and would not have hired Ryan or anybody on his staff when he coached who used those words.

In Dungy’s defense, his statement was a direct response to a question, and Read more…

Ryan Hawn is a Coast Guard Academy graduate and rescue helicopter pilot currently stationed in the San Francisco Bay area.  He also attends the Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary through its online eCampus program.

Within the military environment, such distance learning programs are fairly common, especially since Masters Degrees are frequently required for promotion (though the military does not guarantee it will give you time to get that degree).  In general, like the undergraduate degree for pilots, the military is less concerned with the subject of a graduate degree and more concerned with the fact that an officer has one.

In Hawn’s case, he is able to further his own Christian education, and potentially his career, while at the same time continuing in his professional service every day.

Recent articles have highlighted the moral struggle faced by Christian men and women in the US military.  When the US Air Force Academy established an official area for pagan congregation, it aroused a wide variety of emotions, from those who found the pagan belief system repulsive to those who felt anyone should be free to do as they please.  Military Christians, too, experienced tension between the tenets of their faith and the dictates of their profession.

Following an article documenting the creation of the Academy pagan area, a commenter highlighted this very conflict (as she intended) when she asked:

That’s great news…It shows a willingness to be accepting of “other” faiths. Don’t you think it’s great news?

Is the creation of a pagan circle at the US Air Force Academy “great news?”  There are two distinct perspectives at issue, that of a Christian and that of a member of the military.  Ultimately, they form the perspective of a military Christian.  Read more…