Pastor: 80 Airmen Meet on Air Force Treatment of Christianity

Pastor Steve Branson of Village Parkway Baptist Church in San Antonio, TX, reported that he recently held a meeting with a large group of members of the US Air Force to hear their worries over the Air Force’s treatment of their religious freedom.

At least 80 airmen attended a private meeting at the church where [Branson] heard them voice their concerns about religious hostilities at the Air Force base. It was a standing-room only crowd.

“The religious persecution is happening,” the pastor said. “It’s getting bigger every day.”

As to the improper conduct for which these Airmen claim they are being discriminated against [emphasis added]:

“A commander told him, ‘Don’t you understand discrimination – that your thought process is discrimination?’” Pastor Branson said.

Branson’s church in San Antonio, near Lackland Air Force Base, has Read more

US Military Brings Yoga, Comedy to Afghanistan

The Department of Defense announced that “Soul-dier Boot Camp” was brought to Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, as part of Armed Forces Entertainment:

Soul-dier Boot Camp is a yoga-inspired, high-intensity, interval cardio class designed to get participants to a high cardiovascular level and then bring them down with a calming, athletic, yoga course.

In the evening, the team entertained with comedy:  Read more

Army Enlisted Leader Promotes Character over Competence

The Stars and Stripes reports on comments by SgtMaj of the Army Raymond Chandler, who took the time in Afghanistan to tell troops that being a Soldier of character was more important than being a Soldier of competence:

Too often in the past the Army has emphasized competency over character and commitment, Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler told troops during town hall meetings at bases in eastern Afghanistan.   “The most dangerous person in our Army today is someone who is highly competent but has little or no character,” Chandler said. “Too often we tolerate mediocrity.”

Chandler noted that it is a lack of character, not Read more

Military Opinions, Politics Meet Again in Syria

There are regulatory restrictions on what members of the US military are allowed to say and do when it comes to politics.  With that in mind, there have been interesting displays from people in the US military (or claiming to be) over the proposed strikes on Syria.

For example, who would have thought a Soldier would publicly say this [emphasis added]:

“As a soldier, I understand that before any military action, our nation must have a clear tactical objective, a realistic strategy, the necessary resources to execute that strategy — including the support of the American people — and an exit plan.  The proposed military action against Syria fails to meet any of these criteria.”

That was Read more

Senator, Wife of A-10 Pilot, Blocks Nominee over A-10 Cuts

On her website, Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) buttresses her national defense credentials by noting she was a military spouse of an A-10 pilot.

Now that the Air Force has basically said it wants to get rid of the A-10 (again), Senator Ayotte has put a “hold” on the nomination of Ms. Deborah Lee James to the position of Secretary of the Air Force:

She…views this as a readiness issue. Until we have Read more

General Welsh Encourages Social Media, Leadership

During Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh’s Air Force Association speech (in which he wore the now-famous Captain America mask), Gen Welsh also made a point of promoting the use of social media:

Welsh encouraged the use of social media to facilitate two-way communication and buffer against communication pitfalls such as “stove-piped information.”

“Chief (Master Sgt. of the Air Force James) Cody and I are on Facebook and Twitter, which is terrifying,” Welsh said over laughter. “Follow us.”

On that note, General Welsh (who signs Read more

Group Sues US Military for Weinstein Records

Update: Also at OneNewsNow, where Judicial Watch claims Michael Weinstein has had an “adverse affect on religious freedom in the military,” and LifeSiteNews.

Judicial Watch announced it has filed a FOIA lawsuit against the Department of Defense seeking information about its relationship with Michael “Mikey” Weinstein, following his now-infamous meeting with Pentagon officials in April:

Judicial Watch…filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit…against the Department of Defense seeking “all records and communications” between the Pentagon and Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) founder Mikey Weinstein, a controversial activist who has compared evangelicals with the Taliban and al-Qaeda and has called for the court martial of Christian chaplains (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Defense (No. 1:13-cv-01372 )).

Judicial Watch said they  Read more

Army Prayer Breakfast Recalls World Trade Center Cross

On 11 September 2013, more than 400 Soldiers attended a Memorial Prayer Breakfast hosted at the Spirit of Fort Hood chapel.  The guest speaker was retired US Navy Chaplain Ron Swafford, who was one of the few to visit Ground Zero after the attacks:

“I just happened to be there the day that they found those crossed I-Beams that came out of the rubble forming a cross,” he recalled. “It was quite impressive because all the workers just stopped and gathered Read more

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