Military Christians Wonder About Voting with Their Feet

A few months ago Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen told reporters

if there is either policy direction that someone in uniform disagrees with…and you feel so strongly about it — you know, the answer is not advocacy; it is in fact to vote with your feet.

The New York Times is reporting that those who oppose service by open homosexuals are beginning to wonder just how they can do that.  Unlike General Mixon, the impetus of Mullen’s commentary, most servicemembers cannot simply resign.  Many, even Read more

DADT Survey Publicized, Derided by Advocacy Groups

A homosexual advocacy group obtained a copy of the survey delivered to US military members despite the military’s intent to keep the survey “confidential.”  The Department of Defense defended the format and content of the survey against criticism from homosexual advocacy groups that have derided it.  Apparently, those groups take issue with the word “homosexual” and the fact recipients were asked how they would feel about sharing personal space with open homosexuals.  The military’s response:

Responding to critics’ claims the survey was biased against gays, [DoD spokesman Geoff] Morrell said, “Absolutely, unequivocally, I reject it as nonsense.”

Alleged Wikileaks Source was Lonely, Angry…Humanist

The Defense Department has announced that 22 year old US Army Private First Class Bradley Manning has had “charges preferred” alleging multiple counts of improperly handling classified information.  According to prior reports, Manning admitted in internet chat rooms that he distributed the helicopter gunship video dubbed “collateral murder” as well as thousands of other secret files.

In an apparent attempt to humanize Manning, the Associated Press noted his “outcast” status among his peers:

With his custom-made “humanist” dog tags and distrust of authority, Bradley Manning was no conventional soldier.  Read more

Military Distributes DADT Survey

According to an official release, the Department of Defense distributed 400,000 emailed surveys yesterday to military members on the topic of the implementation of the repeal of the policy most commonly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Half of the surveys went to active-duty servicemembers, and half were sent to the reserve components. Troops who received the surveys were selected based on age, rank, service, component, military specialties, education, marital status and other factors to ensure broad and thorough feedback on a potential repeal, Ham said.

The Military Times said the actual questions were “under wraps,” but the survey  Read more

MAAF Supports Religious Restrictions for DADT Repeal

Many voices supporting the “repeal” of the policy and laws collectively referred to as “don’t ask, don’t tell” have dismissed claims from religious groups and military Chaplains about impingement on religious liberty.  The Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, which supports the repeal, disagrees.  They not only believe the repeal will result in the restriction of religious freedom, they welcome it:  Read more

Land Calls for Filibuster over DADT Repeal

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, has called for a filibuster of the Defense Authorization Act, which currently has an amendment repealing the federal law banning homosexuals from serving in the US military:

“I’ve never known of a better excuse for a filibuster than to stop the Congress of the United States from essentially destroying the greatest military force our nation has ever known.”

Each of the four military service chiefs has expressed opposition to what is described as a “compromise” over DADT repeal; Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen’s position is Read more

Ministry Asks Congress to Keep Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Coral Ridge Ministries, a media outreach group founded by the late D. James Kennedy, sent a letter to Congress asking them not to change the current policy on homosexuals in the military, popularly called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The conservative Christian group based in Fort Lauderdale says efforts this week to repeal the 1993 law limiting gay and lesbian service represent “a direct assault on the military’s good order, discipline, unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and morale.”  Read more

Groups: Servicemembers “Silenced” over DADT

A report from CNS News says that military Chaplains and servicemembers are being “muzzled” with respect to their views on DADT:

Arthur Schultz [sic, Schulcz], a former Army chaplain who now is legal counsel to the National Conference of Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers, told reporters that servicemen overseas have been told not to speak in support of DADT.

“One of the chaplains…spoke to me, who recently came back from overseas from a major command, and he said that the word is out to chaplains: don’t speak about this and particularly, don’t raise issues about why you can’t support it,” [Schulcz] told reporters. “And so that’s the unofficial, ‘official’ language to say, ‘Keep your mouth shut, or else.'”

Tony Perkins, the disinvited former Marine and president of the Family Research Council, supported that assessment and said “many” on active duty also oppose Read more

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