Marine General Opposes DADT Repeal

Update: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen expressed “surprise” that General Amos aired his views opposing the administration’s push to end DADT, rather than keeping those comments private.

The Associated Press reports General James Amos, newly installed Commandant of the Marine Corps, has continued his predecessor’s opposition to a repeal of the policy known as “Don’t ask, Don’t tell.”  (Nearly simultaneously, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates called for repeal “quickly.”)

The article notes one unique aspect of the Marines:  Read more

USAFA Cadets Discuss Faith, Freedom, Proselytizing

One of the results of the religious “scandals” that have plagued the US Air Force Academy over the past few years was the creation of the Cadet Interfaith Council.  The CIC was the subject of the latest USAFA news article on religious expression and diversity at the Academy.

The 20-member cadet group serves as a focal point for religious issues in the cadet wing.  Current president Cadet 2nd Class Philicia Fahrenbruch notes the Council helped ‘protect’ the time set aside for SPIRE on Monday evenings last year, and has helped deal with other issues since then.

Some of the topics noted in the article highlight the continued sensitivity of religion at the Air Force Academy:  Read more

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: The Military Christian’s Perspective

The ongoing public debate over homosexuality and the US military (most often referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”) presents a unique conflict for Christians in the military.  There are those who believe homosexuality is morally wrong and must be prohibited at every possibility, and there are those who believe people have the freedom to do as they please in their private lives.  This situation has implications from both the Christian perspective and the military perspective (in isolation), though they must be integrated to form the military Christian’s perspective.  Each of these three is addressed individually below.

The Christian Perspective

The Christian faith considers homosexuality a sin, just as theft, adultery, murder, and lust are sins.  Still, Christianity does not condemn the person who expresses a homosexual preference.  In addition, while many people in this world are tempted to sin (as was Jesus during his incarnation), the temptation to participate in sinful conduct is not itself wrong.  Finally, man is a fallen creation and has a sinful nature; thus, succumbing to temptation and sinning are a common experience of many on this earth — even the stereotypically staunchest Christians.

For a Christian, it is disheartening to see the culture, government, and now military move to end opposition to immoral behavior.  This is a dramatic indicator of the direction of cultural morality in the United States:  Few other issues have so rapidly moved from Read more

General Mixon Revisits DADT Comments

According to the Stars and Stripes, LtGen Benjamin Mixon has “regrets” over the controversy caused by his remarks earlier this year on the policy known as “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”  At the time, he wrote a letter to Stars and Stripes encouraging members of the military who opposed the repeal of DADT to “speak up.”  Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, subsequently implied Mixon should resign if he disagreed with the military’s policy direction.

“I do regret having put Army senior leadership on the spot with my response in the Stars and Stripes,” said Lt. Gen. Benjamin Mixon…

General Mixon reportedly said he planned to work “within the system” on this issue.

Soldier Saw No Atheists in Foxholes

An interesting article from Illinois notes the return of a local Army unit from Afghanistan, and focuses on the spiritual support sought by both the troops and their families:

Army Spc. Brian Peters witnessed firsthand what is meant by the familiar adage, “There are no atheists in foxholes…”  A noncommissioned officer he was with began praying during a firefight last year.  “I saw it right there on the battlefield,” Peters said. “We were in a ditch taking sniper fire.”

This suggests people often will appeal to a higher power when their lives are on the line even if they consider themselves atheists.

Several families also noted the importance of local churches in Read more

Appeals Court Upholds Stay of DADT Injunction

A three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the government when it upheld its prior stay of the controversial injunction issued against the military’s “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy.

In an eight-page order, two judges said they were persuaded by the Department of Justice’s argument that U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Phillips’ worldwide injunction against the policy “will seriously disrupt ongoing and determined efforts by the Administration to devise an orderly change.”

Importantly, the ruling may portend future issues in appeal.  First, the judges Read more

US Air Force Instructs Iraqi Pilot Training

Just a few years after facing off with the Iraqi Air Force on opposite sides of full-scale conflict, the US Air Force is now teaching the next generation of Iraqi Air Force pilots.

American forces have been teaching the Iraqis using 11 Iraqi-flagged T-6A Texan IIs, the same initial trainer used for the US Air Force.  The goal isn’t necessarily to make new pilots; its to teach their new instructors…and quickly:  Read more

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