Muslim Soldier Claims Conscientious Objector Status

According to the Associated Press, US Army PFC Naser Abdo joined the Army last year but has since decided that his faith will not allow him to fight.

Abdo said when he joined the Army more than a year ago, he initially felt he could be a soldier and a Muslim at the same time. But he said he now believes Islamic standards would prohibit his service in the U.S. Army in any war.

According to documents provided to The Associated Press, Abdo cited Islamic scholars and verses from the Quran as reasons for his decision to ask for separation from the Army.

“I realized through further reflection that God did not give legitimacy to the war in Afghanistan, Iraq or any war the U.S. Army would conceivably participate in,” he wrote.

Abdo, for whom a “free Naser Abdo” website has been created, faces a similar problem as others who have thought about claiming CO status.  In order to be a CO Read more

Soldier, Airman Charged with Marital Infidelity

While there seems to remain a percentage of the American population that believes the military cannot enforce rules on moral conduct, continuing cases demonstrate that is not the case.

In the Army, a Sergeant Major was recently charged with raping a lower ranking Soldier.  Additional charges included abuse of rank, disobeying Army regulations, and adultery.

In the Air Force, a Chief Master Sergeant is facing court martial over charges of misuse of government position, failure to obey orders, indecent conduct, and adultery, among other charges.

Adultery?

Within the United States, the military remains one of the few places, if not the only, where one can still be charged with the crime of being unfaithful to one’s spouse.  Read more

Controversy Over Military Facility Abortions Continues

The change in military abortion law continues to simmer beneath the surface of the debate over the 2011 Defense Authorization Act.  The changes, which would authorize abortions at US military facilities across the globe, have been largely been overshadowed by the proposed changes to “Don’t ask, don’t tell.”

In early August, 200 “active and retired military physicians” reportedly signed a letter asking their Senators to vote against the DAA with the abortion amendment attached.

Combined with DADT and the second engine for the F-35, there are apparently three separate issues over which the bill may fail, if it is goes to a vote in its current form.

Callsigns, Traditions, and a Naval Officer’s IG Complaint

Though a few days older than the original story on the Naval officer who filed a complaint over his naming, a Time Magazine story contains more details on “callsigns” in the military, with some interesting, stereotypical (and likely accurate) comments:

In the testosterone-laden world of military aviation, call signs for pilots and other squadron personnel can be really sticky — the more an aviator complains about the moniker his colleagues bestow upon him, the tighter its grip will be.

Over the years, that has led to lots of embarrassing call signs beyond the famous one brandished by Read more

MRFF Expresses Support for Ground Zero Mosque

In response to an inquiry, Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation expressed his support for what has been dubbed the “Ground Zero Mosque” in New York City.  Notably, he criticized those who oppose the mosque/community center because…their criticism offends “jihadists.”  Interestingly, Weinstein did not reserve his invective purely for Christians:

This [opposition to the mosque] is the work of fundamentalist Christians and ultra-extreme, rightwing Jews.

Apparently, the man who believes Christians are planning to exterminate Jews believes “rightwing Jews” are now helping them.  The cognitive dissonance continues below.

For those keeping track:  Read more

Former CMSAFs on DADT Repeal: Deal with it.

The Air Force Times notes that a panel of seven former Chief Master Sergeants of the Air Force (there have been 16 total in the Air Force’s short history) gave enlisted members guidance on what may happen if “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is repealed.  Their commentary seems to largely reflect the feeling that there’s nothing they can do about it, so the only option is to “make peace” with it and move on.

[Jim] Binnicker, the ninth chief, offered up the strongest answer: “It’s going to happen — deal with it. You will be measured by how you deal with it.”

“Deckplate Issues” and the Repeal of DADT

The Stars and Stripes apparently caught up with some servicemembers after they participated in one of the Defense Department’s working groups.  Interestingly, the article says most of the concern was on “deckplate issues,” or how their everyday lives would be practically affected by the repeal (examples included berthing and marriage recognition).

Advocacy groups supporting repeal have said these very questions are why these discussion should not be happening.

In a related story, Politico reported the Department of Defense had begun mailing surveys to military spouses in an attempt to gather information on their response to the implementation of the repeal of DADT.

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