God and Country

We already knew Disney animators relied on Air Force aircraft for inspiration.  It seems they liked the USAFA Cadet Chapel, as well.

Though it was in theaters some months ago, Wreck-It Ralph recently came out on DVD, causing some Academy grads to notice (and the official USAFA Facebook page to highlight) that a “backstory scene” looks awfully familiar:

The USAFA Cadet Chapel:

A scene from Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph:

It seems the beauty of the nearly 60-year-old USAFA Cadet Chapel continues to be recognized — even in “modern” art.

The “backstory” scene can be seen here; the ending, with the “happy” wedding scene at the end, here.

Dobbins Air Reserve Base, located in Marietta, Georgia, needed to modify its entry gate to comply with increased security measures.  As a result, the 60-year-old base chapel was slated to be demolished.

The chapel played an important role for more than 60 years as a spiritual home to airmen and their families. It was deployed to Europe during World War II. After the war, it was acquired by the Georgia Air National Guard through private donation. Placed on then active-duty Dobbins Air Force Base, it was dedicated to veterans who served their country in World War II by Army Brig. Gen. J.H. O’Neil, Third Army chaplain.

O’Neil is known for writing Army Gen. George Patton’s prayer for Read more…

Given recent news reports that have decried the presence of crosses on military chapels, it might be easy to think military chapels are bland, featureless office buildings designed to neutrally serve any function. While that may be the way things seem, it is the opposite of the history of military chapels.

As previously noted, Fort Bragg’s All American Chapel updated the Read more…

Dover Air Force Base, most famously known for its service as the military’s “port mortuary,” dedicated a new chapel facility at the end of February:

A meditation pavilion is among its amenities, said Chaplain Lt. Col. Dennis Saucier. Those families can also make use of the new chapel, which has 20 pews stocked with hymnals and the Holy Bible, an altar, a wood-paneled reredos and tall, stained glass windows featuring four white doves in flight.

The chapel center also has an “all faiths” room, a neutral Read more…

The US military held National Prayer events at bases around the world, demonstrating the value it places on troops’ practice of faith and encouraging their free exercise:

At an “undisclosed location:”

More than 200 service members deployed to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing came together for a barbecue and fellowship sponsored by the chapel community in observance of the National Prayer Breakfast…

In Georgia:

Hundreds of Fort Stewart soldiers and Family Members gathered…for the annual National Day of Prayer Breakfast…

The word servant comes from the Greek word Diakonos Read more…

Marine Corps Base Hawaii recently named its chapel for US Navy Chaplain (CAPT) Joseph Estabrook, a Catholic chaplain who had championed the creation of a chapel to house the “roving congregation” on the base:  Read more…

NBC reports the US military chapel at Forward Operating Base Orgun-E was improperly displaying Christian crosses, and the Army has ordered them removed and covered over:

U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan on Thursday ordered the removal of a steeple and crucifix erected over a remote American base in the Muslim country after a soldier deployed there noted that the symbols violated Army regulations…

Doors with cross-shaped windows were reportedly boarded up until they can be replaced.

This has happened before, and, as noted previously, it is not really a significant event.  The article accurately notes Army regulations (not DoD regulations) dictate Read more…

The Mustard Seed preschool operated at an Army base in South Korea will be closed after military leaders received a complaint it was operating illegally.  After commanders reviewed the program’s status, they determined there were no regulations governing the operation — thus, it had to be closed.

A long-running Christian preschool at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan will close at the end of the school year due to Read more…

A Stars and Stripes article describes a fairly unusual situation at the US Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, South Korea, in which a Christian preschool is run by an Army chapel:

Garrison officials say a recent anonymous complaint prompted them to look at whether the Mustard Seed Preschool has been operating illegally Read more…

A quick article local to Fort Campbell notes the vast religious support structure provided to Army Soldiers at the sprawling base, as well as the troops’ demand for it:

There are over 50 chaplains and 50 chaplain assistants at Fort Campbell…There are seven chapels on post…

In addition to Catholic services, there are Protestant services for those who are Baptist, Presbyterian, United Methodist, Episcopal, Church of Christ, Assembly of God and other Protestant traditions, as well as Read more…

The New York Times covers the military’s struggle with classifying and treating Traumatic Brain Injuries, using an experience by a military chaplain as the lede:

It was [Chaplain] Lt. Col. Richard Brunk’s second Sunday in Baghdad, and so, of course, there was church. Only 16 soldiers showed up, but that was good for that busy day, election day across Iraq. The presiding chaplain asked everyone to take seats up front. It was a providential move.

A 122-millimeter rocket exploded outside, virtually collapsing Read more…

Update: A letter to the editor of the Stars and Stripes questions Torpy’s “odd idea of religious freedom.”

Former Army Captain and current atheist Jason Torpy was working overtime doing damage control over the past week, as various outlets picked up the story of his complaint over the “live nativity” occurring during NSA Bahrain’s annual “Holiday Tree Lighting.”  His comments appeared on a variety of sites covering the controversy; in each case, he basically said he didn’t demand NSA Bahrain cancel it — he just called it “unconstitutional” and a danger to US troops — that’s all.  Of course, he did say that cancelling it was “preferable to” letting it happen:

If the scene had to be cancelled, that is unfortunate but it is also preferable to the government-sponsored proselytism [*See note, below] the Live Nativity would have added to an otherwise positive celebration.

FoxNews accurately reported that Torpy’s complaint to the Inspector General led to the cancellation of the event to occur during Read more…

In a continuation of the annual tradition, US military bases are beginning to erect “holiday displays” around the world.  Often, though not always, they consist of a Christmas tree (recognizing Christmas, for those who might not get the connection) and possibly a Menorah (for Hanukkah).  In some cases, the tree is a “holiday tree,” though the Menorah has yet to be dubbed a “holiday candelabra.”

Iwakuni performed its “holiday tree lighting” just prior to Thanksgiving, though the article acknowledges it is, in fact, a Christmas tree.  Many military bases are performing the ceremonies this weekend, including the Dyess AFB Christmas tree and Menorah, and what a local paper called the Fort Bragg “holiday tree and Menorah” lighting, though Fort Bragg announced its annual Christmas tree lighting.

Construction is complete on the US Army’s newest chapel facility on Fort Bragg, and the chapel will open in time for holiday services.  The complex, billed as the first chapel built on the base since Vietnam, has a sprawling campus and a main sanctuary that has double the capacity of the Division Memorial Chapel it is intended to replace:

At 22,600 square-feet, the complex includes a worship and activity center, expansion area, gathering area, lobby, clergy and staff offices, baptistery and sacristy suites, meditation and reconciliation room, kitchen, choir room, nursery, and vestibules. With a seating capacity of 629, the new facility is twice as large as the old chapel, which only seats 300. The facility spans 9 acres located off Ardennes Road next to the 82nd Airborne Division Memorial Museum.

The chapel also boasts some significant historical content:

One of the most distinguishing features of the chapel is Read more…

An article at the Unitarian Universalist website notes an increase in Unitarian military chaplains and chaplain applicants after decades of under-representation.  The article reports the denomination now has 10 chaplains, with 7 more applying.  While a significant increase from the “one or two” chaplains before (including Army Chaplain Rebekah Montgomery), it still isn’t a high number.  The reason for the low interest?

It’s no secret that for many years after the Vietnam War many UUs harbored some hostility toward the war and the politicians who promoted it. In some cases veterans themselves were treated distantly in our congregations, even shunned.

One UU chaplain said they are needed to balance out “evangelicals”:  Read more…