God and Country

The Navy announced that a US Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet crashed on Fallon range on Saturday.

The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and was treated at Banner Churchill Community Hospital in Fallon for minor injuries and has been released.

The website created by the Defense Department to document recipients of military medals (an attempt at deterring “stolen valor”), now includes the nation’s second highest military honor:

The site launched with the names of Medal of Honor recipients for actions since 9/11, and now lists recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross, Air Force Cross and Navy Cross. The services are continuing to compile the lists of Silver Star recipients to add to the site, officials said.

Atheists within the culture (and even “military atheists”) are actively trying to tear down military memorial crosses around the United States — from San Diego to Arlington National Cemetery.

When do you think atheists will go after the service crosses given to America’s “heroes,” second only to the Medal of Honor?  Is that as much an offense as a memorial cross in a cemetery?

Senator Jim Inhofe of the Senate Armed Services Committee “respectfully requested” that Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta explain why members of the US military were authorized to wear their uniforms in a homosexual “pride” parade in San Diego.

In a letter to Panetta, Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma said department rules bar service members from participating in political activities while in uniform and pressed Panetta on why a waiver was granted, who requested it and why it was considered over others.

The Congressmen also noted that other military members have been punished for doing what the DoD authorized in this instance:  Read more…

Chaplain (Col) Timothy Wagoner made headlines when he “supportively” attended a homosexual “commitment ceremony” at McGuire AFB.  He made headlines again when his endorsing agency publicly clarified that they continued to oppose homosexuality and semblances of homosexual “unions.”  For his part, Chaplain Wagoner noted he was quoted out of context and in such a way as to imply he “condoned” the ceremony, when in fact he did not.

Now, Chaplain Wagoner has informed his endorsing agency that he is leaving the Southern Baptist Convention:

“If an SBC chaplain concludes he cannot conduct his ministry Read more…

Jason Torpy of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers is currently engaged in his annual campaign on atheism at the US military academies, which coincides with basic training at each service academy.  The Christian Post picked up on his discussion, and noted that some version of non-sectarian offering was available during basic training to new cadets.

Chaplain Ron Crews of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty acknowledges that those who choose to have no religious faith also have rights — but questions their desire to mimic religious institutions and have chaplains:  Read more…

Last November it was reported that the US Navy launched an investigation into the submarine community after a “cheating scandal” resulted in around 10% of the crew being kicked off their boat. Allegations that similar “cheating” was common were made in the press, and presumably by some of those who were kicked out.

The Navy has now concluded that cheating is not widespread, as had been asserted.

The inspector general…opened an investigation following a complaint Read more…

The US Navy has long relied on two-engine aircraft because, when you’re flying only over blue water, it likes the reassuring backup of a second engine.  (The acceptance of the single-engine F-35 was a significant event.)

Unfortunately, sometimes two engines haven’t been enough, as with the F/A-18 Hornet crash last April in Virginia.  The recently released report says both engines failed shortly after takeoff:  Read more…

Last year military atheist Justin Griffith created a fuss over a military chapel community’s Vacation Bible School — something virtually every military chapel community does, by the way.  He claimed the chapel VBS was a US government-funded “religious summer camp.” 

Naturally, he continued the militant atheist tradition of latching on to Christianity by demanding a “me, too” ability to have such an event. He failed to acknowledge military facilities already host non-religious events of a similar nature:

Approximately 40 Army Reserve children from all over the southeast region ranging from the ages of six to 14 attended Read more…

The US Navy reported that both pilots had ejected from the Navy trainer T-45C Goshawk they were flying in Texas.

Navy Lt. John Supple says the aircraft from Training Squadron 22 at Naval Air Station Kingsville was on a routine training flight when it went down. He said the flight instructor and student have been recovered and taken to a hospital for examination, where both appear to be well.

Kate Donovan posted text from interviews she conducted with atheists at the US Naval Academy as part of a series on atheists in the US military academies.  The text is interesting as an overview of the midshipmen’s group, but what is fascinating is the mature perspective from some of the mids:

…the paperwork process is slow for all groups, regardless of whether people like our group or not…

…Although our group has not been “official” for this past year — it was due to the fact that all prospective ECA’s must submit paperwork for official review every year in April — no other opportunities are afforded, our group included.

We can host events, but just have to go through the same bureaucracy as everyone else on that…

The theme is consistent:  The mids recognize they are subject to Read more…

US Navy Chaplain (LtCmdr) Abuhena Saifulislam was recently part of US Central Command’s Exercise Eager Lion 12, where he was able to work with the Jordanian military and their religious leaders.

 He

got a first-hand look at how other countries handle Read more…

A Congressman’s idea to name a Navy ship after homosexual activist Harvey Milk has received opposition from a seemingly unlikely group — homosexuals:

Some of the strongest opposition appears to be from the gay community…Some gay activists, at least one city supervisor and others have said Milk was anti-war and wouldn’t want a ship named after him.

The normally non-controversial process of naming vessels after cities and Presidents takes a scandalous turn every now and then when the Navy suggests, or receives a suggestion to consider, naming a vessel after a controversial figure.

Juan Garcia, an assistant to the Secretary of the Navy for manpower, says Secretary Ray Mabus wants a service where opportunities are “gender blind.”  To that end, the Navy is floating the idea of ending gender-specific hats.

“It’s a small thing, but separate covers was in some ways emblematic of a two-tiered sea service force,” Garcia said in an April 10 interview, speaking about Mabus. “He wanted to take a look across the force…to send a signal that our Navy … reward[s] and keep[s] the best talent, regardless of gender.”

Unisex uniforms are nothing new.  In fact, the Air Force recently Read more…

US Congressman Bob Filner (D-CA) has reportedly asked the US Navy to name a ship after Harvey Milk, a homosexual activist who was killed while serving as a San Francisco supervisor in 1978. Milk also served in the Navy in the early 1950s — apparently illegally, Read more…

In what is probably the least reported, longest running lawsuit regarding religion and the US military, a group of chaplains has been told they can proceed with some, but not all, of their claims against the Navy.

A slightly changing group of chaplains, chaplain agencies, and churches sued more than 20 years ago alleging the Navy discriminates against Read more…