Tag Archives: dadt

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

Retired Chaplains Oppose DADT Repeal

The Alliance Defense Fund has previously stated its position that the “repeal” of DADT would ultimately result in untenable conflicts between the moral, religious positions of military Chaplains and the new policy.  The ADF is now publicizing a 6-page letter signed by 41 “distinguished” Chaplains opposing the policy change.

The letter says, in essence, that if homosexuals were allowed to serve openly by direct military policy, the Chaplains would be forced to choose “to obey God or to obey men.”  Chaplains would be forced to avoid preaching on certain topics, or would face Read more

MRFF Seeks Cause to Litigate, Agitate…and Ice Cream

Since the demise of its last lawsuit seeking an end to public religious expression in the military, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has been searching for a cause.  (Michael Weinstein promised to file an appeal, though it appears he has not done so.)  After the Trijicon scandal was quickly defused, Weinstein made a furtive effort to revive it a few months later–with little public reaction.  He also tried to attach his organization to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” media frenzy without much success.  Weinstein is struggling for relevancy even among his own supporters; a recent fundraiser garnered few contributors.

In his latest bid for publicity, Weinstein demanded Read more

Military Places High Value on Character

As the debate about the possible changes to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” occurs in the public, there seems to be some confusion about what the military can control and discipline among its troops.  For example, some (primarily those not in the military) who want to see DADT repealed seem to think the military cannot dictate personal conduct when those actions aren’t “wrong.”

Ignoring for a moment the moral judgment required to make such an assertion, the statements display a certain ignorance about military standards Read more

Chairman: Officers Who Support DADT Can Resign

Update: The Army announced that General Mixon will not be reprimanded.

LtGen Benjamin R. Mixon, commanding general of US Army Pacific, previously wrote a letter to the editor encouraging servicemembers to “speak up” about their views on the potential repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  His letter was used as the second example of an active duty officer publicly disagreeing with the proposed change, when he said

If those of us who are in favor of retaining the current policy do not speak up, there is no chance to retain the current policy.

This was particularly salient, because, as the General pointed out, there has been little public opposition from those in the military on the topic.  (By contrast, present and former members of the military who oppose the ban have been a common item in the media, some in clear violation of military regulations.)  The supposition was that military members did disagree, but feared the reaction of the military if they expressed disagreement with their Commander in Chief and senior officers.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, who have expressed support for President Obama’s proposal to lift the ban, called General Mixon’s letter “inappropriate“:  Read more

Chaplain Accused of Violating DADT

A US Army National Guard Chaplain is under investigation for violating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by allegedly “telling” a superior Chaplain that he was gay.

Aris Fokas is a United Church of Christ minister who joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 2003 at the age of 39.  Fokas has reportedly denied the disclosure, though he reportedly

declined to say anything about his sexual orientation other than to acknowledge he is single and has never been married.

He noted, too, that the United Church of Christ ordains openly gay and lesbian ministers, a denomination-wide policy since 1980.

In an apparent attempt to defend himself, Fokas says  Read more

General Encourages Troops to Express Views on DADT

A letter to the editor at the Stars and Stripes is attributed to LtGen Benjamin R. Mixon of Fort Shafter, Hawaii.  LtGen Benjamin R. Mixon is the three-star commanding general of US Army Pacific.  In that position, he is in charge of all US Army units in the Pacific theatre.

The General’s letter calls the proposed repeal of Don’t ask, Don’t tell, “ill-advised.”  He encourages troops to write both their elected officials and their chain of command to let their views be known, with the potential outcome of correcting the misperception in the media that the majority of the military is in favor of ending DADT.

LtGen Mixon is the highest ranking officer behind Marine Gen James Conway to disagree with President Obama’s proposed repeal of the law, and he appears to be the first to encourage average military members to make their views known.  As noted earlier, Read more

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