Tag Archives: samaritan’s purse

Despite Weinstein Threats, USAFA Supports Local Food Bank

Just days after Michael Weinstein claimed the US Air Force Academy was inappropriately asking USAFA cadets to donate toys to needy children, a news article was published indicating what Weinstein describes as a “cancer” is, indeed, widespread:

The cadets are even making donations to a local food bank.

Air Force Academy chaplains and the Cadet Interfaith Council [presented] a $1,200 check along with 125 cans of food to the Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado at the food bank’s site in Colorado Springs, Colo.

By its nature the Cadet Interfaith Council obviously had a connection to the chaplains, but the food drive was a cadet-initiated, cadet-run event:  Read more

Did USAFA Cancel Operation Christmas Child?

A few news sites reported last week on the US Air Force Academy’s participation in — and then reconsideration of its participation in — Operation Christmas Child, in which shoeboxes with basic sundries and gifts are given to needy children around the world by Samaritan’s Purse.

The situation is fairly complex, as evidenced by the fact a few news organizations had to edit and reissue their news articles to correct misunderstandings about what really occurred.

Undisputed public statements indicate cadets at the US Air Force Academy came up with the idea to participate in Operation Christmas Child.  They made an announcement in Mitchell Hall (the wing dining facility, with all cadets present) and subsequently sent out a wing-wide email explaining who to contact to participate.

A cadet who “didn’t think much about it at first” later forwarded the email to Michael Weinstein calling it part of the “religious problem” proving the US military “support[s] one religion, which is of course Christianity.”  (Weinstein published the email, complete with the names and personal information of the cadets involved, though he redacted his supporter’s information.)  Less than 24 hours later, Weinstein was in the local news

accus[ing] commanders of crossing the line by Read more

Air Force Chapels Raise $250K for Japan

According to an official Air Force release, the US Air Force chapel community raised more than a quarter million dollars to aid the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

In the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan March 11, members of the Air Force Chaplain Corps on 43 installations helped raise more than $257,000 toward relief efforts for victims of the disaster, officials said here June 9.

The effort began with a call from the Air Force Chief of Chaplains:

On March 15, Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Cecil R. Richardson, the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, encouraged chapel community Airmen and their families to take designated offerings at worship services to assist the earthquake victims.

The funds went to a variety of aid organizations, including a Catholic aid group and the Billy Graham-founded Samaritan’s Purse:  Read more

US Military, Samaritan’s Purse Aid Japan After Quake

Pictures of the US military arriving in disaster areas and providing aid and comfort are ubiquitous.  They are so prevalent, in fact, some people forget the US military is not a humanitarian or aid organization.  While they’ve been known to distribute MREs or other military-style aid in response to crises, the military often simply provides a conduit for other agencies who are better equipped to provide aid.

Such was the case in Japan following the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11th.  The relief effort notably included C-17s flying into Sendai, Japan, in the first such delivery of emergency aid in the region.  The US Air Force aircraft were loaded with nearly 100 tons of emergency aid supplies…from Samaritan’s Purse.  As noted in the official release:

A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson…download[ed] supplies, including four pallets of water and six pallets of blankets and food from Samaritan’s Purse in partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Japan Mission Center in Osaka and other church partners in Japan.

Members of the US military helped unload the charity’s 747, then load four Read more

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