A unique and positive article by Alison Buckholtz covers the hardships associated with a US Navy pilot and the separation he must face from his family as he deploys overseas.  As is the case for many servicemembers, he is an aviator but is deploying to a ground job in support of the Army.

Interestingly titled “Onward Jewish Soldiers,” it celebrates the role of the Jewish faith, and Jewish servicemembers, in the US armed forces.  It also highlights the support of the Jewish Welfare Board and other civilian para-support organizations, which ship Jewish religious supplies to US servicemembers deployed to the Middle East.  The subject is Scott, the author’s husband, who is an EA-6B Prowler pilot.

As noted previously here, this writer also observes that there is a potentially strong religious tension regarding Jewish members of the US armed forces serving in predominantly Islamic regions of the world:

The irony of shipping a Hebrew prayerbook to Iraq right before the High Holidays did not escape me. I’ve read several features about Jewish personnel celebrating religious festivals at bases throughout the Middle East since this war began, and there is sometimes a whiff of triumphalism in these tales. It’s almost as if, these accounts suggest, by wrapping tefillin in Kabul, or reading the Torah in Basra, American Jews are reclaiming something that was taken from us. I understand the excitement, and am grateful that Jews in Muslim countries can gather as Jews—this after a long history of treatment as second-class citizens before being stripped of their possessions in 1948 and abruptly expelled from many of these countries.

Again, as noted in prior writings, while a “whiff of triumphalism” may occur when Jewish Americans celebrate their faith in the Middle Eastern combat theatre–and photographs of such acts might be used as propaganda by American adversaries–Americans should defend the right of all American servicemembers to practice their faith, even while they serve in the US military.  As a nation, America should use these opportunities as positive examples of religious freedom, and should not restrict religious exercise because of someone else’s offense.  Regrettably, while American Jewish servicemembers are free to exercise their faith while deployed, the governments of some local countries may not allow their own citizens the freedom to choose or practice a religion of their choice.

The article also contains a fascinating if brief comparison of two Jewish siddurim, or prayer books.  One was produced for American servicemen in 1917, the other just a few years ago.  Both were produced privately, though they are specifically entitled as prayer books for American military personnel.

Elsewhere, Buckholtz relates her experiences on being Jewish in the US military.  Upon arriving at her husband’ s new assignment, she called the Chaplain to inquire about Jewish services; he referred her to a Messianic synagogue off post.  Fearful that other Jewish servicemembers might be given equally inappropriate advice, she and her husband–the unit commander–volunteered to be the Jewish lay leaders for the base.

While it is regrettable that the Navy Chaplains offered poor information, it is an excellent demonstration of ingenuity and support for free exercise that the Navy officer was able to serve as a religious leader in the area, despite the fact that he was a commanding officer.  Sometimes, outsiders criticize such combinations of command influence and religious exercise.

Buckholtz was actually directly asked about scandals involving evangelism and anti-Semitism:

I read about some things in the Air Force and other services – troops feeling like they were being evangelized to. I was sensitive to that coming in. It’s been refreshing and encouraging that what we have seen has been well-meaning curiosity.

Though she came from a wholly non-military background, Buckholtz describes her relationship with the military as positive, despite a few outside accusations of problems with religion.  She accurately notes that the military is a “meritocracy,” an environment that primarily operates on the basis of accomplishment, not cronyism.  (That said, she also accurately points out that the military is a reflection of American culture–meaning it contains its flaws as well as its virtues.)

I found is that the military is incredibly open and welcoming and the questions we’ve had about Judaism from other people have been very respectful. A lot of people are very eager to learn more. There’s never been any feeling that it’s something negative and it never really plays out in a professional context. The military is a meritocracy. It doesn’t operate on status, it doesn’t operate as an old boy’s club, or of people being the same religion, the same color, or even everyone speaking the same language.

The military is a microcosm of America. People are always talking about America being open and welcoming to everyone and, from what I’ve seen, the military is the same way

Despite her positive experiences (and those of many others), there are still attempts by some outside organizations to restrict the practice and expression of faith in the military.  While those accusations are predominantly aimed at one religion, the potential resulting changes in policy (both official and unofficial), should they be successful, would impact every faith and ideology in the armed forces.

Alison Burkholtz is the author of Standing By, The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War.