As noted at the Air Force website, the top 3 US Air Force leaders distributed their 2009 holiday season greetings.  They asked Airmen to “reflect on our blessings,” and expressed gratitude for deployed Airmen and fellow servicemembers serving in war.  The leaders also specifically asked Air Force families to “reach out” to the familes of deployed servicemembers and single Airmen, and

welcome them into your holiday celebrations, in the spirit of giving and support that makes our greater Air Force family so special.

Ultimately, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Roy successfully transmitted a neutral note of goodwill for anything that happens to be going on during this specific time of year:

In all of the joyous ways that this holiday season is celebrated, we wish you and yours the very best–during this special time, and througout the New Year.

While admirably non-exclusive, the message is almost meaningless without any reference to the ‘reason’ for the season.  As written, it could easily have been sent out in July.

It is unfortunate that the Air Force leaders did not take the opportunity to celebrate the religious freedom their subordinates are defending by noting the significance of specific faith traditions that America is celebrating during this time.  Even a mention of General Schwartz’s Jewish heritage, for which he has previously expressed pride and inspiration, might have demonstrated the inclusiveness of the American society to skeptics who accuse the US of being coercively Christian.  Unfortunately, in an era in which the “conservative answer” is the approved solution, a well-intended abundance of caution probably resulted in the overly sanitized “seasons greetings.”

Nonetheless, the message follows a fairly recent and regrettably understandable tradition of secular greetings from military leaders in the US.  Notably, the Air Force leaders of the Canadians–who tend to be more socially liberal than the US–still managed to say Merry Christmas.