When General Robert Magnus retired in 2008 after nearly 40 years of service, he was second in command of the US Marine Corps and the highest ranking Jewish member of the US military.

He was also a Naval aviator, though a transport helicopter pilot, so even he received a “callsign:”

The assignment prompted a friend to bestow on him a “call sign,” a nickname given to a military pilot as a substitute for the officer’s given name. “Fighter pilots and attack helicopter pilots all had call signs, but I was a transport helicopter pilot and we didn’t,” he explains. His friend insisted and Magnus became “Heeb,” short for “Hebrew.”

Think a callsign like that would last long in today’s politically correct environment?  Interestingly enough, it did last more than 30 years: 

He would continue to use that call sign until three years ago [2004] when [his wife] Rose prevailed on him to stop using it when signing off his e-mails. “She said there are going to be Jewish people who misunderstand and take offense,” says Magnus. “I said ‘I don’t care,’ but she was right and I don’t use it anymore.”

In response to a direct question, Magnus said his religion was never a “liability” when he served; in fact, he was active in the Jewish military community:

While serving as a lieutenant colonel squadron commander, he also led the Reform congregation and directed his children’s Hebrew school.

Of course, a commander leading a religious congregation would spark the ire of at least one “religious freedom” organization, which feels that such participation

demonstrates an unnecessary involvment with and promotion of a particular religion by a command level member of the military…

(Of course, they feel that way when the ceremony in question is Christian, not when the ceremony is Jewish.)

General Magnus is an admirable model to those who share his faith that they can hold to the tenets of their faith, and exercise their faith, and still succeed in the US military.  His elevation to Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps was a result of his abilities and his character.  Magnus will speak at the Suffolk Y Jewish Community Center in New York at the end of September.  The Center will also host “Jews in the Military, A Panel Discussion,” with active members of the military in November.

First noted at Jews in Green.