US Navy Chaplain (CAPT) Jon Cutler is the director of Religious Affairs for CJTF – Horn of Africa.  In late July, he met with religious leaders in Tanzania to communicate the US military’s religious freedom and coordinate for future cooperation.

Cutler highlighted the US military’s religious plurality and freedom to his hosts in East Africa:

“My close friend and Muslim Imam, Shakur Ali, Africa command chaplain [U.S. Air Force Colonel] Jerry Lewis, and I are visiting Dar es Salaam from August 10 to 15 [during Ramadan],” Cutler told the religious leaders. “It’s unheard of for a Jew, Christian and Muslim to be friends who respect one another’s traditions. We want to show that it does work and, by respecting one another, the power of the message of God can prosper.”

Cutler also noted the necessity of addressing religion in the region:

Religion is the very fabric of African society and we want to partner in building upon religious pluralism and diversity. The power of religion is such a significant factor in solving problems that face East Africa.

This wasn’t Chaplain Cutler’s first visit to the region.

As has been noted before, US military Chaplains do far more than host religious services for members of the US military.  In more ways than one, they are in the forefront of accomplishing, not just supporting, the US military mission.