Bagram Air Base’s chaplains organized a Run for Jesus 5-Miler in which nearly 600 US servicemembers attended a sunrise Easter service followed by a run around the base.  One group even carried an 8-foot cross.

The 82nd CAB Chaplain’s team hosted the first “Run for Jesus” on Bagram Apr. 8. Held on Easter Sunday, the 5-mile race began with a sunrise service hosted by three of the CAB Chaplains. More than 560 people completed the track around Bagram Airfield.

Nearly 700 photos of the event are available on the unit’s Facebook page (in Part I and Part II).

Other US servicemembers in Afghanistan were also able to take time to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, led by US Army Chaplain (LtCol) Michael Travaglione:

Led by an Army chaplain at FOB Salerno in Khost province, Afghanistan, the small gathering commemorated the life, death, passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

It seems US military units run for everything.  There are memorial runs, “awareness” runs, fun runs, unit runs, anniversary runs, etc.  That the chaplains could organize their own “run” for an event meaningful to the participants is one more statement on the military’s protective treatment of religious freedom.

The event clearly demonstrated the extent to which constitutionally-protected religious exercise is supported by the US military, even in a war zone.  Just don’t tell Chris Rodda.  Her “religious freedom” group thinks American servicemembers celebrating Easter in the AOR puts “the safety of their fellow troops at risk.”  (Scratch that.  Casey Weinstein is on the case…)

For another perspective, read what an atheist wrote on his ongoing blog about the local dining facility at his deployed location (warning for vulgar language) here.  As a retired Air Force officer, Mr. Mark Levack has apparently been on Kandahar Air Base for 3 years and enjoys writing about the DFACs.