Removing the poster and editing the oath for all Academy students is extreme and unnecessary, and does a disservice to the countless individuals who wish to include the phrase as a solemn reminder that they are pledging their fidelity to God and country.

Letter to LtGen Michelle Johnson from Congress
18 November 2013

Lost in the recent hubbub over the US Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Oath’s inclusion of “so help me God” was an observation made by Patriot Post some time ago:  The phrase “so help me God” had already been deleted from the oaths included in the Cadet Contrails (the book of knowledge issued to each new cadet, which they are required to memorize).

Twenty-eight members of Congress recently wrote to USAFA Superintendent LtGen Johnson and reminded her that the Oath of Office, Oath of Enlistment, and Cadet Oath of Allegiance are all governed by law, and all include “so help me God.”  The Congressmembers “urged” LtGen Johnson to correct the Contrails — as well as restore the poster of General Risner’s plane removed as a result of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s complaint.

We urge you to edit the Contrails Cadet Handbook to properly reflect the language of the [oaths to] their original statutory language in full.  Finally, we ask that you restore the poster bearing the oath in full to its original location as an honorable reflection of the oath of service.

FoxNews now reports that USAFA was only recently made aware of this “error” in Contrails and will fix it.  Air Force Academy spokesman Maj Brus Vidal said

“It was an editorial oversight.  We learned within the last few weeks there was a problem.”

…He said next year’s edition of the Contrails Cadet Handbook will be revised and will include the phrase “so help me God.”

The Contrails have had this editorial error since 2011.  This isn’t the only complaint to arise over the content of Contrails.

Also at OneNewsNow, HumanEvents.com, and the FRC.

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