In a surprisingly underreported story, an Air Force nurse at Whiteman AFB, MO, made the news when someone posted a copy of a sign posted at the women’s health clinic indicating her refusal to prescribe contraceptives:

For religious reasons and the health of women, I do not prescribe or counsel on contraceptive methods. I will be happy to find you a provider that can accommodate your needs. If you would like to discuss natural family planning or fertility awareness based methods, I am more than willing to do so. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Thank you
Maj Aimee Alviar, WHNP-BC

While this sparked no small amount of leftist outrage, part of the reason it may have become a non-story is because the nurse was completely within her rights and US Air Force policies [emphasis added]:

Air Force spokeswoman Brooke Brzozowske said that under Air Force regulation AFI 44-102, medical personnel are allowed to decline to provide family planning services, including contraceptives, sterilization, and emergency contraception, if they have moral, ethical, religious or professional objections.

In a bit of creative journalism, Air Force Times columnist Stephen Losey followed up with:

But the AFI also states that objecting personnel are obligated to “facilitate timely identification of a willing provider” who can provide such services.

Losey’s “but” ignores the fact the nurse indicated she was “happy” to find another provider for those seeking that kind of treatment.

It was a complete non-issue.

The rest of Losey’s article repeatedly makes it seem as though the nurse’s beliefs are a problem, citing potential patients who complained of a lack of immediate referral, a lack of resources on base, and PCMs who prescribe rather than give referrals. But as anyone familiar with military medicine knows, these are all common issues with the military medical care system in general, and have absolutely nothing to do with this nurse’s beliefs.

Whoever thought this story would become a big deal apparently laid a dud. Regrettably, however, the news did spark calls for the nurse’s punishment and ouster, as well as bigoted attacks on her faith. As if we needed proof that not everyone grants the same “tolerance” to Christians as they demand of things like public pronouncements of sexual behavior.

ADVERTISEMENT