Month: December 2008

Air Force Advertises Religious Inclusiveness

An Air Force article from Iraq notes that military Chaplains served all religions this past holiday-filled December:

Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Pagans all observe major holy days in December. Air Force chaplains here spent much of the month making sure everyone in the diverse Joint Base Balad community had an opportunity to worship according to their beliefs.

The article includes a picture of Chaplain (Capt.) Andrew Cohen, the wing Jewish Chaplain, with a Magen David Menorah, as well as officers observing a candlelit Christmas Eve service there.  Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Terese Erickson, the deputy wing chaplain in Balad, noted that

Accommodation means making sure everyone has an opportunity to worship…

and supported those words with her actions:

Army Spc. William Corum…is one of three lay leaders for a group of Wiccans and Pagans that meets here… Read more

Religious Support Teams in Iraq

An AF.mil article highlights a round-the-clock team of Chaplains and assistants who minister to the patients at the Air Force Theater Hospital at Joint Base Balad, Iraq.

They visit and pray with patients and the medical staff, and “set the tone” for caring for the deceased in accordance with the servicemember’s religion.

The religious support team accommodates everyone’s religious needs, Chaplain Rome said. Outside their office one can find different translations of the Bible, the Quran in — English and Arabic — and a Book of Mormon.

Christmas Roundup, 2008

In an unusually moving story, the AP covers soldiers in Iraq spending their second consecutive Christmas away from their families (as they continue on their 15-month deployment).  For some, it is their third in four years away from home.

“A lot of guys struggle to find meaning in Christmas. I keep reminding them what it’s about. It’s a season of hope,” said chaplain Capt. Matt Hemrick, of Belmont, North Carolina, on Christmas Eve.

Both President Bush and President-elect Obama (text and video) offered Christmas messages to the troops.  Interestingly, both also referenced George Washington’s Christmas night crossing of the Deleware, as did the Joint Chiefs of Staff just a few days ago–though the current Commander-in-Chief and his incoming replacement still managed to use the word “Christmas” when referring to December 25th.

President Bush also offered a message for Kwanzaa.

As also covered at the Religion Clause.

Chaplain Candidate Quits Over Insignia

Updated: Ed Brayton picked up the story for his blog, where commenters varied from ardent detractors to the supportive.

As noted at Jews in Green, a Messianic Jewish Chaplain candidate withdrew from Chaplain training after being told by the Navy that he would be required to wear the Christian cross, rather than the tablets worn by Jewish Chaplains.

In the 12 December article about candidate Michael Hiles, Rabbi Eric Tokajer says

This decision essentially bars Messianic Jews from serving as chaplains within the U.S. Navy because it would require them to wear an insignia inconsistent with their faith and belief system.

Apollo 8 Marks 40 Years

As noted at CNN, this week is the 40th Anniversary of the flight of Apollo 8–the first space flight to circle the moon.  Interestingly, CNN notes that the trip was one on which an “inspirational and soothing” event occurred:

Apollo 8 also produced what to many was one of the most inspirational and soothing moments in history when Lovell and crewmates Frank Borman and William A. Anders took turns reading from the Book of Genesis. It was Christmas Eve and the whole world was watching. NASA said at the time it was expected to be the largest TV audience to date.

The astronauts signed off with these words: “And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a merry Christmas and God bless all of you, all of you on the good earth.”

This same “inspirational” event was marked by a lawsuit in the US which influenced further “religious” acts in space, as previously discussed.

Jim Lovell was the third crewmember on Apollo 8; he is perhaps more famous for his role on Apollo 13, one of three astronauts that was supposed to land on the moon but never did.

Religion in the Deployment Line

During a recent exercise, a unit that was simulating deploying to the war zone trudged its way through the processing line.  A deployment processing line is made up of a half dozen manned stations where deployers make sure they are ready to depart.  Personnelists check paperwork, medics administer shots, lawyers update wills, and family care representatives make sure deployers have their family affairs in order.

One station is manned by a Chaplain.  During this particular line, as in many, the Chaplain had camouflage New Testaments, Torahs, and guides on handling stress and separation on the table in front of him.  He chatted with each military member as they went by, seeing how they were doing.  Though he never proffered the materials in front of him, several members picked up a New Testament from the stack on the table.

One military member, however, pointed out an omission.  There were no religious materials that served him, a Hindu.  Read more

Military Chaplains Accused of “Treason”

Two Chaplains have recently come under fire from Michael Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.  One of Weinstein’s surrogates, Jason Leopold, has distributed a commentary on two Chaplains, one who was in Afghanistan, one in Iraq.  Both were videotaped in TV shows, and it is the content of those videos with which Weinstein finds offense. Read more

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