Month: December 2009

Faith and Profession at the Military Academy

As noted here at various times, Christians are far from the only ones to struggle with conflicts between their faith and military service, or to organize in order to support one another in it.  They are also not the only ones who intertwine their spiritual beliefs with their patriotic ones.

For example, in 2005 a Jewish cadet at the US Military Academy at West Point told how he was “prepped” by an older friend for his time in basic training:

One of Bergman’s older friends told him to ask for permission to participate in prayer services on Friday nights during Beast.  Read more

Crew Mistake Led to F-15E Crash in Afghanistan

The Air Force and the Air Force Times have published articles releasing information on the crash of an F-15E Strike Eagle in Afghanistan in July.  The crash claimed the lives of the both the fighter pilot, Capt Mark McDowell, and the WSO, Capt Thomas Granith.

The investigation determined that the two-man crew was executing a simulated attack for training on their way back to base.  The planned attack was a high-angle night strafe against a ground target.  After their flight lead aborted a simulated attack Read more

EA-18G “Growler” Approved for Full-Rate Production

The military times magazines note that the US Navy has approved full-rate production of the EA-18G Growler.  The EA-18G is a highly modified variant of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet designed for electronic attack rather than conventional air-to-air or air-to-ground roles.  The Growler will primarily be used to jam enemy radars and perform other similar electronic missions rather than perform strike or air defense sorties.  However, the aircraft will retain some offensive weapons capabilities.

The Growler name was a combination of the aircraft the EA-18 was designed to replace (the EA-6B Prowler), the fact that this was the “G” variant, and a large dose of fighter pilot humor that amazingly slipped by the censors (likely because it was a Navy, rather than Air Force, program–the Air Force still calls the F-16 a Fighting Falcon, while pilots call it the Viper).  Admittedly, the Navy also named a submarine the USS Growler, which was supposedly named after a black bass.

NASA Broadcasts MercyMe, Newsboys

Ever since Madalyn Murray O’Hair of the American Atheists sued NASA in 1969, the relationship between the space agency and all things religious has been interesting.  Even forty years later, as noted here, American Atheists complained about NASA allowing Astronaut Patrick Forrester to carry a piece of Nate Saint’s airplane with him into space.

Still, NASA hasn’t shied away from all things religious.  A previous article noted that God of Wonders has been one of the more popular “wake-up songs” broadcast to the shuttle crew in space.  (Each crewman’s family can pick a song as the wake-up call for the start of each day.)  The most recent trip (STS-129) just ended, with space shuttle Atlantis returning to Earth just after Thanksgiving.  During the mission, the shuttle heard MercyMe’s I Can Only Imagine, the Newsboys’ In Wonder, and Bob Carlisle’s Butterfly Kisses, among several other songs for the crew.  Read more

Chaplain Brings Faith with Prayer

An Army Chaplain has made his mark by praying with soldiers before every convoy departs Al Asad, Iraq.  Chaplain (Capt.) Michael Lanigan is the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team Chaplain.

“I come out here every night, this is exactly what I feel like God has designed me to do–to bring faith to the fight in a place where men and women just need encouragement.”  Lanigan said that he does not inspire with just his words, but with God’s words, and that he believes that is a powerful thing.

The Chaplain also notes that faith, not his position as Chaplain, is what the Soldiers Read more

US Military Chapel Celebrates 25 Years

It is true that military chapels are supposed to be, in some respects, “religiously neutral.”  The objective of the regulations governing chapels is that any faith group be able to use them for their spiritual needs.  As chapel space is often limited, many times a single building, or even a single room, must meet the needs of all faith groups.

The military academies have long been an exception.  The main floor of the US Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, which turned 50 just a few months ago, is overtly Christian, with a huge, sculpted metal cross hanging from the ceiling.  Rather than having “shared spaces,” the USAFA Chapel Read more

Navy Sailors Punished for Academic Cheating

The Navy Times reports that the US Navy has disciplined 13 sailors for cheating during a written nuclear propulsion test on board the carrier USS Harry S Truman.  The reports do not explain what the sailors did, except to say they were using notes; it is possible that the notes were test gouge, especially since the Navy subsequently made all the sailors re-take the test.

Retired Capt. Jim Colgary, a former submarine commander, said:

Trust is the fundamental bedrock of going to sea on these ships.  If an individual is dishonest enough to cheat on an exam, you can’t trust them to stand watch or take logs on systems associated with nuclear reactors.

Colgary’s analysis applies well beyond the nuke test.  The trust bestowed upon the US military by the American public is a sacred one, Read more

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