Month: October 2011

Troops Christen New Chapel in Afghanistan

Soldiers and civilians at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, dedicated a new chapel in late September.

“We have gathered here today to dedicate this chapel to God,” said Maj. Xuan Tran, chaplain, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, originally from Vietnam.

“This chapel will be a center and important place where people can come together to worship and offer sacrifices of praise.”

Chaplain (Capt) David Montgomery said the previous chapel had been too small Read more

US Navy Electromagnetically Launches E-2

The US Navy used its in-development Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) to launch an E-2D Hawkeye last week.

The upcoming Gerald R. Ford class of aircraft carriers will be the first that abandons the steam catapult for the EMALS, marking a significant change in naval aviation.  To date, the EMALS has also launched F/A-18E Super Hornets, T-45 Goshawks, and the C-2A Greyhound.

The Navy posted videos of the launch, in which the traditional steam is noticeably absent, on YouTube.

DADT: Pentagon Authorizes Homosexual Weddings

Though “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been repealed, its controversies continue.

Military chaplains can preside over same-sex marriages on military installations in places where same-sex marriage is not prohibited by state and local laws, according to a new Pentagon policy unveiled Sept. 30.

Having the ability to “preside over” ceremonies was never really in question.  Rather, the grand controversy was the use of federal facilities to conduct ceremonies not recognized by federal law.  Though not specifically referring to same-sex ceremonies, this, too was addressed:  Read more

US Military Jews Celebrate High Holy Days in Afghanistan

The Jewish Daily Forward notes that Jewish American military members are able to celebrate their religious holidays even while deployed to a combat zone — in a country with an official Islamic constitution, no less.

Rabbi Jacob Goldstein will lead Yom Kippur services this year dressed not in the black fedora of his Lubavitch Hasidic sect, but in full battle gear at a Combat Operating Base in eastern Afghanistan.  Read more

Jumping Padre, Chaplain Philip Hannan, Dies at 98

Archbishop Philip M. Hannan, a US Army Chaplain in World War II and the oldest former military Chaplain, has died.

In 1942 the Catholic pastor volunteered to become a Chaplain, specifically requesting assignment to a combat unit.  He became known as the “jumping padre” after being assigned to the 505th Parachute Infantry of the 82nd Airborne and getting 5 practice parachute jumps.

Like many paratroopers, he was ultimately driven to combat to join his unit, where he was largely expected to care for the wounded and dying.  He was allowed to go to the front lines, where the only Read more

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