Homosexual Websites Claim Military Censorship

A few homosexual advocacy websites have used their military members’ access to DoD networks to claim the US military is censoring websites identified as “LGBT.”

It’s bad enough the United States Department of Defense censors Towleroad and AMERICAblog – banning the gay civil rights Web sites from being accessed on DOD computers – and it’s even worse that the Pentagon has no problem permitting their computers to access Ann Coulter’s and Rush Limbaugh’s hate-filled Web sites…

While claiming persecution is all the rage, this is actually really old news.  The ACLU has been going after libraries and public schools for years for using the same web filtering software — BlueCoat and its categories — the DoD uses.  So much ire has been aimed at BlueCoat it has revised the wording of its filter and made a point of publishing its ‘neutral stance’ on the topic.  It only provides a service; its customers choose how to employ it.

Also, as noted before (when an Air Force Sergeant tried to get ChristianFighterPilot.com blocked from military servers as “hate speech”), it is difficult to Read more

US Military Chaplain Goes Where You Go. Literally.

The New York Times covers the military’s struggle with classifying and treating Traumatic Brain Injuries, using an experience by a military chaplain as the lede:

It was [Chaplain] Lt. Col. Richard Brunk’s second Sunday in Baghdad, and so, of course, there was church. Only 16 soldiers showed up, but that was good for that busy day, election day across Iraq. The presiding chaplain asked everyone to take seats up front. It was a providential move.

A 122-millimeter rocket exploded outside, virtually collapsing Read more

The Balance of Religion and the Military

While it potentially raises more questions than it provides answers, a Wall Street Journal opinion piece does a reasonable job of trying to present a balanced portrait of religion in the US military as it pertains to the requirements of the Constitution.

Isn’t it a First Amendment-violating “establishment of religion” for the military to appoint religious officials? No, it isn’t…The chaplains exist not for the military or the government generally, but to give military men and women access to their religion.

The problem is how to achieve this objective without creating an environment that seems to associate the military with particular religious views…

Although military personnel can’t be forced to muffle their religious beliefs, courts have long given the military more flexibility than other employers to regulate freedom of expression. The military can therefore discourage officers from expressing their faith in ways that create pressure on their subordinates…

Author David Skeel, a University of Pennsylvania Law School professor, even grants the military might be a model for society in its handling of religious freedom:  Read more

President Criticizes NDAA Clauses with Signing Statement

When President Obama signed the much-ballyhooed NDAA into law, he also issued a “signing statement,” a fairly recent presidential practice that explains the Executive Branch take on the Legislative Branch’s work.  The President’s signing statement notes the Constitution only allows the President to accept or reject the bill as a whole, but he still objects to some provisions.

The New York Times notes he took issue with restrictions on the transfer of Guantanamo detainees, and several sites highlighted his consternation over Section 533, previously described as containing ‘religious liberty protections.’  The Section was a compromise between the House and Senate and had been opposed by atheists and the ACLU.  The White House had previously objected.  President Obama said:  Read more

Top Australian General on Christmas, Christian Fellowship

In early December the Military Christian Fellowship posted a Christmas message from its “patron,” General David Hurley:

Christmas is a time of great celebration for Christians everywhere as we celebrate the birth of our Lord….Regardless of where you are next year I encourage you to seek the friendship and fellowship with Christians through MCF or the other military Christian ministries; with old friends and with workmates…I value the work of the MCF and was privileged to attend the Defence Christians Dinner and the MCF Spiritual Boot camp Seminar with my wife Linda this year. Wherever you are serving this Christmas I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and God bless you and your family in 2013.

For those unaware, General Hurley is the highest uniformed member of the Australian military.  Due to differences in structure, there isn’t a direct American equivalent, though the closest would probably be the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Read more

Report: Chaplain Appointed Illinois Adjutant General

According to the Chicago Tribune, Governor Pat Quinn has appointed Chaplain (MajGen) Daniel Krumrei the Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard.  The Adjutant General (TAG) acts as the commander of the state’s Guard forces and reports directly to the Governor.

On one hand, it is fascinating to see a chaplain rise to such a position.

On the other hand, his appointment is a bit confusing and seems hard to square with military regulations.

Under Title 10, which governs the national armed forces, chaplains have, by definition, rank without command.  Thus, by law, a chaplain cannot command Read more

US Marines to Institute Blues Fridays

Update: An official Defense.gov article notes the recent changes in Armed Services uniform policies and covers some of the highlights.

Just after the US Air Force abandoned “blues Mondays,” the US Marine Corps has announced that, as of tomorrow, Fridays require Marines to wear service uniforms instead of their utilities:

Beginning Jan. 4, 2013, all non-deployed Marines and sailors assigned to Marine units, regardless of component, active or Reserve, will be required to wear the appropriate seasonal service uniform each Friday.

The reasons given are the “form fitting” nature of the service uniform Read more

The Psychology of Christmas in Afghanistan

An otherwise common article on Christmas in Afghanistan — which covers a variety of services performed for packed chapels for US troops — has a unique start.  The first person mentioned in the article isn’t a chaplain; its the “brigade psychologist:”

“We usually expect to see an increase in family and relationship problems following the holidays,” said Capt. Justine Majeres, the brigade psychologist. “The stress of being away from family Read more

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