Returning Soldiers in Need of “Soul Repair”

Retired US Army Chief Chaplain (MajGen) Douglas Carver, now the executive director of the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, recently addressed a community gathering and encouraged local ministries to engage troops as they return from war.

“Treat them with dignity and respect because you don’t know what they have gone through…”  The church pew can be a lonely place for a solder, Carver observed. “We need to go to them. We need to connect Read more

US Marine Arrested for Indecency with Dogs

Apparently, he thought the repeal of DADT meant he didn’t have to live a lie, and wouldn’t be punished just for loving someone…er, something…whatever.

Though he has not yet been put on trial, much less convicted, the Marines said

The actions of Staff Sgt. [Marc David] Harpel are contrary to the high standards of personal conduct and performance expected of Marines and will not be tolerated.

The UCMJ prohibition on bestiality was almost repealed last year.

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Gen Welsh Orders Air Force Health and Welfare Inspection

Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh ordered his wing commanders to conduct “health and welfare inspections” with the intent of fostering respect and professionalism.  The Air Force announcement was fairly benign:

Commanders across the Air Force will conduct health and welfare inspections…to emphasize an environment of respect, trust and professionalism in the workplace…

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III tasked commanders…to examine their work settings and ensure Airmen at all levels consistently apply standards of professionalism and respect across the service.

The Air Force Times took a more direct approach, saying the target was material that “objectif[ies] women:”

Commanders and supervisors in all corners of the Air Force Read more

Air Force Times’ Robert Dorr Advocates for Weinstein’s MRFF

There is a mantra many young officers and enlisted troops learn in their first few days of basic training:  “The Air Force Times is not your friend.”  It is not entirely meant as an adversarial statement; it is simply a recognition of the fact the commercial enterprise (despite its name) has nothing to do with the official Air Force, and its goal is to make money by selling papers.

That said, it is widely quoted when it raises controversial subjects (again, publicity affects the bottom line).  It has frequently covered issues of religion in the military — naturally, a controversial subject to a niche group of people.  When it has done so, it has rarely been friendly.  In a 2008 editorial, for example, the paper registered its support for the ACLU in its bid to end US Naval Academy mealtime prayers.  (Four years on, the prayers continue.)

Still, it was surprising to recently see Michael Weinstein’s MRFF, including his research assistant Chris Rodda, so excitedly — and repeatedly — promote the Air Force Times.  In one example, referring to an Air Force Times “article,” the MRFF cited Read more

X-47B Deploys to Aircraft Carrier

The X-47, an experimental unmanned “combat air system,” has been hoisted onto the USS Truman for “carrier deck handling tests.”  Presumably, these tests do not yet include carrier launches or landings (though a catapult launch on a land-based site has already occurred, complete with PR video).

Current generation unmanned vehicles essentially began their lives as surveillance assets and were modified to carry weapons.  The progeny of the X-47 will be combat attack vehicles by design, and may even have autonomous capabilities.

Observers will be forgiven if their first thought is “Skynet.”

Atheist Cadet Discharged in Publicity Stunt over Religion

Update: A local news report seems to verify conclusions former Cadet Page was coached by Michael Weinstein on how to leave West Point with a splash.

Update: World notes “other issues” influenced Cadet Blake Page’s decision, which “may have had little to do with the academy’s religious climate.”  The faculty advisor for Page’s group is cited as saying ‘he doesn’t believe systematic discrimination against nonreligious cadets exists.’

The FRC notes Page’s clinical diagnosis requires “help,” not being used for “publicity and exploitation” by “professional anti-religionist” Michael Weinstein.

According to an update at NBC, Senior West Point Cadet Blake Page — who publicly resigned while accusing US Military Academy officers of being “criminals” — will be discharged without having to serve as a Soldier or reimburse the government for his education.

Page’s decision to resign and — presumably — decline to be an Army officer has been almost universally panned in the comments on the media articles on his resignation, even from those claiming to be fellow atheists and cadets.  Some have said he should have stayed and “changed the Army from within;” others, that his charges did not seem to be supported or supportable.  Insinuations have been made that he may have been struggling to graduate anyway, and that his announcement (as well as his announced book plans) were little more than a publicity stunt to take advantage of an inevitable outcome.

A new ABC article may bear that out, where the AP reports Page admits Read more

Future NCMAF President Endorses Hostile View of Chaplaincy

The Reverend Sarah Lammert, the next President of an overarching group of US military chaplain endorsers, the National Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces, has endorsed a surprisingly hostile article on the role of military chaplains.

OutServe — the homosexual advocacy magazine focused on the US military — recently published an article questioning whether military chaplains were “force multipliers” or “force distracters.”  The author, a reserve US Army Lieutenant Colonel and homosexual, centered much of her discussion on a quote from a “code of ethics” for military chaplains.  In particular, she returned to:

When conducting services of worship that include persons of other than my religious body I will draw upon those beliefs, principles, and practices that we have in common.

Through several paragraphs LtCol Vicki Hudson ultimately seemed to distill her displeasure down to chaplains praying, and she said:  Read more

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