Newest Jewish Chaplain Sports Beard

Rabbi Menachem Stern officially became Chaplain (1LT) Stern after being sworn in last week.

Stern is a member of the Chabad Lubavitch movement of Judaism, whose rabbis are prohibited from shaving their beards.

The Army’s decision was commended by Chaplain (COL) Ron Crews of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty:

This decision by the Army chief of chaplains is an example of protecting religious liberty by providing for the religious support of a significant number of Jewish troops.

Mayor, Jewish Chaplain, Deploys for Holidays

Menashe Miller is the Mayor of Lakewood Township in New Jersey.  He is also a US Air Force Chaplain.  A local news report covers his temporary displacement as Mayor so he can deploy over the Jewish holidays to support Jewish servicemembers in the war zone:

A farewell ceremony was held for the unsuspecting mayor at his final committee meeting for the year on Thursday. Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein organized a performance of the “Star Spangled Banner” as well as a Jewish Read more

DADT Repeal a Chance to “Counter” Evangelical Chaplains

An article from the homosexual advocacy magazine Dallas Voice indicated the repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” presented an opportunity to “rebalance” the chaplaincy.

The article relied largely on an interview with Chaplain Candidate (1Lt) Chris Antal, a Unitarian Universalist.  Interestingly, Antal gives some credence to the “change” that occurred in the military after most chaplains (and the rest of the military, frankly) enlisted:

Antal said that chaplains who enlisted knew what they were getting into — to some extent. But none of them really expected the repeal of the military’s anti-gay “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. And for many, that repeal was a game changer.

To date, the position of the military leadership has been members of the military signed up to serve, regardless of any change in the moral culture.  For that reason, applications for dismissal due to moral opposition to the policy change were not permitted.  (Only chaplains could do so, by virtue of having their sending body rescind their endorsement.)  The rest of the article references the Forum on the Military Chaplaincy, a group of active and retired chaplains and others who advocated for repeal of DADT.  (A member of that group previously called religious opposition to the homosexual lifestyle “bigotry.”)  The group was reportedly started by those Read more

Marine Commandant Pleased with DADT Repeal Implementation

Commandant of the US Marine Corps General James Amos was the most senior military member to oppose repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” In an AP story last week, Amos indicates he is “very pleased” with how repeal has been implemented, but has no regrets about his initial opposition.

The article, perhaps unintentionally, demonstrates a misunderstanding of the situation as it equates silence with ambivalence:

The apparent absence of angst about gays serving openly in the Marines seemed to confirm Amos’ view that Read more

Camp Marmal Marines Baptized in Afghanistan

Just one day after their cross was pulled down from their chapel, five US Marines were baptized in Camp Marmal in a public affirmation of their faith:

[A] congregation of worshipers…witnessed the five service members publicly proclaim their belief in a higher power.

At the conclusion of the service, each service member was baptized individually, taking a backward plunge into a tub of water that was placed inside the chapel.

“This [the baptism] is only the beginning of their spiritual journey,” said Maj. Xuan Tran, chaplain…

The symbolic gesture of Read more

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