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Though “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has been repealed, its controversies continue.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

Marines Attend Spiritual Fitness Prayer Breakfast

US Marines and Sailors at Camp Kinser, Japan, gathered for a prayer breakfast held by the local Chaplains.

The breakfast was held to encourage attendees to pause for a few moments in their day and reflect on what is important to them, improving their spiritual fitness, [Chaplain (Cmdr) Randal B. Craft] said.

Chief Petty Officer Beverly Harris, a religious program specialist, emphasized the inclusive nature of the breakfast as well as the universal need for spiritual Read more

USAFA to Weinstein: It’s What We Call the Chain of Command

The Commandant of Cadets at the US Air Force Academy, BrigGen Richard Clark, reportedly distributed a memorandum to all USAFA cadets on Wednesday.  He included the memorandum from the Air Force Chief of Staff, General Norton Schwartz, as an attachment.

As predicted, Michael Weinstein claimed victory.

Of course, Weinstein is claiming “victory” about something over which he had neither control nor influence.  In fact, his demands were completely ignored.  To wit, Weinstein said:

MRFF has twice demanded that Gould so [sic] distribute this directive…to all Academy personnel, staff, cadets and government contractors…

For the record, an assessment:  Read more

Tenth Planned Attack Against US Military Revealed

Rezwan Ferdaus was arrested Wednesday in Massachusetts after he acquired the weapons and means to conduct a terrorist attack against the Pentagon.  The materials were purchased from/delivered by undercover US government agents.

A Massachusetts man was arrested Wednesday and accused of plotting to destroy the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol by attacking the buildings with large, remote-controlled aircraft armed with lethal amounts of explosives.

Interestingly, mainstream articles on Ferdaus fail to mention his religion — even though Ferdaus himself claimed to be motivated by it.  In fact, one article even went so far as to publicize the DA’s warning that  Read more

USAFA Chaplain Receives 2011 Air Force Association Award

Capt. Chad Zielinski, a Catholic Chaplain at the US Air Force Academy, was presented the Air Force Association’s 2011 Chaplain Corps Award for outstanding performance by a member of the Air Force Chaplain Corps.  Chaplain Zielinski was recognized for his work both at USAFA and Afghanistan.

Contrary to some claims, Zielinski was one of many Chaplains on the front lines, serving the spiritual needs of US servicemembers:  Read more

Gazette on Weinstein: Miffed USAFA Critic Buys Billboard

The Colorado Springs Gazette, local to the US Air Force Academy, noted that religious freedom critic Michael Weinstein apparently bought a billboard ad to publish Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz’s memorandum on religious neutrality, which Chris Rodda says USAFA is “withholding.”

Air Force Academy critic Mikey Weinstein, miffed that a four-star’s memo on religious respect wasn’t e-mailed to cadets at the Air Force Academy, published the 200-word memo himself Tuesday on a Colorado Springs billboard.

Weinstein is apparently relegated to billboards because USAFA won’t answer his voluminous emails or return his phone calls.  Publicly, he claims he billboarded the memo because General Gould wouldn’t give in to his demands:  Read more

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