Air Force Chief of Staff Reading List Includes Fighter Pilot Tome

Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz recently continued the annual tradition of publishing a recommended “reading list.”  The service’s first non-fighter/bomber pilot chief included a fighter pilot memoir in the “military heritage” section:  Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds, which was previously reviewed here.

Another interesting recommendation is Red Eagles: America’s Secret MiGs, which reportedly details the stories of the top secret US acquisition of foreign fighters, and their clandestine use in training US fighter pilots.

Most Air Force bases stock the Chief’s reading list in a special section of the base library.

Cadet Amputee Still Dreams of Flying

ROTC Cadet Matt Pirrello lost his leg in a jump accident at the US Air Force Academy last year. He has been making a fairly rapid recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center, and still has hopes of flying, though he remains open to both possibilities and restrictions:

Pirrello had hoped to become a fighter pilot; now, he just wants to be a pilot. He’s even open to flying a remotely piloted aircraft.

The Air Force recently announced that a pilot training student who lost part of his leg in a boating accident had been reinstated into training — the first amputee ever to continue pilot training.  Pirrello’s injuries were more severe, and he has yet to be commissioned, but with his determination to serve, he may yet see his dreams fulfilled.

MRFF Sues USAFA over McClary Invitation

Michael Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation has reportedly sued the US Air Force Academy over its decision to invite a Christian to a Prayer Luncheon.  In an increasingly common scene, even the Air Force Times was able to accurately summarize the self-contradictory nature of the “religious freedom” group’s actions:

Five Air Force Academy instructors and an advocacy group are suing to stop the school from holding a religious event. (emphasis added)

One Academy faculty member, David Mullin of the Economics Department, is listed by name; four others are listed as “John Doe.”  Counsel appears to be David Lane, of Killmer, Lane & Newman in Denver.  Lane appears to have previously represented Ward Churchill, the “Balloon Boy” parents, and a student suing her school over a canceled William Ayers speech.

Contrary to his prior demands, the complaint indicates Weinstein no longer simply wants US Marine Corps (Ret) Lt Clebe McClary disinvited.  He wants the entire event canceled.

It is contended in this law suit [sic] that for the command structure of the AFA to undertake a purely religious activity such as this is a violation Read more

MRFF PR Machine Works Overtime Against McClary

Last Saturday the US Air Force Academy’s local Colorado Springs Gazette published responses to their previous editorial that described Michael Weinstein as worse than a hypocrite for trying to silence a retired military officer because of his religious views.

The letters were interesting not for their content, but for who wrote them.  The Gazette prefaced with:

The Gazette editorial “Censors want to silence war hero,” Jan. 24, advocated resulted [sic] in an overwhelming number of repsonses. Below is a small, representative sample.

The authors defending Weinstein’s criticism of USAFA’s invitation to Lt Clebe McClary, as included in the Gazette‘s sampling, were  Read more

Atheist Soldier Highlights Need for Spiritual Fitness

As previously noted, the US Army uses the now-controversial Global Assessment Tool to help Soldiers self-assess their emotional, social, family, and spiritual fitness.  The spiritual fitness portion is intended to measure meaning, purpose, and connectedness.

In his complaints, an atheist Soldier may have identified the very need for such efforts he is trying to dismiss:

Not all of the spiritual questions are offensive, he said. He didn’t mind being asked whether he has a purpose in life. But he balked at the idea of being Read more

Military Chaplains: Have Bible, Will Travel

Or, as the case may be, Have Koran, or Vedas…

An Army news article notes the necessary travels of military Chaplains as they travel throughout the combat area in Afghanistan serving the religious and morale needs of those in their care.  There have been a variety of other articles on “fob-hopping,” but this one included an interesting summary of the US military Chaplaincy:

The Chaplain’s Corps has been around since 1775. Following the creation of the infantry as a branch of the Army, the Read more

Admiral Mullen: Quality of Work, Personal Conduct Most Important

In a topic related to the prior “moral compass” discussion (in fact, the NDU speech was specifically cited), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen recently said

What I really think it comes down to is accountability. Within the military, we need to be constantly asking ourselves, “Am I holding myself and those I am responsible for to the highest standards?”

Ultimately, our quality of work and our personal conduct will say far more about who we are and what we stand for than any other thing we do.

So, are “quality of work” and “personal conduct” the defining icons of what the military stands for?

If so, what governs “personal conduct” in the US military?

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