President Obama recently spoke at the 2009 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast (though, interestingly, much ado was made of his failure to observe the traditional National Day of Prayer in May). The event was conducted by Esperanza, billed as “the largest Hispanic faith-based Evangelical network in the United States.”
Of particular note, Obama said Read more
An Afghan military officer completed the US Air Force’s Aviation Leadership Program and was awarded his wings. Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki was selected to attend the training last year. It appears Lt Ramaki finished the program by flying the T-6, rather than the T-38 or T-1 that USAF pilots fly. Lt Ramaki is said to be going to fly the C-27 Spartan for the Afghan Air Force.
According to the Air Force Times, the Air Force will train more UAV pilots than fighter/bomber pilots this year. While the current number of fighter and bomber pilots still dwarfs the number of UAV pilots, the Air Force will train 240 UAV pilots, though only 214 fighter and bomber pilots, this year.
The article does not distinguish between Predator and Global Hawk UAVs, which might be a similar distinction between fighter/bomber and airlift/tanker pilots.
As previously noted, two Sikh medical professionals are appealing the US Army policy that prevents them from keeping their religious accoutrements in uniform. (The AP now covers the story.)
In April, the Army office of the Chief of Staff, on behalf of the Secretary of Defense, responded to the Sikh Coalition’s complaint, informing them that they were investigating the matter.
Tony Dungy
Tyndale, 2007.
Topic: Christian Living
Quiet Strength is an excellent book on Christian living and Christian priorities. Though Dungy is a football coach, an understanding (or even appreciation) of football is not required to see how the husband and father handled the conflicting priorities in his life.
Though seemingly an unusual choice for a military Christian resource, Dungy’s descriptions of the demands of his profession are sometimes eerily similar to those of a military service member. Arguably, not all of his decisions were the best, but the example he sets is admirable. He has what Read more
Michael Weinstein and his Military Religious Freedom Foundation have routinely called for court martial, punishment, and have even implied harm against military members publicly associated with expressions of religious thought. Weinstein has reserved particular vitriol for senior officers, including the Chief Chaplains of both the Army and Air Force, the Secretary of the Army, the members (and Chairman) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, military academy leadership, and others. His intent appears to be to silence or exclude Christians by changing military policy and public opinion where he can, and intimidation using public excoriation where he cannot.
It is likely that the MRFF’s criticisms of military leadership will continue. They have already leveled criticism at the Obama administration’s selection for the new Secretary of the Army, New York Republican Congressman John McHugh.
Michael Weinstein called McHugh “suboptimal” Read more
Many logistics functions, like support, aircraft maintenance, and administration used to be largely conducted by enlisted Airmen. As a result of budget decreases and manning decisions, however, much of these jobs are now done by civilian contractors. This adds some complexity to the issue of conducting military operations, as when a labor strike recently grounded the fleet at Vance Air Force Base. (Operations are still suspended at the base.)
The Air Force isn’t even a party to the labor conflict, as the dispute is between two external organizations. Still, it is the victim of the work stoppage.
The base even had to bring in augmentees from other bases just to man basic life-saving functions like the Fire Department. Officially, however, the Air Force remains “neutral” in the labor dispute.
Abdulhakim Muhammad, an American Muslim convert who fired an automatic weapon into a US Army recruiting center in Arkansas, has said that he did so because of the US military’s past actions against Muslims. His barrage killed one soldier and wounded another.
Muhammad, whose original name was Carlos Bledsoe, said his actions were
for the sake of God, for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all the world, and also a retaliation on US military.