Tag Archives: Military

NDAA Religious Liberty Language “a Win”

Update: Retired Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty was similarly “grateful” that President Obama signed this “improve[d] religious liberty provision” into law.

The Family Research Council released a statement regarding the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act which has passed the Senate and gone to President Obama for his signature. In short, the FRC was pleased to see a strengthening in specific liberty language.

Noting last year’s version of the language, the FRC said the [emphasis added]

DOD has refused to issue the implementing regulations required by that law…Moreover, military branches such as the Air Force have interpreted the law very narrowly to apply only to a service member’s ability to hold a belief, not to practice or express that belief.

That truncated view of religious liberty has Read more

Former Rep Allen West on Mikey Weinstein, Nativity

Allen West, former Congressman and retired US Army LtCol, wrote that the military “buckle[d]” to Michael “Mikey” Weinstein when it removed the Nativities from the Guantanamo chow halls.  West would have responded in a way many in the military probably would have [emphasis added]:

The US military in which I served would have told someone like Weinstein to simply go “pound sand…”

I want to make sure you know exactly how dangerous this Mr. Weinstein truly is. He has referred to individuals who profess their faith as committing acts of sedition. He has taken it upon himself to attack any religious symbols or references in the US military — and recently had the words “under God” removed from the US Air Force Academy honor oath – from where he graduated, by the way.

Weinstein didn’t have the phrase “so help me God” (not “under God”) removed, but that conversation is misunderstood by almost everyone who talks about it, including Weinstein’s own supporters.

LtCol West becomes one of the few to see Read more

Mikey Weinstein wants Religious Freedom Confined to Chapel

In a short pieced entitled “Atheist says, ‘Boo!’ Navy jumps to attention,” Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty executive director retired Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews lamented the US military’s seeming subservience to Michael “Mikey” Weinstein:

“It’s just disappointing that the military, the Air Force and now the Navy, is just caving in to a shout from Mr. Weinstein,” says Crews. “He says, ‘Boo!’ and they hide – and that’s very disappointing.”

More interestingly, Crews highlights the core of the push Weinstein has most recently tried — and the one that brought him this “victory:”  Read more

USAFA Issues, Corrects Statement on Mike Rosebush

The US Air Force Academy issued a press release detailing the results of its investigation into the hiring of Dr. Mike Rosebush.  In short, his hiring and continued employment are justified [emphasis added]:

We have thoughtfully and carefully reviewed the conditions and circumstances surrounding Dr. Michael Rosebush’s hire…We have found that at no time did Dr Rosebush’s personal beliefs influence any professional decision or action taken in his position at the Academy…Therefore, there is no legal basis for either his removal or transfer and Dr. Rosebush will be retained in his current position.

USAFA experienced an awkward moment, though, when it released the statement on Facebook and commenters criticized an awkwardly timed omission.  USAFA said:

It is critical that we have Read more

Military Congregations Support their Comrades

An official Army release highlights the military chapel congregations at Fort Stewart, GA, and Hunter Army Airfield who worked with their local commissaries to help offset expenses for local military families:

As part of a longstanding tradition, chaplains gave their religious congregations the opportunity to give what is called a “designated offering…”

“This is a tradition that shows the generosity of Read more

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