Tag Archives: Military

Pentagon Attack Survivor Tells of Faith, Survival

Texas State Senator Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) is a retired US Army Colonel. On September 11, 2001, he was working in the Pentagon:

…A second plane striking the second tower confirmed that a terrorist attack was underway, he said, at which time he and both coworkers prayed together. Seconds later, Birdwell told his coworkers he would be back in a minute as he had to go to the restroom, which turned out to be the last words he ever spoke to either.

Minutes later, Read more

Chris Rodda, the Government Funded Piano, and the Torah

A few days ago, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s MRFF research assistant, Chris Rodda, mocked the purchase of an $88,000 Steinway piano for a Fort Riley chapel in a little-noticed piece at the Huffington Post:

Apparently, military cutbacks don’t apply to church music…

I can’t say that I was surprised to hear about this example of outrageously extravagant spending on a military chapel…

She implied, somewhat obtusely, that the Army wouldn’t need such a piano if there was really religious hostility toward Christians in the US military, as some have asserted. Notwithstanding her presumption that only Christians would use a musical instrument, it is worth a reminder that she represents an organization that claims to be defending “religious freedom” in the US military.  She later said

While the military is cutting back on necessary services it is sparing no expense on chapels and religious programs.

As a supposed advocate for religious liberty, she considers this a bad thing?

In point of fact, Rodda, Weinstein, and Read more

Congressman Bridenstine on Military Religious Freedom

Congressman Jim Bridenstine (R-Ok), on the recent controversies regarding “So Help Me God” at the US Air Force Academy:

“As a Navy pilot with combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, I know firsthand the importance of faith to many of our service members.  When the services are hostile to faith, they are hostile to their members.  The Military Religious Freedom Coalition continues to identify instances whereby our men and women in uniform are forced to conceal or deny their deeply held religious beliefs.”

More from Congressman Bridenstine’s statement.

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USAF Academy Cadets Talk Respect, Dr. Mike Rosebush

The US Air Force Academy made several homosexual cadets available to reporters for a conference call last week and subsequently released a summary article:

Carol, Stephanie and William, three cadets in the Academy’s Spectrum club for LGBQ and allied cadets, spoke to reporters with both local and national newspapers and blogs to talk about their experiences and the support they’ve received from the Academy’s senior leaders…

The three cadets were identified only by their first names, and the group generally spoke neutrally or well of Dr. Rosebush:

“Frankly, I didn’t know he existed until his name showed up in the press,” William said. “My personal opinion is that he’s been here long enough, he’s shown he can work here without pressing his views on other people. If he does his job and does it well, and he’s not trying to influence or treat people differently than anybody else, then personally, Read more

Navy Launches Chaplain Blog

The Navy Chaplaincy now has a complete website for its own.

The blog will focus on how the Chaplain Corps meets its mission through the following core capabilities:

*To provide and facilitate religious ministry.
*Care for all with complete confidentiality.
*Advise leadership on morale, the moral and ethical command climate, and religious matters that affect the command’s mission.

The articles headlining the blog now seem to focus on ministry of presence — that is, chaplains in foxholes — and the protection of religious liberty.

Visit the site here.

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Senators Call for Fighter Pilot Ejection Seat Review

Senators Mark Udall (D-Co) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo) have proposed an amendment to the yet-to-be-approved 2014 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Air Force to review safety for its ejection seats:

Under the amendment, the Air Force also must analyze how ejection seats protect the head, neck and spinal cord during ejection; analyze any initiatives currently looking at making the ejection process safer; and update Congress on the status of any testing or qualifications on upgraded ejection seats.

The article notes Read more

Mike Huckabee on the Sound of Freedom

So if you hear some noise coming from a military installation near you, instead of calling city hall and whining about it, how about a call to heaven, and tell God that you appreciate being an American.  And maybe you would ask if He’d please keep an eye out for those folks who are making the noise.

To be fair, there’s another common quote: “I loved the sound of freedom…until I tried to sell my house.”

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USAFA Cadets Lied, Broke Rules as OSI Informants

A fascinating article by the Colorado Springs Gazette accuses the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) of encouraging misconduct while using cadets to inform on their peers — and then disavowing them when they were no longer useful.

Eric Thomas, 24, was a confidential informant…OSI ordered Thomas to infiltrate academy cliques, wearing recorders, setting up drug buys, tailing suspected rapists and feeding information back to OSI. In pursuit of cases, he was regularly directed by agents to break academy rules…

Through it all, he thought OSI would have his back. But when an operation went wrong, he said, his handlers cut communication and disavowed knowledge of his actions, and watched as he was kicked out of the academy.

The Gazette claims to have obtained documents validating the cadets’ claims.

A lengthy article, but interesting.

Repeated at the Stars and Stripes.

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