Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, a former Navy Chaplain who once acted as a special advisor to the Air Force on religious issues and remains engaged in current events, has a guest column in the Washington Post suggesting it is time for a new Chaplain’s insignia in the US military.
Today’s chaplains wear one of four separate insignias: Read more
Frequent articles have noted the unique experiences to which US military members have access as they travel the world at their nation’s call. They may be able to visit the home lands of Abraham; they may be able to travel to Mecca at the government’s expense. In Japan, they may be able to join a military-based tour group on a “spiritual journey” to a local Buddhist monastery.
As noted in an official Marine article, Marines based at Iwakuni went on a “spiritual journey” to a local temple hosted by Tadahisa Teshima: Read more
The International Security Assistance Force, led by US Army Gen. John R. Allen and Ambassador Simon Gass, hosted an Islamic iftar in Afghanistan, the meal that breaks the daily fast of Ramadan. Afghan leaders were thankful:
Defense Minister of Afghanistan Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak [said] “This is actually a demonstration of the upmost respect for our beliefs, our faith, our traditions and our culture…”
As noted in a US Army article, Islamic US Army Soldiers at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, are observing Ramadan with others of their faith.
As Soldiers engaged in war, the Islamic faith technically exempts them from fasting during Ramadan, but at least one Soldier has chosen to Read more
In perhaps the most dismissed — and yet most widely predicted — response to the repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” a homosexual advocacy group is pushing for military benefits currently denied to homosexuals.
Far from simply relying on the eventual undoing of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network says the military can actually grant benefits consistent with the law: Read more
A US Air Force article highlights the story of Major Josh Brown, a KC-135 pilot who has earned his 19th Air Medal:
Brown flew his final combat sortie for this deployment July 30, qualifying him to receive the 18th oak leaf cluster for his Air Medal.
The Air Medal is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievements while participating in aerial flight in support of operations…
In layman’s terms, Air Medals are handed out for one of two things: unique, heroic events…or for flying a certain Read more
The report on the T-34 crash that occurred in New Orleans in January 2010 says the incident, in which the instructor pilot was killed, could have been prevented.
According to the Navy Times, the aircraft descended below required minimums without visually acquiring the runway. The aircraft then impacted the water. Both crewmembers climbed out; they didn’t have water survival gear. They became separated, and the instructor pilot’s body was found a few days later. The student Read more
According to the Air Force Times, the Air Force is reviewing “all” materials it uses to teaches “ethics, core values, and character development.” The reason?
More Christian-themed course work surfaced.
The gross misrepresentation of the Chaplain briefing at Vandenberg, promoted by Michael Weinstein and his “religious freedom” allies, has already been discussed. The latest issue is a “complaint” about ethics training in ROTC.
The ROTC briefing, called “Core Values and the Air Force Member,” contains references to the Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments as examples of ethical values. Two additional slides list the New Testament teachings of Jesus known as the Beatitudes, and seven of the commandments, including “Have no other gods before me.”
The 22-slide briefing also cites the Golden Rule as an example of ethical values. One of the slides points out that the Golden Rule — “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” — is found in five of the world’s major religions.
Shocking, isn’t it? A slideshow on ethics gives Christian Read more
Though facing some criticism for ‘ignoring’ Easter this year, President Obama hosted a White House iftar breaking the Ramadan fast last week. From his statement at the event:
Tonight is part of a rich tradition here at the White House of celebrating the holy days of many faiths…People of different faiths coming together, with humility before our maker, to reaffirm our obligations to one another, because no matter who we are, or how we pray, we’re all children of a loving God.
The President recalled the sacrifice of Army Specialist Kareem Khan, whom he also highlighted at the same event in 2009. Khan, an American Soldier and Muslim, was killed in action in Iraq in 2007.