Tag Archives: Military

Atheist Chaplains, Support, and Actual Atheist Goals

The Catholic archbishop for the military Chaplaincy, Timothy Broglio, responded to the recent NYT article about “atheist Chaplains” by wondering aloud if such a position would be an oxymoron.  Importantly, since atheists can already meet as any other secular group does (like any sports, academic, or other social group), he questioned whether atheists might actually be after a “counter-Chaplaincy” within the Chaplaincy, rather than a positive representation:

“The idea of a ‘chaplaincy’ for atheists seems contradictory,” U.S. Military Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio told CNA. Under present conditions, he said, “it would seem that they could meet and sponsor activities just as many other groups do on installations. Or is the issue here the desire to set up a structure in direct opposition to the chaplaincy?”

He brings up an interesting point.  As noted elsewhere, for atheists to meet the intent of the concept of the Chaplaincy, they would essentially need to acknowledge Read more

Obama Issues National Day of Prayer Proclamation

President Barack Obama issued the annual National Day of Prayer proclamation, marking 5 May 2011 as a National Day of Prayer.

It is thus fitting that, from the earliest years of our country’s history, Congress and Presidents have set aside days to recognize the role prayer has played in so many definitive moments in our history…Let us be thankful for the liberty that allows people of all faiths to worship or not worship according to the dictates of their conscience, and let us be thankful for the many other freedoms and blessings that we often take for granted.

Let us pray for the men and women of our Armed Forces Read more

Georgian Military, US Marines Blessed before Afghan Deployment

The Republic of Georgia recently prepared to deploy a Light Infantry Battalion to Afghanistan in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

The fairly standard article on the deployment ceremony was accompanied by two interesting photos:

A chaplain from the Republic of Georgia’s 33rd Light Infantry Battalion anointed more than 800 Georgian soldiers at the conclusion Read more

USAF F-16 Fighter Pilot Killed in Afganistan

Along with the USAF Academy press release confirming the death of Maj Phil Ambard, an assistant professor, the Air Force also released the names of the others killed during a gunman’s attack.

Among them was Maj David Brodeur, a 1999 USAF Academy graduate and F-16 pilot.  Brodeur wasn’t in Afghanistan flying the F-16, however.  He was apparently part of a unit training Afghan pilots.

Maj Ambard leaves behind a wife and five children, four of whom have followed him into military service (his daughter just returned from deployment).  Maj Brodeur is survived by a wife and two children.

Update: Official military release on those killed in the attack, indicating LtCol Frank Bryant was also an F-16 pilot killed in the attack.  Maj. Jeffrey Ausborn was also killed; he was a T-6 pilot, though his primary weapons system is unknown.  The military released an additional report intended to dispel inaccurate press reporting on the incident.

Chaplain Ministers to Soldiers, Locals in Uganda

Chaplain (Capt) Andy Shepherd and his assistant, Sgt Desmond Manning, deployed to Uganda with the Georgia National Guard in support of ATLAS DROP 11.  While their primary purpose was to serve the spiritual and morale needs of the Soldiers in their unit,

Their job didn’t end at the edge of the Drop Zone, both Shepherd and Manning reached out to the surrounding communities.

The locals seemed to be keen on the American forces, and even more so on the Chaplain:

“The locals were really glad to see us, and that really just touched my heart,” said Shepherd. “That really just put a drive in me to go visit more people out in the community to let them know we’re here and that we care and as a chaplain — as a Christian — just to show the love of God and that I do care, that I am concerned.”

As a result, the Chaplain team’s ministry expanded:  Read more

Military Atheists Want to Join Chaplaincy?

The New York Times has an interesting article titled “Atheists Seek Chaplain Role in the Military.”

Strange as it sounds, groups representing atheists and secular humanists are pushing for the appointment of one of their own to the chaplaincy, hoping to give voice to what they say is a large — and largely underground — population of nonbelievers in the military.

The ironic part is atheists have previously implied Chaplains’ “secular” roles are better filled by people such as psychologists and behavioral health experts — leaving Chaplains to purely “religious” endeavors.

The atheists apparently want an advocate for their organized beliefs, which just sounds strange to say.  But Jason Torpy of the MAAF says exactly that:  Read more

USAFA Professor Killed in Afghanistan

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that a US Air Force Academy professor was killed in Afghanistan this week.

Maj. Phil Ambard, a foreign-language professor at the academy, was killed in Kabul, according to his daughter, Air Force 1st Lt. Emily Short.

Some people may not realize that a wide variety of people deploy to the combat zones from non-traditional fields.  The Academy likely has several instructors downrange.

Major Ambard reportedly had more than two decades of service in the Air Force.  Remember his family in your prayers.

Foreign Policy: US Military Christians Targeted

Over on a sometime-controversial blog at Foreign Policy, Tom Ricks posts an article by Richard Andres on criticisms of the Air Force’s professional military education.  Said Andres:

In a recent book chapter, Dan Hughes, a retired Air War College professor, launched an emotionally charged diatribe against the Air War College and Air University of which it is a part…

According to Hughes, the school is run by a group of bottom-tier, anti-intellectual, Christian evangelical, Rush Limbaugh-addicted colonels who have created an institution lacking in basic academic rigor and standards.

Both Hughes and Andres indicate they were Air University professors.  For his part, Andres admits there is some credence to Hughes’ general criticisms (“politics and religion aside”).  The larger debate focuses on the overall value of the military schools.  Andres’ main point is Hughes mischaracterized the bigger struggle ongoing at Air University:  that between often liberal-leaning civilian faculty and more conservative-leaning military faculty and students:

Beyond prizing academic rigor and hoping to avoid contact with policy, academics generally share a common professional mindset that is somewhat left of center, dislikes evangelical Christianity, and views the military with distrust.

Most interesting, however is a somewhat chilling story about the intentional targeting of religious beliefs:  Read more

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