{"id":14000,"date":"2011-11-07T01:25:39","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T06:25:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/?p=14000"},"modified":"2015-06-27T19:14:29","modified_gmt":"2015-06-27T22:14:29","slug":"did-usafa-cancel-operation-christmas-child","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2011\/11\/07\/did-usafa-cancel-operation-christmas-child\/","title":{"rendered":"Did USAFA Cancel Operation Christmas Child?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few news sites reported last week<\/a> on the US Air Force Academy’s participation in — and then reconsideration of its participation in — Operation Christmas Child<\/a>, in which shoeboxes with basic sundries and gifts are given to needy children around the world by Samaritan’s Purse.<\/p>\n

The situation is fairly complex, as evidenced by the fact a few news organizations had to edit and reissue their news articles to correct misunderstandings about what really occurred.<\/p>\n

Undisputed public statements indicate cadets at the US Air Force Academy came up with the idea to participate in Operation Christmas Child.\u00a0 They made an announcement in Mitchell Hall (the wing dining facility, with all cadets present) and subsequently sent out a wing-wide email explaining who to contact to participate.<\/p>\n

A cadet who “didn’t think much about it at first” later forwarded the email to Michael Weinstein calling it part of the\u00a0“religious problem” proving the US military “support[s] one religion, which is of course Christianity.”\u00a0 (Weinstein published the email, complete with the names and personal information\u00a0of the cadets involved, though he redacted his supporter’s information.)\u00a0 Less than 24 hours later, Weinstein was in the local news<\/a><\/p>\n

accus[ing] commanders of crossing the line by promoting \u201cOperation Christmas Child\u201d a program sponsored by an evangelical Christian group that sends toys and toiletries in shoe boxes to needy kids around the globe. The group includes a Christian message with the gifts.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Weinstein, the quoted article and several others cite the common misperception that OCC opens the boxes and places “Christian messages” inside, or that in order to receive a box a child must hear the gospel message.\u00a0 Neither is true.\u00a0 The OCC website explains when, if at all<\/a>, such messages are given.\u00a0 The boxes themselves are delivered “unconditionally.”<\/p>\n

Weinstein had apparently solicited his Academy insiders for offended observers and reported that\u00a0132 of his nearly 300<\/a> USAFA cadet, faculty, and staff supporters agreed with him.<\/p>\n

Weinstein’s accusation was off base, as commanders had no part in the cadet-organized effort.\u00a0 The Air Force Academy initially backed the cadets, saying there was<\/p>\n

nothing wrong with the school\u2019s involvement. The cadets would provide toys and other items for the needy, and wouldn\u2019t play a role in the religious message that is included with the gifts when they\u2019re delivered, academy spokesman John Van Winkle said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

USAFA Commandant BrigGen Richard Clark ultimately called Weinstein when USAFA altered that support, saying<\/a><\/p>\n

Under orders from Air Force headquarters, Clark said only the Chaplain Corps is responsible for advertising faith-based programs.<\/p>\n

“The cadets had nothing but good intentions, but this was something that should have started with the Chaplains, not the Cadet Wing,” Clark said. “That doesn\u2019t mean the cadets can\u2019t volunteer for the Christmas toy drive, they can participate through the Cadet Chaplain Corps.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The “change” in Academy position had some reporting that USAFA had “canceled<\/a>” its participation in Operation Christmas Child. In fact, little has changed.<\/p>\n

The Academy actually had to publish a release to explain that the program is still continuing<\/a>,\u00a0but cadets are coordinating through the cadet chaplain corps.\u00a0 Since those activities are, by Air Force policy, granted the same access as other staff activities, there should be no noticeable difference beyond the “chaplaincy” stamp on future messages.<\/p>\n

Some have taken the position that this change is consistent with Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz’s September memo<\/a> saying<\/p>\n

I expect chaplains, not commanders, to notify Airmen of Chaplain Corps programs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That perspective is understandable,\u00a0and it may demonstrate the potential ambiguity introduced by the Chief’s message.<\/p>\n

Put simply, the Operation Christmas Child effort by cadets was never a chaplain’s program.\u00a0 It seems everyone has simply assumed that it should <\/em>have been because of the religious beliefs associated with the organization.<\/p>\n

This is similar to an error the MRFF’s Chris Rodda has made in the past<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pop quiz<\/em>:\u00a0 Name a military policy that says when a program interacts with organizations which hold religious beliefs, the program must hand itself over to the chaplaincy.<\/p>\n

The obvious answer: there is no such policy.\u00a0 The presence of religious belief does not require that military members abandon their normal operations and route an otherwise standard program through the chaplaincy.\u00a0 They can certainly choose<\/em> to do so, but, until\u00a0now, there has been no requirement\u00a0<\/em>they do so.<\/p>\n

Did the\u00a0military hand aid delivery to Japan over to the Chaplains because Samaritan’s Purse — the same organization running Operation Christmas Child — was providing the blankets and bottled water<\/a>?<\/p>\n

It was understood from the beginning this was a cadet organized service project.\u00a0 In fact, even the cadet who emailed Weinstein started his email describing it as a “wing community service project.”\u00a0 The cadet wing has\u00a0organized service projects as varied as Ironman security in Hawaii<\/a> to flood cleanup in South Dakota<\/a>, and they actively seek cadet ideas to support.<\/p>\n

To assert that community service projects can be coordinated by cadets unless<\/em> they are somehow connected to a religious organization introduces an unusual level of official religious scrutiny by\u00a0“government actors” — which Weinstein would argue is dangerous Constitutional ground, if he were intellectually consistent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In effect, cadets can officially lead and participate in any community service project they choose, unless the project has some connection to a religious organization.\u00a0 At that point, they have to alter their normal procedures and\u00a0accede to the chaplaincy, purely because of the beliefs of the organization with which they are dealing.\u00a0 Thus, cadets can support a food bank run by the city council with an email\/announcement for volunteers, but they cannot do the same thing for a food bank run by the local Catholic Church.<\/p>\n

This basically removes organizations with religious association from the cadet community service project group, or the Cadet Service Learning Program<\/a>, which is an official part of USAFA’s<\/a> Center for Character Development.\u00a0 The CSLP has previously been responsible for getting the Academy named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll<\/a> for USAFA’s community service efforts.\u00a0 Community service projects are the purview of this program, as noted by the\u00a0USAFA admissions handbook<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Community service activities are accomplished through our Cadet Service Learning Program (CSL).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

“Religious” groups may still be supported through the chaplaincy, but the relationship with the service group may be complicated or simply severed to avoid further criticism, earned or not.\u00a0 While the chaplaincy does some community service projects<\/a> of its own, separating\u00a0charities from the group\u00a0designed <\/em>for\u00a0such cadet projects\u00a0will likely reduce their support —\u00a0unless, of course,\u00a0cadets come up with an innovative way to re-integrate the newly separated\u00a0religious and non-religious service projects.\u00a0 Cadets are an innovative bunch, so its entirely possible.\u00a0 It’s a shame they’re forced to jump such logistical and administrative hurdles purely to assuage a Weinstein affront.<\/p>\n

The USAFA website even has a place\u00a0such charitable organizations can request cadet volunteers<\/a>.\u00a0 The site says<\/p>\n

Requests for cadet volunteers must be from non-profit groups, churches, schools, or government agencies…A member of the Center for Character Development will contact the requesting POC before advertising the request to the cadets.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

To be consistent with the latest interpretations of policy, the process must now be altered to remove religious organizations from that system or transfer them to the Chaplaincy.\u00a0 There isn’t currently a block for “Are you associated with a religion?”, but this “religious test” may be necessary to walk the fine line some seem to want.<\/p>\n

While some may claim that’s not a big deal, think about how many projects which USAFA cadets — or other active duty officers — traditionally support with community service are in some way associated with religious charities.\u00a0 It’s standard fare to go support the local soup kitchen — but now the community service group can only support soup kitchens that aren’t associated with religious groups.\u00a0 Same goes for shelters, retirement homes, and missions cadets or any other member of the military may seek to support.<\/p>\n

A quick web search of military supported groups in Colorado Springs yields frequent mentions of Marian House<\/a> Soup Kitchen and the Springs Rescue Mission, both religious charities, as well as several other charities founded by<\/a> or associated with the Catholic Church.\u00a0 Naturally, every <\/em>service project’s organization must now be examined for any hint of religious association prior to gaining\u00a0access to cadet or military support — many of whom “rely on” the “key role”<\/a> of such support.<\/p>\n

The Academy can\u00a0organize its support for local charities in whatever manner it chooses, and it is walking an understandably gray line as it tries to treat religion “neutrally” while simultaneously\u00a0treating it “differently.”\u00a0\u00a0 To the point: Did the cadets in question make a mistake?\u00a0 Only insofar as taking action without getting it cleared through Michael Weinstein first.\u00a0 Until then,\u00a0their conduct was consistent with what they (and many others) thought was Air Force and USAFA policy.<\/p>\n

It does not seem that community service projects are “religious studies, faith sharing, and prayer meetings” inherently covered by\u00a0the chaplain’s program, making it somewhat unusual to apply the Chief’s policy to these events at all.\u00a0 Contrary to Weinstein’s contortions, cadets asking other cadets to support a charitable cause that has a religious overtone is not prohibited.\u00a0 Within the military it does not establish a religion, and outside of the military it would have been transparent to the rest of the world.<\/p>\n

Michael Weinstein did a victory dance over the Academy’s response, and most of the world seemed not to notice that besides having a chaplain involved, the Academy involvement with Operation Christmas Child hasn’t really changed.\u00a0 Notably, the cadet who originally wrote Weinstein had other complaints, including:<\/p>\n

No one will think it is wrong we have wing wide Point Of Contacts to support a Christian mission.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The cadet needs to learn this “concern” is unfounded.\u00a0 Yes, you can have “wing wide POCs” for drives that support charities or other groups with religious missions.\u00a0 Weinstein should consider educating his supporters; but that might dull their hypersensitivity to Christianity.\u00a0 The cadet also needs to learn how to interact within <\/em>the military system.<\/p>\n

Who knows?\u00a0 Maybe this whole event will raise the awareness of Operation Christmas Child within the cadet wing to a level never before seen, and thanks to Weinstein, cadet participation will actually be greater than it may have been.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few news sites reported last week on the US Air Force Academy’s participation in — and then reconsideration of its participation in — Operation Christmas Child, in which shoeboxes with basic sundries and gifts are given to needy children around the world by Samaritan’s Purse. The situation is fairly complex, as evidenced by the fact a few news organizations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[5284,175,96,4,2401,82,2402,406,19,2400,2403,85,2,5218,2399,7,497,2398,17,10,171,2259,1034,2404,65],"class_list":["post-14000","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-government-and-religion","tag-chaplain","tag-chris-rodda","tag-christian","tag-churchandstate","tag-community-service","tag-constitution","tag-food-bank","tag-franklin-graham","tag-government","tag-john-van-winkle","tag-marian-house","tag-mikey-weinstein","tag-military","tag-military-religious-freedom-foundation","tag-mitchell-hall","tag-mrff","tag-norton-schwartz","tag-operation-christmas-child","tag-religious-expression","tag-religion","tag-religious-freedom","tag-richard-clark","tag-samaritans-purse","tag-springs-rescue-mission","tag-usafa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14000","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14000"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14000\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14000"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14000"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14000"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}