Category Archives: Chaplain

DoJ Moves to Dismiss Chalker/MRFF Lawsuit

The Obama Administration’s Department of Justice has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by Specialist Dustin Chalker and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.  The lawsuit (discussed previously and available here) alleged that Chalker was forced to attend formations that had Christian prayers.  It asked that the Courts direct that the DoD not require Chalker to attend formations at which a prayer was given.

The motion to dismiss contains a variety of strong points (some of which have been mentioned on this site previously).  In particular Read more

MRFF Calls for Chief Chaplain’s Court Martial

According to a variety of reports, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has called for the dismissal of Chaplain (Major General) Douglas Carver, the US Army’s Chief Chaplain.  As noted earlier, Chaplain Carver had called for a day of prayer and fasting among his Chaplaincy corps on April 8th, which coincided with the beginning of Passover celebrations in the Jewish community.

Weinstein claimed he’d received a “tsunami” of complaints against the Day of Prayer, though his MRFF is the only organization to protest.  Weinstein, who is Jewish, said

The fact that this would fall on this same day is not just wrong or bad, but unforgivable, and Carver should be severely disciplined.

By contrast, some responses, by those of both the Jewish and other faiths, expressed support for the Chaplain, noting that Jewish fasts are entirely appropriate on this day.   One post appears to have been written by Chaplain (Col) Jacob Goldstein, the US Army’s “Senior Jewish Chaplain,” Read more

Military Chaplains in High Demand

There has long been a shortage in Chaplains in the Guard and reserve, as previously noted.  The Stars and Stripes notes that reservists are currently in high demand, as they are activated to fill posts of Chaplains who are deployed downrange.

Said one such Chaplain, who had been activated multiple times over the past decades:

“[The soldiers] sought reassurance that they were there for the right purposes. A lot of them had religious questions about God — ‘What does God think about this?’ People wanted to be baptized. There are no atheists or agnostics in foxholes.”

Chaplains in Battle

The Baptist Press notes the story of Chaplain (Col) James White of the 10th Mountain Division,  

Fine sand and blinding dust swirled across the Iraqi desert, providing cover for U.S. Army soldiers to advance deeper into enemy terrain. The lead Humvee inched cautiously forward. The soldiers on point radioed to a support group behind them — and asked for a chaplain…

“We’re scared,” the soldiers told Chaplain White when he joined them. “Could you take a few minutes to pray with us?”  “We all knelt there in the sand and prayed,” said White…

Heading back to the support unit, White awaited the impending battle…[The soldiers] drove slowly forward — and suddenly met a Russian-built T-72 tank. The battle was on.

Chaplains serve a vital–and unique–role in our nation’s armed forces.

Military Religious Freedom: The Torah in Iraq

The Air Force news published articles and pictures (see below the fold) of a Torah dedication ceremony in Balad, Iraq, on March 23rd, as well as the accompanying adult Bar Mitzvah of an enlisted Airmen.

Contrary to some assertions, such public displays of faith do not demonstrate an institutional favoritism of a religion (in this case, Judaism) by the military or by the government.  Such expressions–even in a region of the world that has elements hostile to both Judaism and America–are not only permitted but also encouraged, just as the free exercise of other faiths is also supported.

Such displays are also wholly permissible in uniform, as these Airmen were.  The Airmen wore yarmulkes Read more

Chief Chaplain Calls for Day of Prayer & Fasting

As noted in his monthly “From the Chief,” Chaplain (Maj. Gen.) Douglas L. Carver, Chief of Army Chaplains, called (pdf) on his Chaplaincy corps to join him in a day of prayer and fasting on 8 April 2009, consistent with the tenets of their faith, for

the protection, preservation, and peace for our Soldiers and Families.

Chaplain Carver noted that the intent is to support the Army’s continuing focus on the trend of suicides in the US Army (as previously discussed).

Living out Faith in the Military

On February 27th, Chap. (Maj.) Randy Griffin of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) sponsored a Cappadocian Martyrs Run at Red Rock Canyon, Colorado Springs.  More than 25 soldiers participated in the three-mile run, which was used to commemorate the memory of 40 Roman soldiers who died rather than recant their faith when ordered to do so by their governor in 313 AD.

The Chaplain noted that the story served as a challenge, noting

We can publicly live out our faith without being afraid for what we believe as Christians.

Combat Chapel Team Ministers Outside the Wire

As reported by the military press, Chaplain (Capt.) David Haltom and Staff Sgt. Porscha Howard are the chapel team for the Airmen at Camp Victory, Iraq.  The AF Chief of Chaplains, Maj. Gen. Cecil Richardson, has noted that Chaplains in combat are sought out by deployed members:

In the AOR, the chaplain can’t walk from point A to point B without being pulled aside for a question.  In fact, chaplains often spend seven to 10 hours a day counseling Airmen, hearing them ask, ‘would you pray for me?’ Read more

1 … 62 63 64 65 66 … 74