Category Archives: Government and Religion

US Military Adds Sexuality to Equal Opportunity Program (Video)

As previously discussed, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter officially announced that “sexual orientation” was being added to the DoD’s equal opportunity protected classes, a list that includes race and religion:

I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense has completed the process for updating its Military Equal Opportunity policy to include sexual orientation – ensuring that the department, like the rest of the federal government, treats sexual-orientation-based discrimination the same way it treats discrimination based on race, religion, color, sex, age, and national origin.

The video of his speech is available here.

In short, this means that if a person faces discrimination Read more

World War II POW Held Jewish Services in POW Camp

A local article recalls the story of then-Army Lieutenant Henry Levine, a B-17 navigator who was shot down over Nazi Germany and captured in February 1944. While in Stalag Luft 1,

he led secret Jewish religious services for fellow POWs, right under the noses of their Nazi captors.

“Many people risk their lives to pray to their god,” his son Ron Levine, of Cedar Rapids, says. “He was one of them.”

The article reveals the Nazis technically permitted “Jewish church” for appearances, though actual Jewish rites weren’t permitted. As a result, with the assistance of non-Jewish POWs, Levine led Read more

US Army Bans Honor Guard from July 4th Church Event

After providing a flag-bearing honor guard to Abilene Baptist Church, Georgia, for the past 20 years, the US Army canceled its participation this year, claiming the ceremony violated US Army regulations:

Officials at Fort Gordon say they will not be able to send an honor guard to a July 5th service at Abilene Baptist Church because it violates a military policy banning any involvement in a religious service.

“While there are conditions under which the Army can participate in events conducted at a house of worship, we cannot participate in the context of a religious service,” Public Affairs Officer J.C. Mathews told me.

The church describes the “Faith, Family, Freedom” event thusly on their website:  Read more

US Airman Serves Villages in Philippines

An official US Air Force article documents the story of MSgt Cesar Jurilla and his wife Cora, who have annually volunteered their time for the past 5 years to travel as part of a Catholic mission to the Philippines:

Every January for the past five years, Master Sgt. Cesar Jurilla, of the California Air National Guard’s 163rd Reconnaissance Wing, travels to these remote locations with his wife, Cora, as part of a team of doctors, nurses and nonmedical assistants…

The teams visit is coordinated with local priests who help identify needy areas. As with many of the missions in which US troops volunteer, the mission itself is supported by fundraisers and the volunteers travel out of pocket.

The trip is coordinated by the Filipino ministry Read more

General: Gay Pride is About Authenticity, Meritocracy

An official Navy article documented a US military “gay pride” event at Patuxent River, Maryland, on June 2nd that was hosted by BrigGen Tammy Smith — the “first openly gay US general.” While some have said the concept of “gay pride” celebrates sexuality by its very nature, BrigGen Smith said it wasn’t about people’s personal lives [emphasis added]:

Pride is not about anyone’s personal life; it’s a celebration of authenticity. We celebrate pride because we value being a meritocracy, because we want to be an organization that attracts and retains the best talent…We celebrate pride because no one has the right to tell others who they should be or who they should not be.

Gen Smith did not elaborate, so it’s unclear how she views “lesbian, gay, and bisexual pride” correlating with the military’s emphasis on merit.

Her final sentence was somewhat ironic, because Read more

US Army, Air Force Evolving on Transgenders?

The US Air Force announced last week that, while there was no policy change on “transgenders” serving in the US military, it now requires headquarters-level approval to actually discharge someone for being transgender. This mimics a similar decision recently made by the Army.

Air Force leaders announced June 4 a change to the decision authority for involuntary separations for enlisted Airmen diagnosed with gender dysphoria or who identify themselves as transgender.

“Though the Air Force policy regarding involuntary separation of gender dysphoric Airmen has not changed, the elevation of decision authority to the director, Air Force Review Boards Agency, ensures the ability to consistently apply the existing policy,” said Daniel Sitterly, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

The official announcement made a point of saying “self-identification as transgender” does not automatically result in discharge, contrary to Read more

US Soldiers Still Trying to Get Heathenism Recognized

The Army Times reports on the long-running efforts by a few US Army Soldiers to have “heathenism” recognized as an official faith group code (in essence, a designator within one’s personnel records). Apparently, an initial notice of approval was put on hold as the separate service branches attempt to create a DoD-wide list of faith group codes.

An umbrella term covering multiple faith groups, “Heathenism” generally applies to any faith surrounding ancient deities from Norse, Germanic, Anglo-Saxon or similar cultures. At least one such sub-group, Asatru, also resides on the Air Force faith-code list.

The initial request was made, somewhat eponymously, by then Army Soldier Josh Heath. After leaving the Army, Read more

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