Tag Archives: Afghanistan

Airstrike Limits Frustrate Ground Forces, Pilots

The Air Force Times reports on comments from troops in Afghanistan that the restrictions on airstrikes over the past year have emboldened the adversary.  While the mere sight of B-52 contrails was once enough to send the enemy scurrying, they now often ignore armed fighters directly overhead.

The Taliban no longer run and hide when they see a fighter jet overhead, brazenness that airmen attribute to the nearly year-old directive to limit close-air support.

[JTACs] and fighter pilots report that insurgents are encouraging Read more

Buddhist Services at Camp Leatherneck

The US Navy’s only Buddhist Chaplain is currently deployed to Afghanistan.  She recently posted a short blog celebrating Buddha’s birth and noting the attendance of local Marines at the service.

As noted here often, the US military protects religious freedom of its servicemembers, even when that religious freedom may be contrary or offensive to locals or America’s adversaries.  While some often connect such offense with Christianity, it was just a few years ago that the Taliban ordered the destruction of “false idol” statues of Buddha in Afghanistan–which had stood for 1,500 years.

McChrystal Addresses Easter Service

A sunrise Easter service, which may trace its tradition back to the early 1700s, was celebrated at Fort Stewart, Georgia, with a unique speaker.

It turns out General Stanley McChrystal, who is currently the commander of US military forces in Afghanistan, has a brother who is a retired Colonel…and Chaplain. 

Marne Garden ushered in Easter morning with a message from Chaplain (Col.) Scott McChrystal (Ret.), that God is alive.  Read more

MRFF Opposes Troops’ Religious Freedom at Easter

Last September, Chris Rodda, a researcher for Michael Weinstein and his Military Religious Freedom Foundation, wrote an article enumerating her “Top Ten” list of Christian travesties in the US military, emphasizing acts which “convince the Muslims we’re on a crusade.”  A less combative version of this same list was re-published in the US Air Force’s Attitudes Aren’t Free just a few weeks ago.

At number 8, Rodda lists this rather interesting way in which the US military is showing the Muslim world America is on a crusade:  Read more

A Day at Work and God of Wonders

Chuck Holton at “Boots on the Ground” happened upon a first-person video capturing the aftermath of an IED attack on US forces in Afghanistan.  The candid video shows both the resilience of the military vehicles in which US forces were riding (they were damaged but not destroyed) as well as the resilience of American forces themselves.

Near the end of the 8 minute video, the troops hold a worship service, led by a guitar-playing Chaplain.  The makeshift chapel resounds with the voices of those who truly know that God is a God of wonders.

Army Chaplain Smokes, Spits, Prays with the Guys

US Army Chaplain (Capt) Carl Subler is profiled by the San Francisco Examiner in a revealing article that describes the comradery the Catholic priest shares with the Army troops he serves in Afghanistan.

His perspective on faith and suffering, while somewhat unique to hear someone say, is actually fairly commonly held:

I find the more creature comforts are taken away from us, in many ways, we look to God with even more hope.

Read more of the interesting article at the Examiner.  Chaplain Subler was previously profiled here.

Via the Army Chaplaincy blog.

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