Tag Archives: Afghanistan

Chaplains Continue Support in Afghanistan

Kabul Chapel

Even as the war in Afghanistan “ended” last December and US forces have drawn down, US military chaplains continue to serve the needs of US troops on the frontlines:

A Religious Support Team comprised of Airmen assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Chaplain Corps made the pilgrimage to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul and Forward Operating Base Oqab to provide spiritual care and religious accommodation to Airmen deployed in austere conditions…

The chaplains Read more

SecDef Makes Ambiguous Statement on Transgender Service

Newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter held a townhall type “troop event” in Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. During the question and answer session, transcribed on the DoD website, a US Navy Lieutenant Commander asked Secretary Carter about his

…thoughts on transgender service members serving in an austere environment like this in Kandahar?

Given the pressing world events the Secretary of Defense for the United States could address, it was a somewhat surprising question.  Secretary Carter gave what could best be described as an “ambiguous” answer, first saying he hasn’t looked at it much, then saying he’s “open-minded,” but also returning to the standard of “suitability for service:”  Read more

Chaplains as God’s Hands and Feet on the Front Lines

The Christian Examiner writes about US Army Chaplain (Maj) Stanton Trotter, who was deployed three times to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan:

Trotter said often what is required from army chaplains is their physical presence.

“The soldiers want their chaplain to be with them in the field,” Trotter said. “They want them to be jumping from the same airplane, to be out in the field, and to experience the same life they have. When they see that, they can say ‘this guy or gal is one of us and I can relate to them.'”

During deployments, physical proximity often means entering danger zones…

US military chaplains put Read more

Missionaries Continue Work in Afghanistan Post-Drawdown

An article from the Kentucky Gleaner (published at the Stars and Stripes) notes that some missionaries in Afghanistan will continue to serve there even as US forces withdraw:

Four missionaries from Henderson and Evansville just returned from a visit there, where Uncharted International, a nonprofit mission agency based in Evansville, sponsors a school for Afghan children.

They represent just a portion of local missionaries… — many of whom are members at One Life Church in Henderson and other churches — who have made repeated trips Afghanistan, Myanmar and China in recent years through Uncharted.

Read more

Military Commander Sues after being Fired for Violating Post-DADT Repeal

In a scandal surprisingly little-reported by the mainstream press, a US Army aviator and commander was fired, reprimanded, forced to meet a retention board, and now faces a forced retirement — because he intervened when two uniformed officers participated in a “full blown make out session” on the dance floor during a unit formal ball.

The two officers were homosexual.

He has now filed a lawsuit saying but for that fact, the commander would not be facing the end of his career.

Two years ago, LtCol Christopher Downey intervened when he was notified that two female officers on the dance floor were acting inappropriately — and they were becoming the focus of an increasing number of cameras and cell phones.  (The behavior was described several ways, including “French kissing,” “grabbing each other’s butts,” and a “full-blown make out session.”)  Having just returned from commanding the unit in Afghanistan, where Read more

Chaplain Serves Faithful in Afghanistan

A US Army news article highlights Chaplain (Capt) Edgardo Rivas, a Seventh Day Adventist chaplain currently serving in Afghanistan:

The U.S. Army chaplains corps motto is “pro deo et patria,” which translates “For God and Country,” and points to their dual role as mentioned in their mission statement…

“There was one particular Soldier that came to my service, whom was a Seventh-day Adventist before,” said Rivas. “After the service, he approached me and told me that it was time for him to Read more

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