Tag Archives: air force

Air Force Pilot Describes Reliance on Faith

US Air Force Capt Hunter Barnhill is an instructor pilot with the 37th FTS in Columbus, Mississippi. Last year, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor:

[Barnhill] went to the flight doctor who sent him to Baptist Memorial Hospital for a MRI where the doctors found a brain tumor…

The intense nature of the surgery caused him to suffer from post-operative Supplementary Motor Area Syndrome.

SMA hit hard, rendering him unable to speak and paralyzed his right side. He participated in physical and speech therapy for three months and worked to gain his abilities to sit up, walk, run and speak as he had done only weeks ago.

While shocking and traumatic, the notable theme throughout the official Air Force article is the role of Barnhill’s faith, and the impact it had on both him and those around him: Read more

Airman’s Religion a Personality Disorder?

Joshua Kors, an attorney and investigative reporter who focuses on military issues, recently highlighted the story of Senior Airman Nicole Dawson, who said she was discharged for what amounted to a made-up diagnosis of a personality disorder. (Kors has previously discussed allegations the military is using personality disorder discharges intentionally to disqualify troops for veteran’s services.)

The relevant portion of SrA Dawson’s story, as told in the first person [emphasis added]:

On March 11, 2014, I departed for basic training…

That all changed in March 2016. By that point, my cousin had committed suicide and all four of my grandparents had died, including my maternal grandfather…He was the only father figure that I had ever known…

His death was devastating. I needed someone to talk to…

I hesitated. But eventually I made an appointment with a psychologist…I spoke about the challenges I’ve faced, the stress I was under, and the devastating loss Read more

Mikey Weinstein Launches Annual Prayer Breakfast Fundraising

In what has become a predictable annual event, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has again begun lodging his regular complaints about prayer breakfasts/luncheons being hosted on military bases or for military audiences around the country.

In January, Weinstein demanded Fort Jackson drop its invitation to Kenneth Copeland, because Mikey Weinstein disapproved of Copeland’s theology.

This month, Weinstein is demanding Whiteman AFB remove the commander’s “endorsement” from the wing’s annual prayer breakfast event announcement.

In the former example, the Army rightfully ignored Weinstein, and the event occurred as planned, despite Weinstein’s desperate pleas.

In the latter example, Weinstein is Read more

Chris Rodda Cringes at MRFF’s Attack on President Trump

Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s “charity,” the MRFF, recently published a bit of fan-mail from a person excoriating President Trump’s Tuesday proclamation of Religious Freedom Day.

And even Weinstein’s own research assistant, Chris Rodda, probably grimaced.

The letter, written by a “30-year Active Duty Air Force Officer”, lambasts Trump’s proclamation, claiming it is a “dog whistle of Fundamentalist Christian Dominionism.” As proof [formatting original]:

To understand his real declaratory intent, we need only look at his last paragraph in which he says, “I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eighteen…”

…[Trump] ENLARGES the views of those that see 2018 as ‘The Year of Our Lord,’ i.e., Christians only.

Longevity in the military is clearly no guarantor of intellectual acuity.

As anyone with an elementary education and an internet connection could tell you, the Read more

Christmas Around the Military

In a summary of how Christmas was treated around the military this year:

Air Force leadership wished their Airmen “Happy Holidays“, without expressly saying to what holidays they were referring.

Fort Stewart had an actual Christmas tree with Christmas carols, though the quotation about the meaning of the season — “a time to grow and reflect” — was a bit off.

Schofield Barracks managed to only light a “Holiday Tree,” though seeming to tacitly acknowledge there was only one holiday that was celebrated with a lit tree in December.

The US Air Force continued its annual tradition of supporting Operation Christmas Drop.

Fairchild AFB managed to use the word “holiday” five times in a single caption — and didn’t use “Christmas” once, despite referring to songs, trees, and Santa Claus, all on Read more

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