Though “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is technically no more, the conversation over the law’s demise continues.
The Air Force Times notes that, for the most part, the US military academies expect “few changes” in the post-“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” environment.
Still, the US Naval Academy at Annapolis [Correction:] US Coast Guard Academy did announce one specific change: Read more
US News and World Report‘s ranking of institutions of higher learning is topped by Harvard and Princeton, but the US Air Force Academy posted a strong #2 in the country for Aerospace / Aeronautical / Astronautical undergraduate programs, and #5 for overall Best Undergraduate Engineering programs.
The US Military Academy at West Point was Read more
The Stars and Stripes recently had two articles on atheism in the military, one on atheism at the service academies and one in the military in general. Both were written by reporter Chris Carroll.
The first, “Atheists groups find doors open to them at service academies,” notes that all three primary service academies have groups for “nonbelievers.” The one at the Naval Academy is sponsored by Jewish Chaplain (LtCmdr) Seth Phillips:
“The group is no different than any other student group with connections to the outside world,” Phillips said. “The Baptists are supported by the Baptist Student Union, and some other Christian groups get support from the Navigators. In no way is this group unique, different or specially privileged.”
Of course, Chaplain Phillips’ comment makes the most sense with regard to student religious groups. Because there is a Constitutional protection of the human liberty of religious freedom, religious groups may have “unique” or “different” treatment than, Read more
According to the Navy Times, Naval Academy midshipmen (cadets) went on a little scavenger hunt aboard the decommissioned USS Saratoga while they were on “summer cruise.”
On June 13, four Naval Academy midshipmen snuck aboard the decommissioned carrier…
And that’s when they decided to take things, according to academy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. William Marks. Gauges. A gyrocompass. Display dials.
“From what we can tell, they were overzealous about collecting cool things from a former aircraft carrier,” Marks said Monday. The mids took their appropriated souvenirs back to their yard patrol craft, where they were caught by the officer-in-charge of the YP.
The event is described as a “recon,” or “stunt.” The Air Force Academy has similar “spirit missions.” While all the service academies have rules against “stealing,” it is not uncommon — in fact, its sometimes encouraged — to appropriate or Read more
One question asked repeatedly is whether it’s better to go Air Force or Navy if one wants to fly or be a fighter pilot. The FAQ of this site answers this question (as well as many others), but there’s interesting and relevant information from the graduation of the class of 2011 that just occurred.
USNA:
Class Size: 1035
Pilot Training (incl. “Marine Air”): 305 (30%)
Naval Flight Officer: 75 (7%)
The US Naval Academy practice of conducting a noon-meal prayer is making its near-annual trek through the media. This time, Talbot Manvel, an “adjunct instructor” at Annapolis, wrote an article in the Baltimore Sun saying the USNA puts “tradition ahead of the Constitution.”
So how is the academy defying the Constitution? It has established a religious practice: prayer at its mandatory noon meal for its midshipmen (students). They are marched into the mess hall, called to attention to listen to announcements, and then to prayer by a chaplain before sitting to eat. They are not permitted to leave, and thus they are forced to listen.
(Manvel becomes the latest Naval Academy instructor to publicly malign his employer.) Manvel’s article is rife with error. He cites Mellen v. Bunting, in which the 4th District Court held mealtime prayers at VMI were unConstitutional — a ruling the Supreme Court declined to review. However, he ignores the ruling’s own qualifier: Read more
The US Air Force and Navy appear to have been in an unspoken competition over their use of “green” or synthetic alternative fuels in their fighters — each vying for “firsts.”
It appears the Air Force Thunderbirds beat the Navy Blue Angels to be the first to use it in their demonstration team:
The Thunderbirds will use alternative fuel, unprecedented for any Department of Defense aerial team, at the [airshow] here May 20 and 21, officials said.
The team will fly with Camelina-based hydrotreated renewable jet fuel as part of the nation’s overall strategy to reduce reliance on foreign energy and establish greater energy security through conservation and use of “home grown” alternative energy sources, said Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics.
On a related noted, the Blue Angels apparently had an ‘incident’ Read more
The US military academies appear to have hammered out their graduation speakers for this year:
The top military leadership speaks at the military academy graduations on a rotating basis. For those keeping count, Obama has already spoken at Annapolis, West Point, and now the Coast Guard academy, so if tradition holds he will address USAFA next year.