Tag Archives: army

Mikey Weinstein Demands Punishment for Special Forces Chaplains

Update: The Forum on the Military Chaplaincy — a homosexual advocacy group largely friendly to Mikey Weinstein’s mission — asked for input on this story on their Facebook page.  Between the normal invective and banter were two significant comments:

From Chaplain Gil Richardson, who said:

Chaplains desiring to go through SFQC or Ranger School submit a request for exception to policy to conduct training with weapons thru a Chaplain Channels in order to attend the training. If approved for either course, the Chaplain endures the same hardships and challenges. If he graduates and is awarded the tab (in the case of SF Chaplains assigned to SF units, he also is awarded the Green Beret), then they do have much more credibility in the special units…

Back in the early and mid 90s, the [Ranger Training Brigade] Chaplain had to be “tabbed” (graduate of the school). A tabbed Chaplain understood firsthand the stresses of the course and had simply more credibility with students and cadre alike…

Once the training in either course is over, the exception to policy ends. Please do not confuse or equate training in an elite, challenging course with normal practice (no weapon when serving as a Chaplain).

From Chaplain Brian Hargis, who said:

This is an old post that continues to get republished. The last guy (Pete) graduated early 2014. In Jan 2015, SWCS put a stop to all Chaplains and PAs from attending SFAS and the Q Course. It was a waste of $500,000 to train men that would never use the skills.

These comments from two knowledgeable chaplains provide significant background to undermine Mikey Weinstein’s ludicrous calls for punishment of the chaplains.

Earlier in February, the US Army posted an article entitled “Special Forces Tab, Green Beret, SFQC — A vehicle for Chaplains,” in which it discussed three chaplains who have completed Army Special Forces training. Michael “Mikey” Weinstein — a self-declared advocate for military religious freedom — took issue in a formal complaint (PDF) to the Army [underlining original]:  Read more

National Guard Marks 10 Years Since Shootdown, Death of Wiccan Soldier

A Nevada National Guard article marked the 10th anniversary of the crash of Mustang 22, a CH-47 that was shot down in Afghanistan in 2005. (The article was written on the anniversary in September, though published only recently.)

Last autumn marked the 10th anniversary since the Nevada National Guard lost two Soldiers in the worst helicopter accident in Nevada Guard history. Chief Warrant Officer 3 John Flynn and Sgt. Patrick Stewart were killed on Sept. 25, 2005, when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter, Mustang 22, was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade while flying over Afghanistan…

Flynn and Stewart were the second and third Read more

Critics Try to Out Retired Gen Bob Dees, Carson Campaign Chairman

Over the past months, a few critics have tried to draw attention to one particular person on the staff of Republican Presidential candidate Ben Carson.

Originally his foreign policy advisor, Carson’s new campaign chairman is Bob Dees, a retired US Army Major General and former executive director of Campus Crusade for Christ (now “Cru“) which had a substantial ministry to the US armed forces called Military Ministry (now “CruMilitary“).

As early as November 10th of last year, James Bamford at Foreign Policy described Dees as

a retired general who believes Muslims pose a threat to the U.S., the military should spread Christianity, and Carson should be president.

But the statements that Bamford apparently found ‘disturbing’ were fairly benign:  Read more

Pentagon Leads on Sexuality and Gender, Defers on Religion

When dozens of retired General Officers lobbied Secretary of Defense Ash Carter to lift restrictions on Sikhs serving in the US military, the DoD had a somewhat odd response [emphasis added]:

A Pentagon official speaking to Military.com on background said there is no Defense Department policy on Sikhs…to review…

The Defense Department issues standards that the individual services may interpret broadly and implement on their own, with no service bound by a decision made by another…

In essence, the DoD said it doesn’t have a policy preventing  Read more

Mikey Weinstein Attacks Air Force, Ignores “Putrid” Prayers at Navy, Army

usafapray2Michael “Mikey” Weinstein is trying to make significant waves over the continued practice of US Air Force Academy football players taking a knee in the end zone prior to the start of their games. He has famously called the practice “putrid” and a

monstrous travesty and brutal breach of federal constitutional law…

Weinstein’s group has even categorically said these football players are Christians (how he knows that, no one knows) — and that they sound “like the Taliban…or worse.”

Oddly, even though West Point and Read more

Christian Army Helo Pilot Killed in Training Accident

US Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kevin “Mose” Weiss was killed December 2nd when the two-seat AH-64 Apache helicopter he was flying crashed a few miles from Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He is survived by his wife, Beth, and two young children, Lucas and Susie.

Beth wrote this letter about her fallen husband:

Written By Mrs. Bethany Weiss

God is my ultimate Provider, Jehovah-jireh is His name; one of the many ways He has provided for me was by giving me Kevin Mose Weiss.

At approximately the age of 12, I met Kevin Mose at AWANA Club. The mission of AWANA is to help “churches and parents worldwide raise children and youth to know, love, and serve God.” Kevin’s nickname at our AWANA Club was, “Monkey Boy”. A couple of my friends Read more

Military Religious Freedom Group Lauds Decision to Grant Sikh Waiver

As reported in the New York Times, the US Army has granted Capt. Simratpal Singh a religious accommodation to wear the beard, unshorn hair, and turban as the outward expression of his Sikh faith — even while wearing the military uniform:

It is the first time in decades that the military has granted a religious accommodation for a beard to an active-duty combat soldier…But it is only temporary, lasting for a month while the Army decides whether to give permanent status to Captain Singh’s exception.

If it decides not to, the captain could be confronted with the decision of whether to cut his hair or leave the Army. He has said he is prepared to sue if the accommodation is not made permanent.

(This occurred not long after Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va) sent yet another letter to the DoD, as he has for several years, asking that the US military reconsider its policies prohibiting Sikhs from serving.)  Singh, a West Point graduate, had previously sacrificed those religious Read more

USAFA Cadets Defy Mikey Weinstein, Pray in End Zone Before Game

Before the Mountain West Conference championship game this past weekend, US Air Force Academy cadet football players defied the invective and threats of Michael “Mikey” Weinstein — and prayed in the end zone.  As captured on video by NBC San Diego:

Mikey Weinstein’s criticism has been called petty even by his supporters, yet he is claiming these cadets taking a knee in the end zone prior to the game violates Air Force instructions, the US Constitution, and the law:  Read more

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