Tag Archives: army

US Army Releases New Regulation on Religious Support

The US Army recently released Field Manual 1-05 (FM 1-05), Religious Support, the

Army’s keystone manual for detailing fundamental principles of comprehensive religious support.

Much of the 40-page manual is little more than logistics and structural guidance on how chaplains and religious support are to be integrated into Army operations.  That the Army felt the need to publish such a document, however, is one indicator of the high value it places on such religious support.

The manual begins with an introduction on the history and importance of chaplains:

Chaplains have served in the U.S. Army since the first days of the American Revolution and many have died in combat. These chaplains represented more than 120 separate denominations and faith Read more

Military Professors Debate Religion in the Military, Part 2

Dr. Don Snider (Col, US Army, Retired), a Political Science instructor at the US Military Academy at West Point, responded to USAFA law instructor David Fitzkee’s (Maj, US Army, Retired) prior Parameters article on religious freedom with a commentary criticizing the analysis of command involvement.  Regarding the memorandum on religious neutrality issued last year, Snider said

It seems fair to say that the Chief of Staff of the US Air Force does not trust some of his Commanders to correctly fulfill their responsibilities to “support individual Airman’s needs and provide opportunities for the free exercise of religion.” So, he has withdrawn autonomy from all of his Commanders to do so, turning it over to their Chaplains.

Snider accurately notes that this singles out issues of religion for separation from command guidance:  Read more

Wiccan Service Packed at Air Force Basic Training

 Cauldrons, spell books, brooms, and swords in a military witchcraft ceremony.
Photo credit: Katrina Gutierrez

A local paper — in an article briefly titled “No Hocus Pocus” — noted that “hundreds” of basic trainees have attended Wiccan services at Lackland AFB, Texas:

[There is] a curious multiplication of Wiccans at Lackland. Hundreds of basic military trainees have chosen to study witchcraft at the base.
 
“When we come over here on a Sunday, often times, there are 300 to 400 (trainees),” Tony Gatlin said.
 
Gatlin is the coven’s high priest. His wife Read more

Fort Hood Massacre Victims Sue US Government

As reported by the Associated Press, victims and surviving family members of the 2009 Fort Hood massacre have filed a lawsuit against the US government alleging negligence and shirking of responsibility.  They claim the government is attempting to avoid liability by referring to the attack as “workplace violence” rather than terrorism:

The lawsuit alleging negligence by the government said that the Defense Read more

Military Professors Debate Religion in the Military, Part 1

David Fitzkee (Maj, USA, Retired) is a law professor at the US Air Force Academy.  In the fall of 2011 he had an article published in Parameters (vol. 41, no. 3), (“The US Army’s Senior Professional Journal”) entitled “Religious Speech in the Military: Freedoms and Limitations.”

The 14-page essay is an interesting read, and it opens with a strong premise:

It is crucial that military leaders understand and respect the scope of religious speech rights. Honoring the constitutional rights of subordinates is inherently the “right thing to do” in a society and military governed by the rule of law, particularly when all military leaders take an oath to support the Constitution.

Unfortunately, the very next paragraph of the introduction sets a poor tone for the paper:

Failure to understand the rights and limits concerning religious speech can adversely affect the mission…It can result in internal investigations into allegations of violations or even lawsuits against the military, both of which entail substantial time, effort, and distraction from the mission.

Maj Fitzkee aptly notes that “investigations into allegations of violations” can “distract from the mission” — but he illogically assumes Read more

Family Life Chaplains Train to Save Lives

A Fort Hood press release notes the training program for Army chaplains in marriage and family counseling.  In a trait few seem to realize, the chaplains who attend the program are not only specially trained in counseling, they also get a degree in the process:

“Our primary mission is to train Army chaplains in marriage and family counseling,” said Chap. [LtCol] Mark Knox, director of the FLCTC… “[Chaplains] go to school and get an additional degree over at Texas A&M in Counseling Psychology. And then we provide Read more

Chaplain Promotes Comprehensive Fitness in Afghanistan

US Army Chaplain (Capt) Randy Loux is a Fort Bragg-based Soldier currently deployed to Afghanistan to exercise his specialty in “spiritual strength.”

“Whether back in garrison at Fort Bragg, N.C., or in a combat zone in Afghanistan, spiritual fitness should be the no. 1 priority because when a soldier is first and foremost ‘spiritually fit,’ then all the others will naturally fall in place,” said Loux.

He accurately notes something that escapes some who oppose religious freedom in the military:  Read more

Congressmen Question Treatment of US Soldier over Islam Class

A variety of news sites have begun to cover the case of US Army LtCol Matthew Dooley, formerly an instructor at the Joint Forces Staff College where he taught entitled “Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism.”  The course was judged as poor by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey excoriated Dooley during a Pentagon press conference in May, characterizing his course, “Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism” as objectionable, unprofessional, Read more

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