Tag Archives: army

Book Review: Memoirs from Babylon

Chaplain Jeff Bryan
Ingram 2011

Memoirs from Babylon, A Combat Chaplain’s life in Iraq’s Triangle of Death, is the story of Chaplain (Capt) Jeff Bryan’s deployment to Iraq with the 10th Mountain Division from 2006 to 2007.

The book stands as one of the better examples of the “day to day” operations of a chaplain deployed to a US military war zone, both for his perspective on the combat itself but also for the duties to which he tended. He tells repeated stories of counseling soldiers who learn of family deaths back home, scrounging a Catholic chaplain to Read more

Beard Controversy Continues in Fort Hood Shooter Case

US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was kicked out of the courtroom again for wearing a beard in violation of military grooming standards.  The issues of accommodation were already discussed, but this exchange was particularly interesting:

Lead defense attorney Lt. Col. Kris Poppe told the judge that Hasan grew the beard as a “deeply sincere” expression of his faith…

“I’ll wait for him to shave if he wants to come back in here,” [Judge Col Gregory] Gross told Hasan’s attorneys. “He has a choice.”

[Attorney LtCol Kris] Poppe responded that it was a choice to “to obey you or his religious faith.”  Read more

Former West Point Cadet Challenges Cadet Prayer

In 2010 West Point Cadet Alan Spadone was disenrolled for failing to participate in a remediation program after admitting to violating the Honor Code.  He was directed to begin serving as an enlisted soldier, as he had already begun his third year at West Point when he committed his violation in the fall of 2009.

He filed civil complaints on multiple counts, including everything from the remediation program was unreasonable to the government was trying to “enrich itself” by making him serve as a soldier.  Those claims were all dismissed in a recent ruling:

Spadone has not established that his suspension and disenrollment from West Point violated the APA or his right to due process, and Spadone failed to demonstrate a waiver of sovereign immunity for his claim of unjust enrichment.

Interestingly, however, Spadone is permitted to continue his claim that the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution was violated when Read more

Hasan Fort Hood Trial Delayed over Beard

US Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s trial over murder charges stemming from the 2009 Fort Hood massacre was delayed — again — when Hasan showed up to court with a beard.  He is still considered a member of the military and is required to maintain military standards of uniform wear.

Judge Col. Gregory Gross ordered the motions delayed “until the near future,” when Hasan meets Army grooming standards or Read more

Homosexual Ceremony Conducted in Military Chapel Despite Law

A chaplain at Fort Polk, Louisiana, has reportedly conducted a same-sex ceremony within the military chapel despite Louisiana’s ban on homosexual marriage:

U.S. Rep. John Fleming, R-La., said in a statement Wednesday that the “marriage-like” ceremony performed for two women by an Army chaplain shouldn’t have been allowed because Louisiana law doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage or civil union. U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., claims the ceremony violates Defense Department policy.

Congressman Todd Akin called it a clear violation of state law and military policies, while the participants (and the chaplain) got around that little problem Read more

AWOL, Military Christians Protest NATO Summit

An interesting, if somewhat odd, article at the ChristianPost documents the story of Jacob and Jordon George, two men who grew up in the church and have developed a pacifist view:

George grew up in a Southern Baptist church…but said it was his three tours in Afghanistan that opened him up a new interpretation of Christianity – one that does not misuse or misconstrue the words of Christ and war.

“I think those two things have absolutely nothing to do with each other,” he said…

“Jesus was an advocate for non-violence. He never Read more

Shock, Scandal: Military Hosts Secular Day Camp

Last year military atheist Justin Griffith created a fuss over a military chapel community’s Vacation Bible School — something virtually every military chapel community does, by the way.  He claimed the chapel VBS was a US government-funded “religious summer camp.” 

Naturally, he continued the militant atheist tradition of latching on to Christianity by demanding a “me, too” ability to have such an event. He failed to acknowledge military facilities already host non-religious events of a similar nature:

Approximately 40 Army Reserve children from all over the southeast region ranging from the ages of six to 14 attended Read more

US Muslim Soldier on Perceptions

While many articles about members of the US military make reference to their faith, there aren’t too many written by the DoD for the sole purpose of highlighting their faith.  By contrast, Army Staff Sgt Muna Nur was recently the focus of just such an article, noting her efforts in the US military to overcome “preconceptions” about her Islamic faith.

Another of her striking aspects is the fact that she is a proud Muslim, a trait that has Read more

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