William Christopher, the actor who played Father Mulcahy on the 1970s/80s TV show MASH, visited with wounded Soldiers at the Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg, along with a couple of actual Army Chaplains:
Lt. Col. Ron Leininger and retired Lt. Col. Micheas Langston. Both expressed admiration for their television counterpart.
“Father Mulcahy represented some of the very best qualities of the Vietnam-era and present-day Army chaplains’ values,” Read more
US military Chaplains are deployed in the Horn of Africa
to establish lines of communication with local religious leaders.
Chaplain (CAPT) Jon Cutler and Chaplain (LtCol) David Terrinoni met with religious leaders and visited a Catholic orphanage. While their main goal was to interact with the locals, the Chaplains also ministered to the needs of their own team:
“There is religious diversity here, but no synagogues, which make me glad Chaplain Cutler could visit,” said Chief Petty Officer Richard Anthonissen…
Cutler was able to serve Anthonissen in a way that only a rabbi can.
“During my last [CTFJ-HOA] tour, there were only Jewish lay-leaders available,” said Anthonissen. “While they meet your faith needs, a rabbi is much more – a rabbi is a teacher who makes you think and challenge your assumptions in a good way.”
Elsewhere, Chaplain (MajGen) Cecil Richardson, Read more
Chabad.org updates the case of Rabbi Menachem M. Stern, previously mentioned, who is suing the US Army over its policy prohibiting his service due to his beard. The Army gave him a commission and then rescinded it the next day, citing an administrative error.
Stern’s case cites the fact the military has allowed three Sikhs and one Muslim to have grooming waivers even as his application Read more
Despite Fort Bragg bearing a brunt of repeated criticisms over its handling of the atheist “Rock Beyond Belief” — including being painted as liars, predators and bigots — the US Army command has maintained the high ground. Even as it was accused of unConstitutional conduct, its Garrison commander, Col Stephen Sicinski, continued to say he supported the right of the atheists to hold their event, should the event-holders decide to un-cancel it (as they are hinting, while still highlighting the cancellation).
In a related vein, a recent news article notes the Fort Bragg atheists’ attempt to form a “distinct faith group” under the Army’s fairly unique recognition system. The Army has been helping them along the way, in more ways than one: Read more
The organizers of Rock Beyond Belief at Fort Bragg have abandoned their plans for a lawsuit and are looking forward to having their event this fall. (Michael Weinstein’s “tell it to the judge” was apparently just for effect, as his threats so often are.) Coincidentally, it seems their very-public decision to cancel their event — and point fingers at the US Army as the cause — has actually benefited their plans (emphasis added): Read more
Being a Christian in the military sometimes creates challenges in situations civilians take for granted. For example, how do you find a church? The concept of a “home church” and steady lifelong attendance takes on a whole new meaning when you move every two to four years.
This is the third article in a series of suggestions and guidance on finding a church as you move about in your military career. The first, Part 1: The Military Chapel, discussed the various perspectives and thoughts on attending services at the base/post military chapel. The second, Part 2: Worshipping at Local Churches, addressed the topic of local/community churches a military Christian might choose to visit. This final article discusses the sometimes controversial topic of “leaving” a church.
There used to be an old military Academy gripe that cadets were judged unfairly: Read more
The Buddhist Military Sangha recently published an interview with a Buddhist Navy spouse on being “married to the military.” While much of the interview is, understandably, on the topic of roles and relationships, there were some interesting statements on faith and the military.
The interviewee is Mrs. Barbara Zaragoza, a practicing convert to Zen Buddhism and a “Navy wife.”
On being stationed overseas, away from her usual religious support: Read more
Points below: