Tag Archives: Chaplain

US Navy Issues Relaxed Ramadan Guidance

The US military has annually restricted the conduct of US troops in the Middle East to appease religious sensitivities in the region.

This year, an article in the Stars and Stripes notes the US Navy’s 5th Fleet has “ease[d]” clothing restrictions, but other restrictions remain:

U.S. personnel will be restricted from eating, drinking and smoking in public, including while driving, during daylight hours…

This year, Defense Department personnel…and their dependents will be allowed to wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts during Ramadan.

Preemptively responding to criticisms about religious liberty, the Navy command chaplain, Read more

Las Vegas Chaplain Serves Drone Pilots, Preschoolers

The local Las Vegas Review-Journal covers US Air Force Chaplain (Capt) Michael Engfer, a Reserve Chaplain who does double duty as a local Episcopal Reverend:

The Rev. Michael Engfer occupies two distinct ministries.

In November, he was named deacon in charge of All Saints Episcopal Church, a growing multicultural congregation…

He also is stationed at Nellis Air Force Base as deputy wing chaplain for the 926th Wing Air Force Reserve unit. Among the people he serves are drone pilots, a new type of service with unique challenges.

Chaplain Engfer also makes a point of explaining his view on marriage:  Read more

The 2016 AFRC Chaplain Corps Conference Disaster

conferencev2by Sonny Hernandez

On April 18-21, 2016, the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) Chaplain Corps Conference commenced in Chicago, IL. The theme of this aforementioned conference was “soul care” and “moral injury.” The keynote civilian speakers for this event were: Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock and Dr. Jonathan Shay, who were publicized as being world renowned experts in the field of moral injury. Unfortunately, there were Air Force chaplains that left the conference who experienced “moral injury” after being forced to listen to Read more

Booted General Boykin Calls for Apology — for the Troops

The US Army post at Fort Riley recently cancelled a scheduled prayer breakfast because Michael “Mikey” Weinstein complained about the speaker: Retired LtGen William “Jerry” Boykin.

A wide variety of people have come out in support of LtGen Boykin, including Franklin Graham, Ted Cruz, and Congressman Tim Huelskamp — the Representative for the District encompassing Fort Riley.

LtGen Boykin is now calling for an apology from the US Army — not for him, but for the troops [emphasis added]:

What is really important about this is that the leadership of Fort Riley caved to pressure by these extremists and denied every person who planned to attend this event their own First Amendment rights.

I am told that there were many people who planned to attend and that 80 percent of the soldiers at the Fort self-identify as Christian. Attendance was totally voluntary, and no one was compelled to be there…

The Commanding General of the 1st Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. Wayne Grigsby, should apologize to the soldiers of Fort Riley and assure them that the leadership of Fort Riley will stand up to the anti-religious freedom agitators and defend their rights of assembly and the right to believe and live out their faith.

LtGen Boykin’s call for an apology is an outstanding reminder Read more

Mikey Weinstein gets Prayer Breakfast Cancelled, Gen Boykin Disinvited

Retired LtGen William “Jerry” Boykin was scheduled to speak at Fort Riley’s prayer breakfast next Monday. Michael “Mikey” Weinstein — president of his self-founded Military Religious Freedom Foundation — found out and demanded the Army withdraw the invitation.

The Army post at Fort Riley responded by cancelling the event, saying it would be rescheduled later — without General Boykin:

“Due to a number of scheduling conflicts … the breakfast will be rescheduled for a later date,” 1st ID spokesman Master Sgt. Mike Lavigne said in a Wednesday email…

Citing Fort Riley’s “diverse community,” Lavigne said 1st ID “will pursue the invitation of a different speaker for the prayer breakfast once it is rescheduled.”

The move may placate Read more

Conflict between Military Religious Freedom, Sexual Freedom Continues

Update: Multiple news sources now report that 11 states have sued the Federal government for its edict attempting to require public schools to let children use the bathroom of their choice, rather than the bathroom of their gender.

When the homosexual movement began in earnest to assert its lifestyle in society a few years ago, it claimed — some would say knowingly falsely — that all it wanted was the “freedom to love.” What difference did it make to you, after all, if someone wanted to love a man instead of a woman?

Those who dared to call for protection of religious liberty were shouted down as unnecessary and were accused of harboring hatred, bigotry, and being the go-to slur of “homophobe.”

Of course, as everyone now realizes, those “homophobes” were right.

Just a few years ago it would have been laughable to claim the State would force a Christian — a private citizen — to participate in and affirm a “wedding” between homosexuals.

And yet that is precisely what has happened.

Just recently it would have been unthinkable that Read more

Army Chaplain Reportedly Resigns over War Policies

antalUS Army Reserve Chaplain Christopher Antal submitted his resignation “in protest” in April due, according to Antal, to the American policies regarding drones, nuclear weapons, and “preventive war, permanent military supremacy and global power projection.”

Antal publicly submitted his letter directly to his Commander-in-Chief, President Obama.

Reached for comment, the Army somewhat subtly said Antal had submitted his resignation, but Read more

1 … 38 39 40 41 42 … 163