A local article from the South Carolina paper The State, reprinted at Stars and Stripes, highlighted the Fort Jackson, SC, US Army Chaplain’s Museum.
The U.S. Army Chaplains Museum at Fort Jackson has artifacts dating back to the earliest days of the chaplain corps, which was founded by an act of the Continental Congress in 1775. George Washington appointed the first chaplains.
The article notes the museum is specifically seeking Read more
The Jewish Journal documents the story of US Army Captain Eric Goldie, a Jewish soldier deployed to Iraq and trying to remain faithful to his religious exercise in an article entitled “Shabbat in Iraq: Under the Gun“:
On Shabbat, Goldie and a small group of soldiers, embassy workers and contractors — and even one Iraqi-Jewish woman — would gather in the U.S. Embassy to daven. That woman, Halida, would sneak into the embassy to participate, a considerable risk in a city where Jews were hiding their true identities…
Goldie endured a gauntlet of barriers himself just to get to the embassy for services. “I had to take an armored transport, wearing 60 pounds of body armor, with my weapon, to attend,” he said.
The article contains what may be a swipe at the military Read more
Chaplain (Maj) Khalid Shabazz and his chaplain assistant, Sgt Jessica Covello, hosted an Islamic iftar attended by “more than 60 soldiers and family members” at Fort Hood, Texas.
“Fasting increases our awareness of God and self-restraint,” Shabazz said. “Abstaining from something so natural such as food and water allows ourselves to gain a greater respect for those who suffer on a daily basis.”
Sgt Covello even tried a little mutual support: Read more
Senior Master Sergeant Phillip Monk of the 37th Training Wing at Lackland AFB, TX, says he was “relieved of his position” because he did not agree with his homosexual commander about “gay marriage.”
The Air Force disagrees, and says it was just his time to move on.
As depicted, there may be validity to both sides as to whether or not he was “fired,” but that discussion detracts from the actual issue.
Monk, an evangelical Christian, said the issue came up when he was advising his company commander about a situation involving a staff sergeant who had expressed opposition to homosexuality on religious grounds — an opinion shared with trainees that might be a violation of an Air Force policy barring the use of a position of authority to promote personal religious beliefs.
Monk had said the situation called for Read more
While some people think of families and kids when talking about a chapel, Chaplain (Capt) Randy Croft of Shaw Air Force Base wants to focus on single servicemembers:
“We want to help strengthen single airmen and soldiers, and support strong resilient, spiritually fit singles so they can do their mission really well,” Croft said.
Though he is a religous leader, Chaplain Croft reiterates the military position that “spiritual” does not necessarily mean “religious:” Read more
Probably wouldn’t see that in today’s US military. Somebody might get offended.
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When talking about military religious freedom, much of the focus is naturally on chaplains. Often left unmentioned is the assistant, bodyguard, and companion of military chaplains: his chaplain’s assistant.
As noted in a recent Marine article, chaplain’s assistants not only support activities at home, but they are also the armed protectors of the unarmed chaplain when deployed:
Religion has always been important to 19-year-old Seaman Apprentice Jacob L. Brown, a religious program specialist…
When he learned that he could pursue it while serving his country, he jumped at the chance… Read more