Tag Archives: Church and State

Colonel Cleared in Email Controversy

As noted at the Stars and Stripes, Col Kimberly Toney was cleared in the 3rd Air Force investigation of her email that linked to a video with religious content (hosted on a website with content allegedly hostile to the President) (previous discussion).

From the article:

“After a thorough consideration of the facts, the Third Air Force has concluded Colonel Toney acted inadvertently and unintentionally and did not willfully violate Air Force policy or (Equal Employment Opportunity) guidelines,” said Lt. Col. Dave Honchul, 3rd Air Force’s director of public affairs.

Notably, the article also notes that the Air Force received no complaints from servicemembers or civilians over the email.

Military Religious Freedom: The Torah in Iraq

The Air Force news published articles and pictures (see below the fold) of a Torah dedication ceremony in Balad, Iraq, on March 23rd, as well as the accompanying adult Bar Mitzvah of an enlisted Airmen.

Contrary to some assertions, such public displays of faith do not demonstrate an institutional favoritism of a religion (in this case, Judaism) by the military or by the government.  Such expressions–even in a region of the world that has elements hostile to both Judaism and America–are not only permitted but also encouraged, just as the free exercise of other faiths is also supported.

Such displays are also wholly permissible in uniform, as these Airmen were.  The Airmen wore yarmulkes Read more

Living out Faith in the Military

On February 27th, Chap. (Maj.) Randy Griffin of the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) sponsored a Cappadocian Martyrs Run at Red Rock Canyon, Colorado Springs.  More than 25 soldiers participated in the three-mile run, which was used to commemorate the memory of 40 Roman soldiers who died rather than recant their faith when ordered to do so by their governor in 313 AD.

The Chaplain noted that the story served as a challenge, noting

We can publicly live out our faith without being afraid for what we believe as Christians.

Air Force Investigating Religious Video Message

According to the New York Times, Third Air Force has opened an investigation into an email incident that occurred in January.  Col Kimberly Toney, the 501st Wing Commander, sent out a message that linked to an “inspirational” video.  Complaints arose because of the religious tone of the video and other content on the host site that was reportedly derogatory to the President.  Toney subsequently sent out another email apologizing for the first.

A Master Sergeant who complained to the press and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation has said he may join “the [MRFF’s] litigation as a plaintiff” as a result.  Weinstein has called the incident “hideous and almost beyond belief” and a “textbook case” of a

pervasive pattern of constitutional abuse.

As noted at the Religion Clause.

Michael Weinstein on Military & College Ministries

The Stanford Progressive, a “left-leaning” student paper which boasts a circulation of “members of the Stanford community,…student residences and…community centers,” recently interviewed Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.  The interview, laced with profanity and transcription errors, is available here.

To the question, “what are the Officer’s Christian Fellowship and Campus Crusade?”, Weinstein opined:

They are blights on America and a disgusting example of extremist prejudice and bigotry in this country.

In the interview Weinstein clearly discriminates between “evangelical” Christians and “dominionist” Christians.  He says they both have “religious philosophies” that he “[hates],” and they both Read more

Combat Chapel Team Ministers Outside the Wire

As reported by the military press, Chaplain (Capt.) David Haltom and Staff Sgt. Porscha Howard are the chapel team for the Airmen at Camp Victory, Iraq.  The AF Chief of Chaplains, Maj. Gen. Cecil Richardson, has noted that Chaplains in combat are sought out by deployed members:

In the AOR, the chaplain can’t walk from point A to point B without being pulled aside for a question.  In fact, chaplains often spend seven to 10 hours a day counseling Airmen, hearing them ask, ‘would you pray for me?’ Read more

Army Continues Fight Against Suicide Trend

As previously noted, news reports indicate that the US Army is continuing to face a tragic trend in suicides within its ranks.  The trend is nearly double the rate for 2008, during which there were 138 confirmed suicides (with 5 cases still under investigation).

The Army has said it is “standing down” for suicide training, as well as “standing up” a task force to be headed by Brig. Gen. Colleen McGuire, a military police officer.

Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli has said that “suicide is a multi-dimensional problem and as such will take a multi-disciplinary approach to dealing with it.”  McGuire will look “across all disciplines [so commanders] can have a menu of tools, of training programs and experts that he can turn to and know how to best employ.”  To that end, reports indicate they are investigating suicide prevention methodologies in a variety of fields, including both mental health and the Chaplaincy. Read more

New York Times on Religion & the Military

Eric Lichtblau of the New York Times has written an article revisiting the Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s complaints over religious content in Army suicide prevention material, as previously discussed here.

The article mentions that Michael Weinstein was able to meet with Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz.  It is a potential irony that Schwartz, like Weinstein, is Jewish (a fact not missed at his nomination), and that his class of 1973 at the Air Force Academy was replaced by Weinstein’s class of 1977.  Schwartz made no secret of his faith as a cadet and has not indicated that he experienced negative repercussions, while Weinstein claims a disturbing religious discrimination event while a cadet is the motivation behind all he does.

Weinstein reportedly said of the meeting with Schwartz

he [took] it very seriously, [and] he also acknowledged that there is a problem

Weinstein previously called Schwartz a “yes man” unable to “stand up” for what was right:

Because there’s a Jew in there, that’s supposed to make everything fine? It’s not fine. It doesn’t make a difference that he’s there. The reason to me is that he’s a yes man. He’s not going to stand up to do what needs to be done. But we’ll see.

Lichtblau notes that groups that oppose the MRFF fear an overreaction in the opposite direction.

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