Tag Archives: divorce

Secretary of Defense Outlines New Benefits for Homosexuals

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 5:20 (ESV)

As part of the effort to ensure everyone gets treated “with equal dignity and respect,” outgoing Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has announced access to military benefits available only to homosexuals:

It is a matter of fundamental equity that we provide similar benefits to all of those men and women in uniform who serve their country…Today, I am pleased to announce that after a thorough and deliberate review, the department will extend additional benefits to same-sex partners of service members.

According to the SecDef memo (PDF),

These [new] benefits shall be extended to the same-sex domestic partners and, where applicable, children of same-sex domestic partners, once the Service member and their same-sex domestic partner have signed a declaration attesting to the existence of their committed relationship.

The new DoD policy emphasizes these benefits are available only to homosexuals.  Heterosexuals cannot sign the same statement and Read more

Michael Weinstein Calls for General’s Court Martial over Religion

Update 2: General Umbarger has issued an apology, saying

I apologize for and regret the negative attention my well-meaning endorsement of an organization which so generously offered to help our Soldiers, Airmen, and their families. As I have done so many times before, I instinctively advocated on behalf of my service members.
 
This situation underscores the enduring need for all of us to pursue every possible avenue in providing services to our faithful military families.
 
It is my earnest desire and sincere hope that my comments will not detract from the professionalism and dedication of the extraordinary men and women who serve and sacrifice every day in defense of our communities, State, and Nation.

Governor Mitch Daniels, who is responsible for appointing the Guard Adjutant General, has defended the General.  That’s pin #1 for Weinstein’s promised lawsuit.  The Army Inspector General is reportedly looking into the complaint.

Update: Weinstein said he plans to file a “class-action lawsuit” if no action is taken against the General.

As is his common practice, Michael Weinstein has called for the court-martial of Major General R. Martin Umbarger, the Adjutant General of Indiana, making him the point man for “the Indiana Army and Air National Guard, the Indiana Guard Reserve and State employees, totaling more than 15,800 personnel.”

General Umbarger had appeared in a short video, in uniform, requesting support for a charity called Centurion’s Watch.  His comments included:

“Centurion’s Watch is a wonderful way that you can help. Any donation or resource that you can give this organization…I can’t think of a better organization that you can support. So if you want to give back, if you want to have some way you can help, I would highly encourage that you support this organization.”

Weinstein’s response:

“Maj. General Umbarger is incontrovertibly endorsing…a private sector entity which is clearly a comprehensively sectarian, proselytizing, fundamentalist, evangelical Christian parachurch organization…”

As support for his claim, Weinstein cites  Read more

Fighter Pilots and the Love of a Clanging Symbol

An OCF article notes the likely common experience of Eric Creekmore, a former US Marine Major and F/A-18 Hornet pilot, as he tried to ‘do the Christian thing’ and point out a fellow pilot’s sin to him:

A squadron buddy in the process of getting a divorce had just finished telling me of a weekend with his new girlfriend. Technically, he was still married — the papers weren’t yet signed. Trying to be the “good” Christian, I saw this as my opportunity to point out his transgression. After a brief treatise on fidelity and marriage, I punctuated my comments by calling him, “Mr. Immorality.”  That would make clear the error of his ways and with any luck I would soon be leading him in the sinner’s prayer.

I eased back in my office chair with a sense of pride at my work for the cause of Christ. Looking for additional opportunities to “help,” I asked why he was getting a divorce in the first place…

It turns out the situation wasn’t quite as Creekmore imagined, and his arrogant self-righteousness was soon replaced with sorrow.  His attitude, however, Read more

Chaplains Host Alaskan Marriage Retreat

Chaplain (Capt) R. Scott Savell recently highlighted an Air Force Chaplain Corps’ MarriageCare retreat, which Joint Base Elmendorf hosted at an Alyeska Resort.

Twenty-three couples gathered at the beautiful Alyeska Resort for a three-day MarriageCare retreat April 27 hosted by the JBER chaplain corps.

This retreat was an all-inclusive weekend provided at no cost.

The only thing we asked couples to commit to was Read more

Retreats Aim to Help Save Military Marriages

An article at MSNBC notes the emphasis the US military has placed on protecting marriages, particularly those under the strain of combat deployments.  Divorce rates have increased in the military, and the home life directly impacts a servicemember’s professional readiness:

Retreats are an effort to reverse this trend. Organizations around the country are making it their mission to offer military couples and families places to have fun, bond and prepare for life on the home front through classes and counseling. These retreats are provided by nonprofits such as Project Sanctuary, Project New Hope, Coming Home Project, Operation Purple, Operation Oasis and the Army’s Strong Bonds.

Military Divorce Rate Highest Ever, MercyMe Teams with FamilyLife

The rate of divorce in the US military was recently reported as 3.7%, with an increase in officer divorces accounting for an increase in the military as a whole.

The Air Force had the highest rate, at 3.9%.  Enlisted women had a nearly 10% divorce rate.

The general American population had divorce rate of 3.5% in 2009, the last year for which numbers are available.  (It’s unclear if these “population” numbers also included members of the military.)

While this may sound dire, it’s also worth noting it is difficult to Read more

Women in Combat Have Three Times Suicide Rate

USA Today notes preliminary data from the US Army indicates “the suicide rate for female soldiers triples when they go to war.”

The findings…show that the suicide rate rises from five per 100,000 to 15 per 100,000 among female soldiers at war. Scientists are not sure why but say they will look into whether women feel isolated in a male-dominated war zone or suffer greater anxieties about leaving behind children and other loved ones.

Some might earlier have called that last statement sexist, particularly in light of recent recommendations that women be allowed in combat Read more

Christianity and Morality in the Military

Gays have been in the military since the beginning of armed conflict, and allowing them to admit that fact does not change the fact that they take the same risk as straight service members and are due the same respect.

Quotes like these are increasingly common — even from Christians — and demonstrate ignorance of the point of those who have opposed repeal of the law banning homosexuals from serving.

The fact that homosexuals have served within the military, in violation of the law, does not nullify the validity of the law (anymore than violation of any other law does so).

Risk, sacrifice, etc, are all irrelevant.  There is no Read more

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