Tag Archives: doma

Navy: Ship Commissioning Not Changed over LGBT Bill

portlandThe US Navy has disputed reports that the USS Portland (LPD 27) will be commissioned in Portland, rather than where it is being built in Mississippi, because of Mississippi’s recently passed legislation protecting religious objections to homosexuality.

When the Navy announced the commissioning would happen in the namesake town of Portland, activists and some news outlets seized on the timing, with CBS reporting that “Navy ceremony moved over Mississippi anti-gay law objection.” The Navy disagreed: Read more

Secretary Fanning Says DOMA Helped DADT Repeal

Under Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning, who was Acting Secretary for a few months, recently gave an interview for a homosexual ‘special report’ of the National Journal in which he discussed the effects of repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on the military. Largely, he continued his prior statements that while he thought the policies were bad, repeal was apparently met with a collective shrug.

He did have one interesting comment, however, in which he said the federal Defense of Marriage Act actually made repeal of DADT easier:  Read more

Chaplains Praise Post-DADT Military, Criticize Fellow Chaplains

In a Unitarian Universalist article entitled “End of DOMA brings new openness for military chaplains,” a chaplain and his endorser recently spoke about the ability to be “more open” now that DADT has been repealed:

[Unitarian Universalist] chaplains are now able to more easily support soldiers who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual and to help provide services for them and their families…

“The big difference is in my ability to be much more open myself about what my stance is,” said Chaplain (Captain) George Tyger, an active duty UU military chaplain. “As a UU minister, I represent the Unitarian Universalist Association in the military. Before DADT went down, I had to tiptoe around the issue, and now I don’t. I can say, ‘This is how I feel; I’m 100 percent affirming.’”

It’s an interesting highlight in an era in which most people seem to assume military chaplains universally have a problem with homosexuality.

By the same token, its no small irony that while a “100% affirming” military chaplain now has the confidence to boldly proclaim his support for homosexuality, non-affirming chaplains have reportedly had their confidence Read more

Top 10 Military Religious Freedom Stories for 2013

As has been the trend for the past few years, issues of religion and the military seem to have largely fallen from the visibility they once had.  This year, as religious liberty sites have compiled their “top tens” for the year, the focus has largely been on DOMA and the challenges to the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare.  The left-leaning Baptist Joint Committee included only one military story, saying the “Pentagon debunks rumors of a policy change on religious expression” in reference to the springtime controversy over Michael “Mikey” Weinstein “consulting” with the Air Force (#9 on the list below).

The Top 10 most-read stories on ChristianFighterPilot.com for 2013:  Read more

DoD Grants Spousal Benefits to Homosexuals

The Department of Defense announced it would grant homosexuals “spousal benefits” starting in September.

After a review of the department’s benefit policies following the Supreme Court’s ruling that Section Three of [DOMA] is unconstitutional…, the Defense Department will make spousal and family benefits available no later than Sept. 3, 2013, regardless of sexual orientation, as long as service member-sponsors provide a valid marriage certificate.

Because some homosexual troops might be in Read more

Media Paints Distorted Picture on Military Religious Freedom

Recently, the Catholic church came out in support of a coalition of chaplain endorsers advocating for religious freedom protections in the US military.  Combined, the groups represent the overwhelming majority of faiths of US military servicemembers (and, in fact, the United States).

In apparent response to that broad unity, a US News and World Report article tried to paint a picture of a divided front:

Some evangelical groups are gearing up for a fight on military chaplains and same-sex marriage while others say they’ll seek Read more

DoD Celebrates SCOTUS Ruling on Homosexuality

The Department of Defense issued a plethora of statements celebrating the Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which had prevented the Federal government from recognizing homosexual “marriage.”  The ruling paves the way for the US military to provide marital benefits to homosexual couples.

In an initial statement, the DoD “welcomed” the ruling and said  Read more

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