Tag Archives: fort benning

Great Awakening at Fort Leonard Wood and Beyond

As previously noted, more than 2,000 US Army trainees have professed faith in Christ recently at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Chaplain (Capt) Jose Rondon…began to track what has been called a “spiritual awakening” on the military base in March, when he reported that more than 200 professed faith during chapel services on the base on March 11 and March 18. By June 24, that number had risen to 880 professions of faith and has continued to rise throughout the summer – reaching 2,077 on Aug. 19.

Retired Chaplain (MajGen) Doug Carver said the revival wasn’t limited to FLW [emphasis added]:

More than 2,000 troops gathered Read more

Former NFL Falcons Talk to Soldiers about Faith, One Way

MajGen Gary Brito, commanding general of the Army post at Fort Benning, recently hosted former NFL players Buddy Curry and Bobby Butler for the well-attended National Day of Prayer event:

[MajGen] Brito…introduced the speakers, citing them as “leaders of character and faith.”…

In the locker room, [Bobby Butler] was surrounded by quarterbacks Steve Bartkowski, Mike Moroski and June Jones, all of whom were strongly religious and proselytized the rookie Butler. Eventually Butler relented to the three and became more spiritual.

“I thank God for my time in Atlanta,” said Butler.

On the team, Butler soon became the preacher: Read more

Religious, Political, Military Opposition to Transgender Service Quietly Grows

As the Trump Department of Defense reconsiders the decision by the Obama Administration to allow “transgender” individuals to serve in the US military, indications of growing opposition even within the Armed Services are undercutting claims that transgenders in the military would be a “non-event.”

US Rep Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) proposed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for 2018 that would have prohibited the military from accepting those who describe themselves as transgender. Representative Hunter agreed with her:

“This (policy) doesn’t make (troops) more effective or efficient or deadly. What it does is distract everybody,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who served with the Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“I couldn’t imagine having to share showers with somebody that was a girl and didn’t have a surgery to become a man but kept the girl stuff and now she’s with a bunch of guys.”

Hunter’s comments were criticized by his political opponents:  Read more

US Air Force Band, Military Bases Show Christmas Spirit

Around the country and around the world, US military bases are helping troops celebrate the season of Christmas. (Many bases are also simultaneously celebrating Hanukkah, though the Jewish holiday is this week, preceding Christmas by a couple of weeks this year.)  For the most part, it seems many bases aren’t shying away from calling them what they are, though a few are sticking to the more generic “holidays.”

Confusion Continues over Military Religious Freedom

An article at the Stars and Stripes, making a reference to the congressional testimony a couple of months ago, notes that “both sides agree” that there continues to be confusion over the US military’s policy on religious liberty. The article led with the story of US Army Chaplain (Capt) Joe Lawhorn — who was punished for mentioning his faith during a briefing and who was cited again recently in the Washington Times — as an example.

Nearly a year after the Department of Defense issued a heavily revised religious expression policy that advocates said would bring a new level of religious freedom, the dispute at Fort Benning, Ga., is evidence that the new wording hasn’t done away with old disputes. The fight  Read more

US Soldier Files Conscientious Objector Application

US Army Private Chris Munoz has reportedly filed an application to be a conscientious objector — just days before his unit ships out to Afghanistan.  His lawyer, James Branum, said he’s actually been trying to do it since about halfway through basic training last year:

At weapons training, he really began to think about what he was being asked to do. He was told there could come a situation where he might be forced to fire on a child. He realized then he could not Read more

Fort Benning Names Reserve Center for Chaplain

It is a little known fact that US Army regulations prohibit the naming of chapel facilities for persons (“living or dead”).  That’s why, absent one or two chapels that carry centuries-old names, most military chapels are known by their location (East Gate, Family Housing, etc) or simply a number (Chapel 1, Chapel 2).  There are a few “memorial” chapels, though they are generically named, not dedicated for individuals.

This prohibition does not extend to non-chapel facilities, so it is common to see buildings dedicated to honor individuals in the military service.  Chaplains, though, are often first associated with chapels (at least one chapel was, for a couple of years, dedicated to its chaplain) — so they aren’t often honored with Read more