Tag Archives: fort jackson

Shock, Scandal: Military Hosts Secular Day Camp

Last year military atheist Justin Griffith created a fuss over a military chapel community’s Vacation Bible School — something virtually every military chapel community does, by the way.  He claimed the chapel VBS was a US government-funded “religious summer camp.” 

Naturally, he continued the militant atheist tradition of latching on to Christianity by demanding a “me, too” ability to have such an event. He failed to acknowledge military facilities already host non-religious events of a similar nature:

Approximately 40 Army Reserve children from all over the southeast region ranging from the ages of six to 14 attended Read more

Update: Atheist Soldier Refuses to Bow Head at Graduation

The CNN.com blog that covered the atheist Soldier refusing to lower his head during a training graduation prayer updated their post with input from Fort Jackson:

Fort Jackson officials said Friday that an atheist soldier was asked to lower their head during a prayer portion of a graduation ceremony rehearsal, but then decided it was ok for the soldier to stand at Attention. [sic]

As originally thought, the desire for a Read more

Atheist Soldier Refuses to Bow Head at Graduation

According to a CNN blog, an atheist US Army Private First Class graduating from Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, SC, was expected to “bow his head and clasp his hands” during the prayer portion of his unit’s graduation. 

After almost being pulled from a graduation ceremony for refusal to lower the head during a benediction, a soldier is now allowed to attend but must instead stand at attention.

The rehearsal occurred yesterday, the graduation itself is today.  Notably, the CNN article was written only on the basis of information from the Soldier and Michael Weinstein; Read more

DADT: The Ethical and Moral Foundation of the US Army

The Army has been continuing to brief its basic trainees on the upcoming permissible service by open homosexuals.

At Fort Jackson…Capt. Guy Allsup…recently walked 231 nervous basic training recruits through scenarios…

“Does anybody think that this is going to be a drastic change for deployed soldiers?” Allsup called out to the group.

Ignore the paradox of an officer asking new recruits if things will “change.”  The trainees’ answer:  Read more

Army Chaplains Minister to Thousands in Basic Training

An Army article notes the importance of the military Chaplaincy to basic trainees at Fort Jackson:

Each Friday night, the 187th Ordnance Battalion classroom is filled with coffee, cookies, Bibles and smiling Soldiers. This weekly Fortress Coffeehouse service is one of the many ways that chaplains appeal to the needs of Soldiers-in-training at Fort Jackson.

The efforts by the Chaplains certainly seem appreciated by the Soldiers in training:

Pvt. Joshua Soiffer, Company A, 187th Ordnance Battalion, said that coffeehouse time is a comforting way to end a hard week.

“This is my fourth week here and I come to get away from life in the barracks, to spend time with fellow Soldiers and folks who love Jesus.”

Like the religious support teams in many locations, Chaplain (Capt) Jerry Wagner and his team work with volunteers Read more

Military Commanders: Religious Expression or Religious Coercion?

The Journal of Faith and War has published articles on a variety of topics covering aspects of national security, leadership, God, religion, and the military.

They recently re-published the 2010 paper by Chaplain (then-LtCol) Jimmy Browning, entitled “Religious Expression or Religious Coercion: Commanders Caught in the Crossfire.”  The paper was noted here last year, and is a brief but very interesting perspective on religious issues as they pertain to military leadership.

Chaplain (Col) Browning is now Deputy Commandant of the US Air Force Chaplains’ Corps College.  The College is part of the joint Chaplain school at Fort Jackson, SC.

Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center to Open

Along with being the National Day of Prayer, May 6 is also set to see the opening of the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Center.

As a result of base realignment and closure (BRAC), the services were directed to consolidate their Chaplain training facilities.  Fort Jackson, SC, will serve as the single location at which all military Chaplains will be trained, though it appears that each service will retain separate training courses.

Chaplain (Col.) Steven Keith will be the commandant of the Air Force Chaplain Corps College at Fort Jackson, as well as the director of the AFCC itself.

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