Tag Archives: fort leonard wood

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

Army Chaplain Observes Quiet Revival at Fort Leonard Wood

According to an article at ChurchLeaders.com, there’s a revival going on in the US Army at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri — and a Southern Baptist chaplain is responsible:

Almost 1,000 soldiers in basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri have given their lives to Jesus Christ since March in what can arguably be called a spiritual revival.

There is no question God is doing something amazing at the army base and that He is using Captain Jose Rondon, a chaplain at the base, to carry out His plans.

Chaplain Rondon gives a fairly simple exhortation to his fellow believers — “Stay INTENTIONAL” — and he also makes a point of going where his troops go: Read more

Army Grants Religious Accommodation for Pagan Beard

Update: Now widely covered at various sites, though they don’t name US Army Soldier Austin Harasti.

The Army Times reports that a Soldier at the 14th Military Police Brigade at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, has been granted a religious accommodation to wear a beard — because he is a “Norse pagan.” From Col Curtis Shroeder’s memo to the 795th Military Police Battalion Soldier [emphasis added]:

“In observance of your Heathen; Norse Pagan faith, you may wear a beard, in accordance with Army uniform and grooming standards for soldiers with approved religious accommodations.”

Interestingly, there is no tenet of “Norse pagan faith” that requires a beard, as a heathen-advocacy site pointed out. As quoted in the article:

According to the Open Halls Project, an advocacy group for heathens serving in the military, the beard is a beloved tradition, but not a requirement.

“There is no religious requirement for beards in Heathenry,” according to a 2017 post about beards. “…We, as Heathens, have no such religious requirement with regards to hair.”

In essence, this is the same as a Christian seeking a waiver for a beard because Jesus had one.  That said, Army policy is to, by default, grant the accommodation so long as Read more