Tag Archives: Iraq

Commander Helps Troops’ Religious Celebration

The recent religious “high holidays” highlighted US military efforts to accommodate the faiths of those within its ranks.

Two important perspectives were recently expressed in reaction to the celebration of Passover in Iraq by US servicemembers.  First, from a young celebrant:

“It’s a big deal for morale, especially for Jewish Soldiers,” said Jason Kocsis [of the] Louisiana National Guard. “To be able to get together with other Soldiers of the Jewish faith and share what you normally share back at home with family, it gives you more of a taste of home and what we have to look forward to.” (emphasis added)

Second, from a senior officer who is not only a celebrant, but also a commander:

“The Army and these Soldiers are a part of our extended family during war-time,” said Lt. Col. Mednick, who is in charge of all aviation operations in the [northern] area of operations…”It’s very important to not spend this holiday alone and I’m proud to provide that culture for these Soldiers.” (emphasis added)

Finally, it is also important to note the military supports the religious exercise Read more

Navy Seal, Now Army Chaplain, Ministers in Iraq

US Army Chaplain (Capt) Geoffrey Whitaker, the garrison Chaplain at COB Marez, Iraq, took a unique path to the Chaplaincy.  He was originally a Navy SEAL; in 2003, he fell during a helicopter speed rope and crushed his skull.  Doctors gave him a 10% chance of survival, with far less a chance he’d ever recover.

He rejoined his SEALs within 12 months.

He said he owes his recovery to the thousands of people praying for him around the world.  Read more

“Collateral Murder” Video Released

Several major news outlets have reported on the “leaked” video of what appears to be a US helicopter gun attack on civilians.  News of the video has been distributed under the “collateral murder” moniker.  Reportedly, a Reuters photographer and driver were killed, as were about a dozen others in a small group.  A van subsequently comes to the scene and is also fired upon; in the van were two children who were wounded.

While not exclusively a fighter pilot topic, the video does shed some light into an area not often discussed in the public eye.  There are times when Read more

MRFF Opposes Troops’ Religious Freedom at Easter

Last September, Chris Rodda, a researcher for Michael Weinstein and his Military Religious Freedom Foundation, wrote an article enumerating her “Top Ten” list of Christian travesties in the US military, emphasizing acts which “convince the Muslims we’re on a crusade.”  A less combative version of this same list was re-published in the US Air Force’s Attitudes Aren’t Free just a few weeks ago.

At number 8, Rodda lists this rather interesting way in which the US military is showing the Muslim world America is on a crusade:  Read more

Military Religious Freedom at Work

It is not uncommon for people of a religious faith–Christian or not–to occasionally speak of the difficulty of celebrating their faith while in the military.  This is particularly true in intense training environments, as well as the obvious restricted areas of combat.  The military culture is sometimes hostile (even unintentionally) to the spirit of a religious faith, and the logistical environment sometimes restricts the ability to fully exercise one’s faith.

Despite the challenges encountered, it is important to highlight the fact that the US military has a responsive environment of both commanders and Chaplains to see to the religious needs of all of its servicemembers.  Though there are obvious logistical hurdles in some cases, there is no institutional support for or bias against any particular faith.  In fact, the opposite is true.

For example, the Aleph Institute, a DoD Chaplain endorsing organization and valuable support agency for Jews in the US military, recently said they had to come to the rescue of a Soldier seeking spiritual resources, and because of “red tape” a Jewish Soldier has “almost no chance” of getting spiritual resources like prayer books and kosher field rations.

History, however, demonstrates the opposite.  In fact, Jewish military Read more

Muslim Soldier Seeks to Help, Become Chaplain

An official Army.mil article introduces Army Spc Mikail Lawal, a Muslim soldier (pictured below, reading the Koran) who is living out his faith and considering a career as a Chaplain.

DoD Photo (Sgt Ben Hutto)

DoD Photo (Sgt Ben Hutto)

His current job is essentially a customer service representative at a FOB in Iraq, making sure passengers get on the correct helicopter.  He goes out of his way to be respectful and helpful, a spirit attributed to his “deep faith in Islam.”

In explaining why he wanted to become a Chaplain, Read more

Chaplain Ministers to All, Even Other Nations

US Army Chaplain (Maj) Julian Padgett served the men and women of Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul, Iraq, in late 2009.  In his proactive efforts to minister to those on Marez, he reportedly “made the rounds along the base perimeter to comfort troops and offer prayers,” as shown in this picture dated in September 2009:

(DoD Photo, PO1 Carmichael Yepez)

(DoD Photo, PO1 Carmichael Yepez)

An important detail is that Chaplain Padgett ministered to all the men and women on Marez supporting the US mission, including the pictured security guard, a third country national (TCN) from Uganda with whom he shared Read more

Christian Officer Commands Combined Arms Center

LtGen Robert Caslen assumed command of Fort Leavenworth, home of the US Army Combined Arms Center, this week.  (Caslen recently returned from a year-long deployment to Iraq, and he pinned on his third star just prior to the assumption of command.)  Home of 16 US Army professional military schools and centers, the CAC is the “intellectual center of the Army” and is responsible for much of the professional training of US Army leaders.  It is also now creating a Mission Command center of excellence to focus on battle command and future Army leader needs.  The CAC website says

CAC provides Army-wide leadership and supervision for leader development and professional military and civilian education; institutional and collective training; functional training; training support; battle command; doctrine; lessons learned; and other specified areas that the TRADOC Commander designates.

All of these are focused toward making CAC a catalyst for change and to support the development of a relevant and ready ground force to support joint, interagency and multinational operations anywhere in the world.

Now an influential military leader, LtGen Caslen is a model of professional success and Christian officership.

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