Tag Archives: michelle johnson

Cadets Speak Out, Religious Liberty Group Meets with USAFA

While many people may have opinions, the fact is there is no Air Force policy or regulation at all that addresses Bible verses or other public displays of religion — even in an official office setting, even by Air Force “leaders.”

Based on actual military policy, Air Force cadets — and enlisted, and officers — remain free to have verses on their whiteboards and Bibles on their desks, even if some people don’t agree or like it.  The mere association of an Air Force leader with a religious belief cannot reasonably be interpreted to be improper — or else far more censorship and restriction on conduct needs to occur. After all, if a cadet can’t handle seeing a Bible verse on a whiteboard, how will he react when he sees his commander wearing a yarmulke?

US Air Force Academy cadets spoke out — anonymously — after the recent kerfuffle over Bible verses on dry erase boards. Their statements are mature and well-considered:  Read more

USAFA Superintendent on Religious Freedom, Weinstein Accusations

LtGen Michelle Johnson, US Air Force Academy superintendent, recently sat down with perennial critic of her academic institution (and MRFF ally), regional newspaper columnist Pam Zubeck.

Among the several questions Zubeck reports in a Q/A format are one on religion and another on an accusation by Michael “Mikey” Weinstein:

[Zubeck:] Some cadets and staff are concerned there’s an atmosphere in which cadets are expected to have their first allegiance to God, not country. How do you deal with that?

LtGen Johnson’s answer was consistent with the same Air Force guidance that has been around for years, though she cited AFI 1-1 specifically [emphasis added]:

[Johnson:] Because we’re a college, we need to have open discourse, but we have to balance that with providing a successful climate. So what we have going in, it’s really kicked in well, is this religious respect training, not just for cadets but for permanent party. That’s really important, for permanent party to know the balance there. People are free to have their beliefs but not proselytize or impose them on someone else.

And we have the training to help Read more

Air Force IG to Investigate USAFA OSI Program

The Inspector General of the Air Force is reportedly investigating the Air Force Office of Special Investigation’s (OSI) use of cadets as informants at the US Air Force Academy. USAFA Superintendent LtGen Michelle Johnson had previously declared she would “personally oversee” any such program in the future. Further,

Johnson said she will review the academy’s disenrollment process and that she intends to “eliminate the need for cadet confidential informants in the cadet wing…”  Read more

USAFA Defends, Gets Oversight of OSI Cadet Informant Program

The US Air Force Academy unapologetically defended its use of cadet confidential informants earlier this week:

The Air Force Academy stood by its use of confidential student informants Tuesday, noting that it’s a practice used across the Air Force that provides what it calls “vital information about criminal activities.”

A couple of days later, USAFA announced the Superintendent would begin having oversight of the program:

Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson will now exercise oversight of the confidential informant program at the academy…

She will be aware of the operations, but the Office of Special Investigations will still have command and control of the program, an academy spokesman said.

Also at the Air Force Times and the Stars and Stripes, with more here.

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USAF Academy Cadets Talk Respect, Dr. Mike Rosebush

The US Air Force Academy made several homosexual cadets available to reporters for a conference call last week and subsequently released a summary article:

Carol, Stephanie and William, three cadets in the Academy’s Spectrum club for LGBQ and allied cadets, spoke to reporters with both local and national newspapers and blogs to talk about their experiences and the support they’ve received from the Academy’s senior leaders…

The three cadets were identified only by their first names, and the group generally spoke neutrally or well of Dr. Rosebush:

“Frankly, I didn’t know he existed until his name showed up in the press,” William said. “My personal opinion is that he’s been here long enough, he’s shown he can work here without pressing his views on other people. If he does his job and does it well, and he’s not trying to influence or treat people differently than anybody else, then personally, Read more

USAFA Reviews Hiring Practices After Criticism

After accusations the US Air Force Academy could not justify hiring Dr. Mike Rosebush, the Academy has now said it will review its hiring practices to make sure they are

legally sound, equitable and unbiased

The Academy has repeatedly said that Dr. Rosebush has performed his duties well and there have been no complaints.  Still, USAFA said they will “specifically focus” on his hiring.  Three homosexual USAFA cadets — presumably those who would have been most harmed by Dr. Rosebush, according to critics — even told the press they’d never heard of Dr. Rosebush until his name came up in the press.

According to at least one talking head, some of USAFA’s response to the criticisms of Dr. Rosebush has fed the fires.  The Air Force Academy has repeatedly emphasized that Dr. Rosebush  Read more

US Air Force Academy Will Restore “So Help Me God”

Removing the poster and editing the oath for all Academy students is extreme and unnecessary, and does a disservice to the countless individuals who wish to include the phrase as a solemn reminder that they are pledging their fidelity to God and country.

Letter to LtGen Michelle Johnson from Congress
18 November 2013

Lost in the recent hubbub over the US Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Oath’s inclusion of “so help me God” was an observation made by Patriot Post some time ago:  The phrase “so help me God” had already been deleted from the oaths included in the Cadet Contrails (the book of knowledge issued to each new cadet, which they are required to memorize).

Twenty-eight members of Congress recently wrote to USAFA Superintendent LtGen Johnson and reminded her that the Oath of Office, Oath of Enlistment, and Read more

Weinstein Attacks Allen Willoughby, Promotes Courage for Christ

The Associated Press picked up on Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s complaint about Allen Willoughby, an athletic trainer at the US Air Force Academy Prep School who sent Weinstein an email after Weinstein’s complaint about “So Help Me God.”  As published by Weinstein’s ally Pam Zubeck at the Colorado Springs Independent, the email said:

…God will always be a part of the US Military even when you are gone to meet him face to face. You know you can do a lot for the homeless veterans out here but you could care less about them but when it comes to Christians you are willing to fight against us, well you will never win and so you know the war has already been won. I am on staff at USAFA and will talk about Jesus Christ my Lord and savior to everyone that I work with. Do something productive with your life and Stop harassing the fine people at USAFA. I really pray for your soul.

Zubeck provocatively titled her blog

Academy athletic trainer vows to proselytize on campus

Presumably, Zubeck is at least trying to appear to be a journalist, albeit one who apparently does not deign to use a dictionary.  As is evident to the rest of the world, the Prep School trainer did not “vow[] to proselytize.”

For his part, Weinstein almost Read more

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