Tag Archives: MRFF

DoD Reverses Policy Furloughing Contract Chaplains

The Thomas More Law Center filed a lawsuit on Monday on behalf of Catholic military Chaplain Ray Leonard, who was prohibited from ministering as a chaplain because he was deemed “non-essential” to military morale and readiness.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Department of Justice reversed the DoD’s ruling and informed TMLC that Father Leonard could resume his duties:

In response to the lawsuit, three attorneys from the Department of Justice contacted TMLC attorney Erin Mersino by phone and Read more

Air Force Investigation Finds No Religious Discrimination

An Air Force investigation was initiated after SMSgt Philip Monk filed a complaint of religious discrimination, claiming he was relieved and reassigned earlier than planned after a conversation with his commanding officer, Maj Elisa Valenzuela.  The Air Force issued a press release about the investigation, saying the charges of religious discrimination were not substantiated:

The investigation, initiated Aug. 15 by Col. Mark Camerer, 37th Training Wing commander at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, found the claim unsubstantiated…

“The weight of the evidence shows that religion was never discussed between the two,” Camerer said in an Air Education and Training Command release.

“In the end, this is a case about command authority, good order and discipline, and civil rights — not religious freedoms,” he said.

Interestingly, no one ever publicly claimed “religion was…discussed between the two,” but it raises the question as to whether one must explicitly voice a religious belief for it to be actionable.  The investigation also made an interesting comment about the statements at the heart of the controversy [emphasis added]:  Read more

Catholic Chaplain Sues US Military for Right to Minister

Catholic priest Father Ray Leonard has filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Defense and the Navy for prohibiting him from ministering to the military community at the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Georgia.  Leonard is a civilian contractor who had been hired to begin his service on 1 October 2013.

The priest was one of thousands of civilian military employees and contractors furloughed because of the failure of Congress to reach a deal on funding the federal government. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has since recalled some Defense Department workers, but civilian military chaplains were excluded.

The lawsuit seeks a judgment that would Read more

Senator Ted Cruz on Military Religious Liberty

This is an administration that has told servicemen and women that they cannot share their faith or risk discipline.  This is an administration that has reprimanded an Air Force chaplain in Alaska for writing in a blog post “there are no atheists in foxholes.”  Now, mind you, he was quoting President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who, I might note, has some passing familiarity with the military…

“The Administration” can either be interpreted as a broad swath of people that includes the Secretary of Defense, or potentially a direct reference to the President.

It is exceedingly difficult — though it has been tried — Read more

Military Atheists Target Fellow Religious Troops. Again.

In what appears to be a trend, a few atheist members of the US military seem to have taken on a “militant” practice of their faith — by aggressively going after their fellow religious troops.

In May 2012, Army Sgt Justin Griffith led his “internet atheists” against a prayer event hosted by the families of his fellow Fort Bragg Soldiers — while those families’ Soldiers were deployed to Afghanistan.

In March 2013, an Air Force Chief Master Sergeant proudly announced that he’d purged his squadron of posters for “Christian” events — even official events sponsored by MWR.

In August 2013, Captain Sara Sharick — an Army recruiter — indicated she might use her Army position to try to steer a potential recruit away from his school of choice, Christian-founded Liberty University, because it was home to “the crazies.”

Later in August, Daniel Smith — a civilian commissary store director — claimed the presence of Gideon Bibles in Air Force Inns was unconstitutional.  He lodged complaints with the intent of removing those Bibles, so traveling active duty Airmen wouldn’t have access to them.

Now, another incident from earlier this year has recently come to light.

It seems another Army atheist took issue with his fellow Soldiers and their families  Read more

Michael Weinstein Interprets Religious Regulations for Air Force

Michael Weinstein was once jokingly referred to as the new Secretary of the Air Force after his apparent easy access to — and influence of — Air Force leaders was revealed.  It seems Weinstein himself is now trying to fulfill that “role.”

On 19 September Ms. Deborah Lee James, nominee for Secretary of the Air Force, testified at the Senate Armed Services Committee and was asked several questions about military religious freedom by Senator David Vitter (R-La).

As noted in the Air Force Times — not in their news, but in commentator Robert Dorr’s opinion column — Vitter brought up several “documented cases” of restrictions on religious liberty:

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., asked James if it’s acceptable for an airman to have a Bible on his desk or for a chaplain to end a prayer “in Jesus’ name.”…

James told Vitter: “Having a Bible on your desk, that doesn’t seem like it should be banned.”

James’ answer is consistent with what the Air Force has officially said to date.  In May of this year, Air Force spokeswoman LtCol Laura Tingley told blogger William Throckmorton, in response to that same allegation:  Read more

Holy Cross Navy Cadets Host Competition

A US Navy article recently highlighted the Navy ROTC program at the College of the Holy Cross, a Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition.  While the friendly drill and athletic competition was the topic, it was mostly interesting to read the references to the Catholic college’s military program:

“I really enjoyed it,” said Holy Cross Midshipman 4th Class Annie Grimmke…

Given the sometime political sensitivity of associating the US military and religion, its a wonder a certain critic of Christianity in the military hasn’t demanded that Holy Cross either change their name or be stripped of their ROTC program.

The best part, though, is their mascot.

They’re the Holy Cross Crusaders.

The benign, perfectly acceptable, and normal NROTC program at that small school is probably giving that guy an aneurysm right now.

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Mikey Weinstein’s Friends and Allies in Military High Places, Part 4

As noted previously, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein claims the US military is overrun by Christians trying to take over the world, and he is sacrificing himself as a martyr in a one-man crusade to save us all.  Except…

It seems Weinstein is fast friends with the top leaders of the very military services he claims he’s fighting — contrary to his frequent claims he is but a lowly David fighting an institutional Goliath.

In two examples, Weinstein’s “close personal…relationship” with an Air Force base’s commanding general has already been discussed, as has his unusual access to an Air Force Colonel’s non-releasable records.  In a more significant example, The JAG of the Air Force for nearly 6 years, LtGen Jack Rives, was the legal face of the Air Force as it (presumably) fended off Weinstein’s attacks.  After he retired, though, former TJAG LtGen Rives turned ardent cheerleader for Weinstein’s crusade against religious freedom in the US military.

Now, Weinstein has publicly announced that very recently retired LtGen William Lord has “long” been an ally for Weinstein’s cause.  At his retirement just a year ago, LtGen William Lord was the AF Chief Information Officer — in the office of the Secretary of the Air Force.  Recalling his recent visit to the “well-appointed” office of the Superintendent of West Point, Weinstein said [emphasis added]:  Read more

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