Tag Archives: Navy

Huffington Post: Most Captivating Photo of Navy Baptism at Sea

Chris McGonigal of The Huffington Post — not precisely a bastion of conservative values — posted a list of “The Most Captivating Military Photos From August 2015.” The first one out of the chute was of a baptism at sea conducted on the USS George Washington:

Lt. Cole Yoos [of the] Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), and Lt. Brian Kirschenbaum, a Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 chaplain, baptize Aviation Structural Mechanic (Safety Equipment) 2nd Class Ryan Norton, from Minto, North Dakota in the baptismal pool on the ship’s flight deck during a baptism-at-sea.

Better not let Michael “Mikey” Weinstein see that.  He thinks such displays of religious freedom like baptisms on the flight deck of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier are propaganda for terrorists. That means, of course, Read more

Navy Reverses, Rules for Embattled Chaplain Modder

For the past six months, US Navy Chaplain (LtCmdr) Wes Modder has been fighting for his career after his commander, CAPT Jon Fahs, requested he be “detached for cause” (PDF) and then defend why he should be retained in the Navy. The primary charge was he “failed to show tolerance and respect” when he made certain statements about sexuality.

Last week, the US Navy Personnel Command informed Captain Fahs that his request for Chaplain Modder to be Detached for Cause was denied, as was his request for Modder to “show cause” to remain in the Navy. Rear Admiral David F. Steindl wrote (PDF):

Your request for detachment for cause in the case of LCDR Modder…has been reviewed and is disapproved. I have found the evidence of substandard performance in this case does not meet the standard of gross negligence or complete disregard of duty… LCDR Modder will not be detached for cause.

In other words, the Admiral said CAPT Fahs was wrong.

To be “detached for cause” (DFC) in Read more

Report Again Highlights Moral Injury

As has been highlighted here before, troops may come home from war with many types of wounds — physical, mental, and even spiritual. Much of the non-physical wound care has focused on PTSD, but for a few years advocates have been trying to raise the importance of the moral injuries that troops may bring home:

Moral injury is when veterans feel extreme guilt and shame from something they did or witnessed in conflict that goes against their values…The term was introduced in the 1990s by a now-retired Department of Veterans Affairs psychiatrist, Dr. Jonathan Shay, who diagnosed Read more

Coast Guardsman Receives Pastafarian Gift at Retirement

Master Chief Petty Officer Bob Sebaste of the US Coast Guard had a retirement ceremony in June in which he was presented with an interesting gift [emphasis added]:

I retired recently after 29 years of service in the US Navy and US Coast Guard. The guys I work with know that I am an ordained minister in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. For our holiday party, for example, I ensured that His Noodly Goodness was properly represented, as well as the Festivus pole and other more mainstream (mundane) religious symbols.

In any case, at my retirement ceremony, they presented me with this most excellent headgear, appropriately decorated with my CG rank insignia.

The concept of the “flying spaghetti monster” is Read more

Navy Conducts Blessing of the Pilot Wings

The US Navy conducts an annual “blessing of the fleet,” a tradition intended to “safeguard crews and ships” from the hazards of the oceans through a religious blessing.

It turns out the Navy also conducts a “blessing of the wings” as part of new Naval Aviators’ winging ceremonies. An official Navy article recounts that the chapel at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi held its first services on the infamous December 7, 1941, and as the new aviators went off to war, chaplains began “blessing” their wings:

According to the chaplains, during World War II, many Catholic chaplains began blessing the wings of Catholic aviators. This tradition continued throughout the years and eventually became a “Blessing of the Wings” service in chapels around the world.

Eventually the service included Read more

Navy Commander Tells Subordinates to Take Pride in Homosexual Community

US Navy Capt Ronald Ravelo and the USS Abraham Lincoln

The USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier currently undergoing a refurbishment in Virginia, recently held a “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender” celebration. One of the presentations came from Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Ryan Wampler, who said

Policies like the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ propel this Navy to be the finest in the world…I take pride in knowing that I am part of an organization that…is…setting examples for the rest of the country to follow.

It’s unclear how openly accepting homosexuality makes Read more

Becket Fund Sides with Military Against Humanist Chaplains

Update: Via The Religion Clause:

[The] Virginia federal district court ultimately allowed Dr. Heap to move ahead with his Establishment Clause and Equal Protection/ Substantive Due Process challenges to the Navy and Department of Defense’s actions.

However the court dismissed challenges brought under other parts of the 1st Amendment, the No Religious Test clause, and RFRA, dismissed The Humanist Society as a plaintiff for lack of standing and on ripeness grounds, and dismissed claims against the individual defendants.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has had what might be considered a banner year in its legal support of religious liberty, winning more than one case at the Supreme Court. Moreover, what separates the Becket Fund from some other stereotypical religious liberty groups is their willingness to not just speak but also act in defense of all religious liberty.

While they represented a Christian family when the Supreme Court Read more

Embattled Chaplain Modder Files Complaint Against Navy Commander

US Navy Chaplain Wes Modder, currently facing a discharge board for statements about homosexuality made during private counseling sessions, has filed a complaint with the Navy with the goal of being able to continue ministering to his sailors:

Chaplain Wes Modder spends his days basically alone in the base chapel. He is no longer allowed into his office. By order of his commanding officer, he is not allowed even to speak to the sailors in his unit. If anyone from his unit comes into the chapel, he may not speak with them…

His commanding officer, Captain Jon Fahs…requested various actions against Modder, including taking him off the promotions list, separating him for cause, and initiating a board of inquiry. None of that has happened yet and, in the meantime, Modder sits alone unable to help his fellow sailors…

Modder and his lawyers at the Liberty Institute have Read more

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