US Navy Chief of Chaplains Chaplain (RAdm) Margaret Kibben was one of a host of national and religious leaders who helped christen Washington DC’s newest museum: The Museum of the Bible.
“Hallow this moment, open this door to reveal how active and alive your word has been through the centuries,” Adm. Margaret Kibben, chief of the U.S. Navy chaplains, prayed Read more
A fascinating story at the Boston Globe recalls the steps taken to ensure the religious freedom of deployed US Sailors — in 1956:
Elihu Schimmel…was responsible for the medical care of men on dozens of ships. Often he had to be transported — by helicopter, by launch, by seaplane — from the Lindenwald to another vessel to see a patient.
But with Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) just around the corner, Schimmel was wondering whether a few men could be moved in the other direction. Specifically, a few Jewish men: enough to assemble a minyan, a quorum of 10, so that services could be held on the most sacred days of the Jewish year.
Schimmel figured he had nothing to lose by asking — and both Read more
Mitchell Flint, a World War II US fighter pilot who was one of the founding members of the Israeli Air Force, recently passed away. Flint was 94.
Flint was one of the founding members of “Machal,” a group of non-Israelis who fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. He was one of the original members of the Israeli Air Force’s first fighter squadron and Read more
A US Navy pilot ejected from this F-5N Tiger II off the coast of Key West. He was pulled from the water by Coast Guard helicopter about an hour later.
If you’re wondering what a Navy F-5 is, you’re not alone. For most Read more
Stars and Stripes reports that US Navy Cmdr Steven Everhart was removed in July from his command of the submarine USS Pennsylvania. The reason? Everhart was fired for who he loved.
The investigation, which began in early June, supported charging him with violating Uniform Code of Military Justice Articles 133 and 134, conduct unbecoming an officer and adultery, respectively, he said.
That the charges do not include false official statements, fraternization, or other internal military issues seems to indicate this was a non-official matter.
As even Michael “Mikey” Weinstein has noted, the US military Read more
Richard Spencer — who was endorsed by 10 former SecNavs that did not include Ray Mabus — was just sworn in as the newest Secretary of the Navy. His “opening statement” was published here.
President Trump now has a SecAF and SecNav — and is still Read more
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division celebrated LGBT “pride” last month, with its commanding officer saying they should all make a point to know more about each other — presumably, given the context, referring to each other’s sexual practices. US Navy CAPT Godfrey “Gus” Weekes said:
LGBT Pride Month affirms our commitment to increase awareness, mutual respect, and understanding of all members of our workforce. Let’s take the theme ‘Ask, Share and Learn’ to heart and embrace knowing more about our colleagues and celebrating our collective diversity…
When you hear about events like these, Read more
Former Navy Secretary Ray Mabus published a commentary at Time.com railing against President Trump’s decision to ban transgenders from military service. The opinion piece was riddled with passionate but unsupported accusations — and, somewhat surprisingly, a seemingly ignorant perspective of the US military and the world, given his former tenure as the leader of the US Navy. Said Mabus [emphasis added]:
By barring transgender[s]…Donald Trump told thousands of serving trans patriots they are not worthy of defending the country they love…
Contrary to his appeals to emotion, “barring” from service says nothing about anyone’s Read more