Tag Archives: norton schwartz

Air Force Talks Cancelling A-10. Again.

As noted previously, the US Air Force has proposed cutting a large number of A-10s from the inventory in response to the reduced Department of Defense budget.

An article at AOL Defense notes this isn’t the first time this has been proposed, and the author starts to rattle off the reasons people think the A-10 Thunderbolt II (better known as Warthog) is so great:

Two things make the A-10 especially fine at CAS: its amazing 30mm cannon which can destroy a tank with ease; and the Read more

Christian Biography Featured on Air Force Reading List

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norton Schwartz, recently published his 2012 reading list, part of the CSAF Professional Reading Program.

In the first quarter, one of the featured books is the biography of a Christian, Unbroken.

As noted in a separate review (here), Unbroken is the biography of Louis Zamperini, a World War II B-24 bombardier who also wrote an autobiography entitled Devil at My Heels (reviewed here). Unbroken focused on “survival and resilience,” leaving the “redemption” part of its subtitle to just the last few pages.  Redemption, of course, came in the form of Zamperini accepting Christ at a Billy Graham crusade in 1949, his Read more

The US Military and Christmas Around the World

A few examples of the US military’s commitment to supporting its servicemembers through their religious celebrations:

At Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, a Christmas Eve candlelight service was the “culminating event over the month of celebration.”

US Army Chief of Chaplains MajGen Donald Rutherford presided over a Christmas Eve Catholic Mass at Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force General Norton Schwartz Read more

Leaders Send Messages of a Very Merry Military Christmas

Military leaders from all branches have begun distributing their traditional Christmas (or holiday) greetings:

  • A Department of Navy Chaplains video message presented a “happy holidays to you and your family.”
  • The Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West said “With the traditional festivities of December upon us, I want to wish you all the happiest possible holidays…”
  • The Chief of Staff of the Air Force Norton Schwartz and his wife wished “you and yours a joyous holiday season and a very happy new year.”
  • The Chief of Staff of the Army General Ray Odierno and his wife expressed “from our families to yours, happy holidays.”
  • The Commandant of the Marine Corps General James Amos and his wife presented a greeting titled, clearly enough, “A Christmas Message:” “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Semper Fidelis.”
  • Updated: The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey started his message singing a line from Christmas in Killarney.
  • The Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert wins the Christmas turkey. His message started with “Happy Holidays shipmates” but ended with him and his wife actually singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

Did USAFA Cancel Operation Christmas Child?

A few news sites reported last week on the US Air Force Academy’s participation in — and then reconsideration of its participation in — Operation Christmas Child, in which shoeboxes with basic sundries and gifts are given to needy children around the world by Samaritan’s Purse.

The situation is fairly complex, as evidenced by the fact a few news organizations had to edit and reissue their news articles to correct misunderstandings about what really occurred.

Undisputed public statements indicate cadets at the US Air Force Academy came up with the idea to participate in Operation Christmas Child.  They made an announcement in Mitchell Hall (the wing dining facility, with all cadets present) and subsequently sent out a wing-wide email explaining who to contact to participate.

A cadet who “didn’t think much about it at first” later forwarded the email to Michael Weinstein calling it part of the “religious problem” proving the US military “support[s] one religion, which is of course Christianity.”  (Weinstein published the email, complete with the names and personal information of the cadets involved, though he redacted his supporter’s information.)  Less than 24 hours later, Weinstein was in the local news

accus[ing] commanders of crossing the line by Read more

USAFA Follows Rules. Michael Weinstein Complains. News at 11.

As predictable as the sun rising in the East, the US Air Force Academy sent out an announcement that had a topic related to religion, and Michael Weinstein complained.

In fact, he’s “livid.”

The situation:  Apparently, Air Force Academy Chaplain (Col) Robert Bruno distributed a mass email about an upcoming ‘marriage and family seminar.’  The email was approved by the Vice Superintendent, and represented the “regularly” advertised chaplaincy programs occurring daily at USAFA.  Michael Weinstein said:

It could not possibly be clearer that the academy deserves its terrible reputation for fundamentalist Christian bias.

To be clear, even the publicized article notes the USAFA email explicitly followed (and even referenced) the Air Force Chief of Staff’s Read more

USAFA to Weinstein: It’s What We Call the Chain of Command

The Commandant of Cadets at the US Air Force Academy, BrigGen Richard Clark, reportedly distributed a memorandum to all USAFA cadets on Wednesday.  He included the memorandum from the Air Force Chief of Staff, General Norton Schwartz, as an attachment.

As predicted, Michael Weinstein claimed victory.

Of course, Weinstein is claiming “victory” about something over which he had neither control nor influence.  In fact, his demands were completely ignored.  To wit, Weinstein said:

MRFF has twice demanded that Gould so [sic] distribute this directive…to all Academy personnel, staff, cadets and government contractors…

For the record, an assessment:  Read more

Gazette on Weinstein: Miffed USAFA Critic Buys Billboard

The Colorado Springs Gazette, local to the US Air Force Academy, noted that religious freedom critic Michael Weinstein apparently bought a billboard ad to publish Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz’s memorandum on religious neutrality, which Chris Rodda says USAFA is “withholding.”

Air Force Academy critic Mikey Weinstein, miffed that a four-star’s memo on religious respect wasn’t e-mailed to cadets at the Air Force Academy, published the 200-word memo himself Tuesday on a Colorado Springs billboard.

Weinstein is apparently relegated to billboards because USAFA won’t answer his voluminous emails or return his phone calls.  Publicly, he claims he billboarded the memo because General Gould wouldn’t give in to his demands:  Read more

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