Tag Archives: Religion

Army to Get Second Buddhist Chaplain

According to the University of the West, a Buddhist-founded university near Los Angeles, US Army First Lieutenant Somya Malasri will soon be the Army’s second Buddhist Chaplain (behind Chaplain (Lt) Thomas Dyer).

The Navy also has a Buddhist Chaplain; Chaplain Shin is currently deployed to Afghanistan and has been hosting Buddhist services there.

Shin also reported, courtesy of Chaplain Dyer, the Chaplain candidacy of the next Buddhist Chaplain for the US Army, 2LT Christopher Mohr.

Latest Mojave Cross Mysteries

Update:  The recently erected cross at the Mojave site has been removed, according to local sites.

Just a week after it was stolen, and a few days after a huge reward was offered, the World War I memorial in the Mojave National Preserve in southern California may have been returned…maybe.

The caretakers for the site had already built a replacement, but had said they wouldn’t erect it without permission from the government, because to do so would have made them as bad as those who stole it:  Read more

Mojave Memorial Reward Increased

Thanks to an anonymous donor, the reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for stealing the World War I memorial in the Mojave desert is now $125,000.  The cross memorial was cut from its foundation, and an unverified letter provided to a local paper claimed responsibility.

Thus far, the thief has found no quarter even among those who agree with his perspective, if not his actions.  It will be interesting to see if the person who claims to act with honorable intent continues to do so.

Troops Say Public Prayers on Baghdad Hilltop

The US military Chaplaincy staff at Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq, started a “Mountaintop Experience” to help local Americans “strengthen their resiliency.”  A significant group of servicemembers and civilians meets atop Signal Hill at 0500, overlooking the base, and prays together.

Col. Mike Lembke, the Chaplain, and Sgt Michael Lee, the Chaplain’s assistant, said:

“Spiritual resiliency is the individual ability to exercise your faith on a daily basis so you are able to understand, or you are able integrate the joys and sorrows of each day into your life,” Lembke said…

When a person has a solid, spiritual foundation, they understand that someone has everything under control and they can lean on that during the tough times instead of relying on themselves to make through, Lee said.

The group is made up of many from the base, including, as shown in the picture Read more

Alabama Guard Shows Need for Chaplains

The Alabama National Guard is a prime example of the shortage of military Chaplains (though the Air Force is currently reducing its Chaplaincy ranks).  With 5 Chaplains deployed, the 11,000 member state guard has 12 available Chaplains, or 1 Chaplain for every 900 troops.  It has no Roman Catholic priests or Jewish Rabbis.  A local newspaper article has a good discussion on how Chaplains can deal with the shortage of faith-specific leaders, and it demonstrates the pluralistic support of the military:  Read more

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