Tag Archives: religious freedom

Complaint Filed over LGBT Flag on US Air Force Base

Brian Kolfage, a triple-amputee due to wounds received in Iraq, writes at The Blaze that he was shocked to see a homosexual ‘rainbow American flag’ adorning a home on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base two weeks ago:

It was an American flag with rainbow stripes instead of the standard red and white stripes flying high on a two story house…on government property…

Everyone is free to express their sexual preferences in the Military in any way they want, but this flag flying on a military base is in violation of Title 4 of the U.S. Code…

The moment the flag took on the union stars is where it becomes a violation, with my understanding of the U.S. Code.

Kolfage says he received the following reply Read more

Summary of SecDef’s Career Starts with Homosexuality

Karen Parrish of the DoD News wrote a fairly lengthy article summarizing the highlights of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s career. It’s the kind of article one expects to read at someone’s retirement, though Hagel won’t technically leave office until his successor is appointed.

Notably, a nearly 2,000-word summary of Secretary Hagel’s tenure — which spans significant developments in the DoD budget, wars, and more — begins with homosexuality:

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel led the Defense Department through fundamental changes during his tenure of almost two years.

Since being sworn in on Feb. 27, 2013, Hagel shepherded internal reforms and defended against new and rapidly evolving external threats. He welcomed same-sex couples into the ranks Read more

Military Times Covers Air Force Refuting Mikey Weinstein

On Friday it was noted here that no media outlet had covered the Air Force response to Michael “Mikey” Weinstein’s complaint about an article on a Christian Airman. On Sunday, Stephen Losey of the Air Force Times finally picked up the story (which led on their website), writing that the Air Force had found nothing wrong with the article and let it stand:aftimesgallo

AFRC spokesman Philip Rhodes said the review was finished earlier [last] week, and the release will not be taken down. “We vetted the question about the story through Air Force legal and chaplain corps, and all agreed that the story is appropriate as it is displayed,” Rhodes said.

This statement, which was apparently Read more

Commanding General Installs New “Iron Shepherd”

Gen Stephen Twitty, commanding General of the US Army’s 1st Armored Division, recently participated in a ceremony marking the “passing of the stole” from one Chaplain to another:

The 1st Armored Division sent off Lt. Col. Karen L. Meeker, outgoing 1st Armored Division chaplain and welcomed Lt. Col. Thomas S. Helms III as the new 1st AD chaplain during the Division’s Passing of the Stole ceremony here…

Helms assumed the spiritual leadership and pastoral care for the entire division when Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Twitty, 1st AD and Fort Bliss commanding general, removed the division stole from Meeker and placed it on Helms shoulders.

The 1AD is known as “Old Ironsides,” so its chaplain is the “Iron Shepherd.”

Chaplain Helms looked to Read more

Mikey Weinstein Loses in Attack on Military Christians

Last week, Michael “Mikey” Weinstein accused the US Air Force Reserve Command of violating the US Constitution by publishing a public affairs release about an Airman’s medical missions trip over Christmas — because it talked about the Airman’s faith in Jesus Christ. In response, the Air Force put a disclaimer on the article and assured Weinstein his complaint would be looked into.

The disclaimer has now been removed, and the article has appeared on more than one Air Force news site.

In other words, Weinstein “lost.” The Air Force (apparently) disagreed with his claim that the article “emboldens our Islamic enemies” or is a “textbook violation” of regulations.

There was no Air Force press release, no Read more

Military Should Distro Mikey Weinstein “Lessons Learned”

The miniature scandal involving Michael “Mikey” Weinstein complaining about a human interest story of an Airman’s missionary trip revealed an important insight to how Weinstein’s money-making attacks on US military Christians work. With emphasis added:

The command began reviewing the article on Jan. 27 after the watchdog group Military Religious Freedom Foundation demanded it be taken down. MRFF founder and president Mikey Weinstein, in an email to 433rd AW Vice Commander Col. Aaron Vangelisiti, called the article a “shameless and incredibly prominent and public promotion” of religion on official Air Force websites…

Over the course of emails back and forth, Vangelisiti assured Weinstein that his concerns were pushed up the chain to Command headquarters…

Weinstein said Vangelisiti said a formal response was being readied on Thursday and would be released Friday after being approved by the wing commander, Col. William W. Whittenberger Jr.

Perhaps more so than the other branches, the US Air Force Read more

Kamikaze Turned Priest Briefs US Marines

Paul Saneaki Nakamura is a retired Anglican Bishop. He’s also a veteran of Japan’s Imperial Navy, in which he trained to be a kamikaze in the closing days of World War II. Nakamura recently spoke to US Marines on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, about his experiences — both physical and spiritual:

The 87-year-old retired Anglican bishop grew up on Okinawa as militarism swept across Japan. Like many others, he became an ultra-nationalist who firmly believed in selfless devotion to his country. He worshipped the emperor as god; offering his life to the emperor was the ultimate virtue….

He survived Read more

Air Force “Reviews” Article after Mikey Weinstein Complains

Air Force Reserve Command is reviewing a public affairs news release after Michael “Mikey” Weinstein called it

a “shameless and incredibly prominent and public promotion” of religion…

The article is not unlike many that the Air Force produces highlighting the humanitarian or other off-duty activities of its Airmen. In this case, the story is about SMSgt Larry Gallo and his family, who dedicate their Christmas each year to providing “medical and spiritual aid” in other countries:

“Seven years ago my family and I started giving up our commercial Christmases to do something different, since then, we never looked back,” Gallo said. “These trips allow everyone to slow down and realize that some of the stress we put on ourselves is uncalled for once we put things in perspective.

“We have so much in the United States, and we are blessed as a nation. There is no guilt in being blessed. The guilt comes when we complain and grumble and take for granted the things we do have and not use those blessings to help others who are burdened.”

Read more

1 … 131 132 133 134 135 … 286