“If Not Now… When?”
Over the last three years, I have encountered numerous situations (at least a dozen) in which Soldiers have reported being denied their right to religious accommodation either through a lack of provision of information about Jewish services or a lack of support for transportion, etc.
While this is a most serious problem, just as serious is the system under whose watchful eye these Soldiers are living and working under seems to be more concerned with minimizing any/all allegations of the apparent lack of support. The Soldiers’ allegations are often dismissed with “contextual” stories about how they “often misundertand” the communication or the whole situation itself.
In every case I was privileged to be notified about, it was always made to seem like the Soldier in question was lying or embellishing in an effort to receive “special” treatment or attempting to “weenie” out of the Army altogether. As a result of these problems, two fine young men felt forced to decide to exit the Army because of their perceived lack of support. Another, who was medically discharged stated, while weeping, “I have never seen such insensitivity and cruelty toward soldiers.” This young man had been dubbed by those appointed over him with the nickname, “Terrorist.” By the way, he was a former Israeli Defense Force Soldier. What of the others? They endured.
Did you ever have a similar experience any time in your career (directly or indirectly) or have you heard of someone with a similar experience?
Please post your answer either here or at www.thejewishsoldier.com through the “contact us” button.
I am currently in the process of collecting such stories in an effort to bring to light that there is a problem that is far more widespread and not just isolated to my installation or to the past incidences at the Air Force Academy. I am also dialoguing with Air Force personnel to obtain a copy of their sensitivity training program to present to high level officials and propose Army-wide adoption.
I am appauled at the response that I get when I pose the question to a variety of persons, “If I used sexually explicit or suggestive language or if I used an ethnic slur, would I be wrong?” The answer, not surprisingly, is always an emphatic, “Yes, of course!” But, when I ask, “If I used a person’s religious preference as a tool to control them or used language that offended another’s religious philosophy, would I be wrong?” I am shocked at the response…it is never an immediate and committed, “Yes.”
Do we not include religion in our current and mandatory “Consideration of Others” training program? If we do, why are certain sects of the Army exempt, or so it seems, from using religion as a means to degrade and control peoples’ minds and actions? Yet, these same individuals would not dare to use sexual or ethnically slanted language for fear of reprisal. Are we as Jews really “overly sensitive and whiney” as others would have us to believe? Help me help others now in all branches of our armed forces: there is credibility in numbers…
“If I am not for myeself, then who will be? If I am only for myself, then what am I? If not now, when?” -Rabbi Hillel
Well, I do remember two particular incidents that happened to me (so far) while in the Air Force.
The first was in basic training. It didn’t involve discrimination or hostility, but a lack of knowledge by the Training Instructor (DI in Army lingo).
Basically, when the first opportunity came to attend services, no one know anything about Jewish services. If I had been less demanding in my desire to attend services, I would not have been able to go. As I did make a fuss about it, the TI did the necessary legwork to find out when and where Jewish services were held.
The second incident was during my first tour in South Korea. At the time, the only Jewish services in Korea were held at Yongsan Garrison. Since I was stationed at Osan, any holiday service would usually require the entire day to attend (two hour bus rides each way). When I asked my supervisor if I could attend Yom Kippur services, he stated that would have to take leave to attend. When pressed, he acknowledged that he had no problems letting personnel out to attend Easter or Christmas services, but that since Yom Kippur was not a ‘recognized’ service, that I would have to take leave.
Only after I had pushed the issue up the chain to the Chief Master Sergeant for our squadron organization did my supervisor suddenly reverse his decision. I guess he started to feel the heat from his superiors.
I’m completing my twentieth year in the Navy Reserve.
I recall the late summer of 1986, a few months after I reported to my first duty station, NTC Great Lakes, being called up to the “head shed” in our Legal Service Office. The CO, Captain Kahn, handed me a copy of the Admiral’s message directing that all Jewish personnel would receive time off to allow us to attend High Holiday services at the Jewish chapel in the back of the main base chapel.
I later found out that our chaplain, Rabbi Albie Slomovitz, had actually written the message for the Admiral’s signature. He knew from experience that it would take a message like that to get the boot camp company commanders (Navy D.I.s) to release their Jewish sailors from training for services.
I’m thankful that I never personally encountered any resistance, only encouragement, from my chain of command. I suspect that it’s different for officers, at least, and particularly when your chain of command knows that you’re actively participating in and supporting your chapel program (as Rabbi Slomovitz enthusiastically informed my CO later in my tour). I suspect that it didn’t hurt when I volunteered to take the duty watch over Xmas and Easter, either.