Academy News
A mix of news about the service academies:
Auschwitz Tour – Twelve cadets & midshipmen took a 2-week tour of Holocaust sites in Poland that included a trip to the Auschwitz death camp. The program is geared towards military officers and relates the tour to military ethics.- This past summer, the Naval Academy had its very first Jewish baccalaureate ceremony in the new Uriah P. Levy Jewish chapel. Captain Paul Becker gave a very inspirational speech at the ceremony relating Jewish principles to good officership. You can also catch some photos of the event here.
- Midshipmen Visit the Holy Land – A trip led by Rabbi Elson had the midshipmen visiting the Israeli Naval Academy, touring Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Jaffa, swimming in the Dead Sea, and sleeping in a Bedouin tent.
Back to the Air Force Academy dilemma:
- Jewish Groups Offer Recommendations on Religion to U.S. Air Force – Leading national Jewish organizations have joined in submitting a series of recommendations to the U.S. Air Force to assist in implementing a training program for Air Force personnel pursuant to the recently issued Guidelines on the Free Exercise of Religion in the military.
- Several groups publicly and privately voice their opposition to the guidelines, saying that it closes some gaps, but opens up some others. The most outspoken voice on the matter, Mikey Weinstein, presents a thorough explanation of everything here.
- Mr. Weinstein has founded an organization, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, “dedicated to ensuring that all members of the U.S. Armed Forces fully receive the Constitutional guarantees of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled.” The organization has quite a roster of names on its advisory board.