Air Force CoS Says Don’t Proselytize
Via the Military Times:
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz sent a servicewide memo Sept. 1 cautioning leaders at all levels to balance the Constitution’s protection of religious freedom and the prohibition on government intrusion.
“We have seen instances where well-meaning commanders and senior noncommissioned officers appeared to advance a particular religious view among their subordinates, calling into question their impartiality and objectivity. We can learn from these instances,” said Lt. Col. Sam Highley, Schwartz’s spokesman.
The memo came about a month after the Air Force suspended an ethics course for new nuclear missile officers that contained biblical references, and announced a review of all ethics and character development training.
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Air Force leaders discovered Christian-based themes in the ethics course for nuclear officers after the watchdog group Military Religious Freedom Foundation obtained course materials through a Freedom of Information Act request. The organization handed over the documents tot ruth-out.org, which posted them on its website.
Read the full article (and the obnoxious comments) here.
I’m sure there will be some outrage from those who think there is always some kind of “war on [insert Christian practice here]”, especially with this coming from our military’s highest ranking Jew, but it is a valid point that ALL faiths should heed.
It’s hard to nitpick the issue when there aren’t any details on what exactly brought the policy about. However, nothing new has been banned via the memo. It is merely a reminder to commanders that they be mindful of their words when addressing their units as a whole. It is often the subtle differences in how these religious programs are presented that wind up putting people off, especially when it comes from someone of importance in your chain of command.
To be fair, you appear to be commenting on (and repeating) the news article, not the actual memorandum from the Chief of Staff. The memo itself never mentions “proselytizing” or attempts at conversion; rather, it seems more focused on “establishment” and “endorsement” concerns, which it does specifically mention.
You also said
That’s inaccurate. The Chief specifically said
As noted here, this is a significant change. DoD Directives (and the Chief’s own letter) put the responsibility for these programs on the shoulders of commanders. Under this direction, they cannot “notify Airmen” of programs for which they are ultimately responsible. This is a change, and it is not an insignificant one, particularly for commanders who do not have Chaplains who work for them.
The change in policy you quote from the memo comes right after this statement:
He is not trying to force commander to act like these programs don’t exist, just that it should be up to the chaplain (or his representatives on base) to promote such programs.
To me, this fortunately isn’t much of a change, as I’ve been mostly fortunate enough to serve under commanders that don’t push these programs on their troops.
The point I believe Gen Schwartz is trying to make is that there is a difference between a chaplain’s assistant or the unit lay leader speaking about a bible study session, and the CO encouraging it at evening formation. Just like there is a difference in the implications of the “voluntary” weekend picnic invitation when it comes from the CO or the “morale” NCO.