Tag Archives: Topic: Military

FRC: “The entire process by which the Obama administration has orchestrated repeal of this law was dishonest from the start. The recent revelation of a Defense Department Inspector General’s report on unauthorized leaks to the media showed that the conclusions of the Pentagon’s report on repeal had already been written before the troops were even asked their views.

The Miami Herald carries the link.

Washington Times: China’s military is developing electromagnetic pulse weapons that Beijing plans to use against U.S. aircraft carriers in any future conflict over Taiwan, according to an intelligence report made public on Thursday.

“Pentagon chief Leon Panetta has decided to end the ban on gays serving openly in the armed services and certify that repealing the 17-year-old prohibition will not hurt the military’s ability to fight, officials said Thursday.”

Religion Clause Blog: The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has now filed its answer (full text) to the complaint in a widely publicized case that charged the Houston (TX) National Cemetery with censoring veterans’ committal service rites to eliminate the mention of God. | Rainey v. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, (SD TX, answer filed 7/15/2011)

Daniel Blomberg at the Speak Up Movement Church Blog: The President is using one time-honored preserver of our country—the military—to attack another—marriage. Defenders of marriage, though, should not be surprised. Marriage is so foundational an institution that it is related to most facets of life. Thus, for instance, defending marriage also means defending religious liberty. Now, due to the creativity of marriage’s attackers, it means defending the military itself.

NY Times: With the military’s ban on openly gay troops expected to end this fall, advocates for gay and lesbian service members are already looking ahead to the next battle: winning equal benefits for same-sex married couples.

The Ninth Circuit Court on Friday evening put back into effect temporarily the U.S. military’s ban on gays and lesbians from serving openly in the services, but also barred any investigations, penalties or discharges of anyone to carry out that policy.

The “emergency” request for a stay, filed late Thursday, asks that in the case Log Cabin Republicans v. United States the 9th Circuit once again suspend the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) . . .

The Local: Muslim leaders have slammed the lack of an Islamic spiritual counsellor in the German armed forces in spite of the fact that an estimated 1,200 Muslims serve in the Bundeswehr.

Religion Clause: On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a number of amendments to the 2012 Defense Appropriations Bill. The Daily Caller reports on one amendment, which passed 236-84, introduced by Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, that bars same-sex marriages being performed on military bases

Houston Chronicle: A federal appeals court has issued an order asking the U.S. government to state whether it will defend the constitutionality of the military’s 17-year ban on openly gay troops

OneNewsNow.com (7/9): Daniel Blomberg is the litigation staff counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund. “…This decision…effectively stops the law from being in effect nationwide, worldwide,” says Blomberg. “So during a time of international conflict, our military is being forced by the judicial system — and unfortunately by the Obama administration’s Justice Department — to implement a change rapidly [that] they’re not prepared to implement. It’s a very disturbing development for our military.” [more]

Marine Corps Times: The Pentagon has ordered a halt to all separations of gay troops under “don’t ask, don’t tell” and will begin accepting applications from prospective recruits who identify themselves as homosexuals.

FRC : Family Research Council (FRC) praised the U.S. House of Representatives today for overwhelmingly approving U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx’s (R-NC) amendment to the 2012 defense appropriations bill that would prohibit using Pentagon funds in contradiction of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman for all federal purposes.

A landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for the first time explicitly recognizing the right to conscientious objection to military service . . .

OneNewsNow.com: conservative military watchdog is throwing its support behind a House bill that will ensure defense tax dollars aren’t used to implement policy changes that violate the Defense of Marriage Act.

A U.S. appeals court in California on Wednesday ordered the Obama administration to allow gays to serve openly in the military, heightening pressure on the Pentagon to quickly carry out its plans to end the 1993 don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy.

AP: President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he’s decided to reverse a long-standing policy of not sending condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide while in a combat zone.

Her appointment to the West Point board, announced Tuesday, does not require Senate confirmation.

God and Country Blog: The Department of Defense Inspector General recently issued a report of its investigation into the improper “leak” last fall of the DoD survey on the policy most often known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” (Ironically, the publicized IG report — available on a public website — is also annotated “For Official Use Only,” as was the leaked survey.)

San Francisco Chronicle: Three members of the Air Force have asked to be discharged because they are gay, moving quickly to get out of the military under the ban on openly gay service before its expected repeal later this year.

The American Legion: On June 28, Liberty Institute in Dallas filed court papers alleging that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the director of the Houston National Cemetery, Arleen Ocasio, are engaging in “religious viewpoint discrimination” in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The American Legion will support the case as an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) as soon as possible.

The Guardian: Barack Obama is set to reject the advice of the Pentagon by announcing on Wednesday night the withdrawal of up to 30,000 troops from Afghanistan by November next year, in time for the US presidential election.

LifeNews.com: Taxpayers should be on the hook for abortions done on women and unborn children at military base hospitals, according to new legislation several Senate Democrats filed in order to advance an agenda item they’ve pushed in the past.

AP: House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday rejected President Barack Obama’s contention that U.S. forces face no hostilities in Libya, saying the argument doesn’t “pass the straight face test.”

NYTimes.com: The two senior administration lawyers contended that American forces have not been in “hostilities” at least since April 7, when NATO took over leadership in maintaining a no-flight zone in Libya, and the United States took up what is mainly a supporting role — providing surveillance and refueling for allied warplanes — although unmanned drones operated by the United States periodically fire missiles as well.

TheHill.com: A bipartisan group of House lawmakers sued the Obama administration on Wednesday over its use of U.S. military forces in Libya.

ADF attorney Gary McCaleb at the Speak Up Movement Church Blog: The good Captain claimed that the reasoned opposition of dozens of veteran chaplains and the “endorsing agencies” (which provide the majority of chaplain candidates to the military) was no more than a desperate “SOS” raised by “bigots” who are being cast onto the scrap heap of history. But the Captain’s arguments scarcely left port when a Christian fighter pilot loosed a few saintly salvos with devastating results . . .

ADF-allied attorney secures right of church ministering to military families to meet on its rented property

Reuters on TrustLaw: Contrary to popular belief women who go to war respond to combat trauma much like their male counterparts,” said Dawne Vogt, of the Veterans Administration National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the lead author of the study . . . She added that the findings, published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, ran contrary to popular belief and previous research.

FoxNews.com: Two Democratic lawmakers are calling on Congress to pass legislation that would make it legal for federal funds to be used to pay for abortions for service women who are victims of rape or incest or whose lives would be endangered by a pregnancy.

Sir, we joined the Marine Corps because the Marine Corps has a set of standards and values that is better than that of the civilian sector. And we have gone and changed those values and repealed the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy . . .

Religion Clause: Huffington Post yesterday reported that the U.S. military has appointed its first Hindu chaplain and has developed a new badge for Hindu chaplains. It features the symbol “Om.”

AP: “So far this seems to be a non-event,” Gen. Peter Chiarelli, vice chief of staff for the Army, told reporters recently. But, he warned, “This is not going to happen without incident – I’d be crazy to say that. Somewhere along the line something is going to occur. But we’re doing everything we can to head that off in training.”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks on the radio. | The Hugh Hewitt Show, MP3 audio 5:53 mins | The Janet Mefferd Show, MP3 audio 15:09 mins

AP: The Air Force has discharged an airman under the law banning gays from serving openly in the military, the first firing since President Barack Obama signed legislation aimed at ending the ban.

God and Country » :
Homosexual advocacy websites have picked up on a rebuttal to the ADF statement by retired US Navy Chaplain (CAPT) John F. Gundlach, a member of a self-designated group of Chaplains working for repeal, calling themselves the Forum on the Military Chaplaincy . . . Gundlach does not explain from what source he derives a religious right to perform “homosexual weddings,” nor does he assert his denomination is morally or religiously obligated to support such a lifestyle choice . . . In perhaps the most shocking statement from the retired Navy Chaplain — whose role in the military was to protect religious freedom for all service members — is his explicit statement that Christians with traditional religious beliefs are bigots . . .

Religion Dispatches: ADF legal counsel Daniel Blomberg has said that “service members should not be denied the very constitutional liberties they volunteered to defend,” completely disregarding the fact that many gay and lesbian soldiers who profess a faith, Christian or otherwise, should also have their religious liberty protected—which means not having to bear being insulted or demonized by anyone in the military, chaplain or otherwise.

ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg appeared on the Morning Show with Bill and Joel WDUN (North Carolina) to discuss the battle. | MP3 audio 9:21 mins

Advocate.com: Last week, an attorney with the conservative legal group Alliance Defense Fund threatened legal action if Congress does not expressly prohibit same-sex weddings at military chapels or other Defense Department facilities . . . But Capt. John F. Gundlach, a retired Navy chaplain and member of the Forum on the Military Chaplaincy, wrote in a Monday commentary that ADF’s pleas are the result of antigay bigotry, not concern for religious liberty . . .

One News Now: Austin Nimmocks, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, adds that lawsuits may be needed to protect conscience rights if the Senate deletes the House amendments from the annual defense bill.

Christian Examiner: Attorneys for the Alliance Defense Fund proposed adding religious liberty protections but the law designed to dismantle the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy did not add any such protections. ADF has provided free legal support to many concerned chaplains and service members. “Service members should not be denied the very constitutional liberties they volunteered to defend,” said ADF legal counsel Daniel Blomberg. ”The alarm has been sounded time and time again in this process by those with the utmost credibility. The question is: Will our military leaders and elected officials listen?”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on Talkback with Chuck Wilder. | MP3 audio 18:32 mins

Advocate.com: Austin Nimocks, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, said at a Thursday press conference in Washington, D.C. that he has “no doubt that legal action will be required,” should the Senate not include the same antigay language.

Ed O’Keefe at theWashington Post: But Austin Nimocks, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, said his conservative legal organization would sue to ensure that federal law — instead of the Pentagon personnel policy — protects chaplains. “If the Senate does not follow the House and protect chaplains and service members, we have no doubt that legal action will be required,” Nimocks said at a news conference Thursday on Capitol Hill.

Washington Post: But Austin Nimocks, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, said his conservative legal organization would sue all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary to ensure that federal law — instead of the Pentagon personnel policy — represents the group’s position. “If the Senate does not follow the House and protect chaplains and service members, we have no doubt that legal action will be required,” Nimocks said Thursday at a news conference on Capitol Hill.

ADF attorney Gary McCaleb at the Speak Up Movement Church Blog: But from that horror emerged the remarkable story of four Army chaplains who acted with uncommon valor—steadying the panicked troops, guiding them to safety, urging calm amidst the chaos. As the ship pitched in its death throes, the four handed their own life jackets to troopers who had none, and with that final act of grace they surrendered their lives for the sake of others.

Washington Post: Though rape is a problem of deep concern to the U.S. military, its health plan doesn’t cover abortions for victims who become pregnant — a policy that indignant critics are now pushing to change. The campaigners include members …

Stars and Stripes: Conservatives also included language requiring new rules for finalizing the looming “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal and prohibiting same-sex marriages at military facilities. Neither provision is expected to be supported by the Senate, but both drew criticism …

Washington Times: The House is set to pass legislation that could limit or delay the repeal of the ban on openly gay men and women serving in the military.

ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg appeared on Point of View Radio to discuss | MP3 audio 35:23 mins | Daniel’s photo is on the Point of View home page.

One News Now: Daniel Blomberg, litigation counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), says they want to preserve the constitutional status quo. “This issue is about making sure that no American, and especially those serving in our armed forces, are forced to deny or [are] marginalized for affirming their religious beliefs,” Blomberg explains. “And it’s certainly not right for those individuals to find themselves lacking the very liberties they’re protecting for the rest of us.”

Stars and Stripes: Officials from OutServe, an association of more than 3,000 gay active-duty troops and veterans, on Wednesday announced plans for their Armed Forces Leadership Summit this October, to be held in Las Vegas.

Family Research Council (FRC): News conference to discuss amendments to the Defense Authorization Act that will protect religious freedom in the military while reinforcing federal law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Speakers will also encourage support for an amendment to strengthen the voice of military service chiefs as the historic prohibition of homosexuality in the Armed Forces is repealed.

Christian Post: In the letter, prepared with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund, the agencies ask that the branch chaplains lobby with them and that Congressional allies establish protections similar to those offered to medical professionals, for members of the chaplain core. “We strongly encourage the adoption of broad, clear, and strong protections for conscience,” the letter states. “Service members should know that chaplains’ ministry and their own rights of conscience remain protected everywhere military necessity has placed them.”

Charisma: “Service members should not be denied the very constitutional liberties they volunteered to defend,” Daniel Blomberg, legal counsel for the ADF, said. “If this government truly cares about protecting religious liberties as it says it does, why has it been afraid to put it in writing?” “We strongly encourage the adoption of broad, clear, and strong protections for conscience,” the letter states. “Service members should know that chaplains’ ministry and their own rights of conscience remain protected everywhere military necessity has placed them.”

AP on Taiwan News: The joint letter was sent Monday to the chaplain chiefs of the Navy, Army, and Air Force. The Alliance Defense Fund _ a Christian legal defense group in Scottsdale, Arizona _ provided a copy of the letter to The Associated Press. | This report also appears on Forbes, Press Enterprise and other outlets

Baptist Press: The North American Mission Board’s head of chaplaincy ministry is one of 21 denominational chaplain-endorsing officials to sign a May 23 letter to the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs of chaplains voicing concerns over recent policy changes involving homosexuals in the military.

Family News in Focus Audio (5:25 mins, broadcast on 5/24/2011) covers several ADF related stories. ADF attorney Daniel Blomberg discusses the threat to chaplains in the military from the repeal of DADT (related ADF press release). ADF attorney Dale Schowengerdt discusses this: ADF: All students deserve to be protected from bullying. And, ADF attorney Nate Kellum discusses this: ADF tackles SUNY policies stifling free speech at Albany campus.

Dakota Voice: Alliance Defense Fund attorneys helped draft and propose religious liberty protections for the Pentagon’s working group on the matter, but the law designed to dismantle the so-called “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy still lacks any such protections. ADF has provided free legal support to many concerned chaplains and service members.

Official providers of chaplains to U.S. military voice strong concerns over long-neglected conscience protections if DADT is torn down

Archibishop Timothy P. Broglio has issued this statement in connection with the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” legislation.

The Army has reprimanded three colonels who performed a skit that mocked homosexuals and parodied new rules meant to protect gays in the military, a top Army official told Army Times.

Religion Clause Blog: “However there is no monument to the 13 Jewish chaplains who have died on active duty since World War I. CNN reported earlier this month on the efforts of Jewish groups to obtain Congressional authorization for a monument to them.”

CBS: Hunter, a Marine Corps veteran, released a statement Tuesday saying that the Navy’s decision to name the ship after Chavez “goes right along with other recent decisions by the Navy that appear to be more about making a political statement than upholding the Navy’s history and tradition.”

Stars and Stripes: None of the items can go into law until the full House and the Senate approve them, and the authorization bill isn’t typically finalized before late September. Defense Department officials have hinted they’ll certify the repeal before then, effectively nullifying the effort to keep “don’t ask, don’t tell” alive.

AP on Yahoo: A House panel approved a defense bill early Thursday that would delay President Barack Obama’s new policy allowing gays to serve openly in the military and limit the commander in chief’s authority on slashing the nation’s nuclear arsenal.

Under pressure from more than five dozen House lawmakers, the Navy late Tuesday abruptly reversed its decision that would have allowed chaplains to perform same-sex unions if the Pentagon decides to recognize openly gay military service later this year.

Navy Times: Once the military’s ban on gays serving openly is lifted, Navy chaplains will be permitted to officiate at same-sex marriage and civil union ceremonies on base, according to an April 13 memorandum from the Navy’s head chaplain. | Hat tip: Religion Clause Blog

CNSNews: Anticipating the elimination of the military ban on homosexuality, the Office of the Chief of Navy Chaplains has decided that same-sex couples in the Navy will be able to get married in Navy chapels, and that Navy chaplains will be allowed to perform the ceremonies — if homosexual marriage is legal in the state where the unions are to be performed.

“Navy chaplains would be allowed to perform same-sex civil marriage ceremonies under new training guidance that would take effect if the Defense Department moves this summer to recognize openly gay military service.”

FRC Washington Update: wo weeks ago, the Office of Navy Chaplains shocked everyone by ordering their corps to toss the old training materials and replace them with a version that’s more accepting of same-sex “marriage.” Citing “additional legal review,” the Navy says it “has concluded that… if the base is located in a state where same-sex marriage is legal, then the base facilities may be used to celebrate the marriage…

Boston Globe: The Vermont Law School is lifting its 25-year-old ban on military recruiters on campus because the military is ending its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about gays and lesbians serving in the military.

Forum 18: The arrival at the Seydi Labour Camp in eastern Turkmenistan of Dovran Matyakubov, a Jehovah’s Witness conscientious objector, brought to ten the number of religious prisoners of conscience held in this camp, Forum 18 News Service notes. Nine are conscientious objectors. Matyakubov received an 18-month prison term in January for refusing compulsory military service.