USAF Fighter Pilot Speaks – “Political Suicide in the Military”
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Mr. Weinstein and MRFF, first and foremost, I want to sincerely thank you for fighting so hard for so many who are simply not able to voice their objections, without facing career-ending direct and indirect reprisal, to unconstitutional religious violations in the United States military. This is not a complaint about abuses I’ve faced throughout my career as a fighter pilot in the Air Force. I’ve had a great career with many amazing memories and friendships. However, there is one thing that has always been a worrisome frustration, year after year, for a non-religious officer raised in the Catholic faith, like myself. Proselytizing at public and official military events is accepted and sometimes even encouraged.
In the military, it’s well known that a Christian majority dominates the ranks, especially in the fighter world. That’s to be expected in an organization that was founded to drive forth US interests in the name of American Exceptionalism. When Europeans arrived to the “New” World, they believed that they were on a sanctified mission to bring, impose upon, and transform the untamed lands with Christianity. As Christians, they felt themselves to be exceptional, and it was their duty to enlighten others to this preeminent human status. This missionary branch of exceptionalism didn’t stop with the eastern seaboard of America. God’s hand was a driving force in America’s expansion westward as Manifest Destiny arose in the 17th century. Massachusetts Congressman Francis Bylies expressed the idea of manifest in 1823:
“To diffuse the arts of life, the light of science, and the blessings of the Gospel over a wilderness, is no violation of the laws of God; it is no invasion of the rights of man to occupy a territory over which the savage roams, but which he never cultivates.… The stream of bounty which perpetually flows from the throne of the Almighty ought not to be obstructed in its course.”
Thank goodness people don’t still think this way! Or do they? The idea of American Exceptionalism is more popular than ever. Every political speech in America ends with, “God bless the United States of America!” Patriots resonate, “God bless the troops!” Political leaders are disparaged if they speak with reason about America’s place in the international community. Recently, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized the president for working with other international powers to solve the crisis in Libya. He said,
“The United States doesn’t need anybody’s permission . We don’t need to have NATO, who frankly, won’t bring much to the fight. We don’t need to have the United Nations.” Of course we don’t. Not if the divine hand of God drives us! It is dangerous to have this missionary mindset of American Exceptionalism in the leadership of government, and even more so in our military.
When I took my oath of office, I swore to defend the US constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. One can reasonably argue that parts of this constitution were founded on Christian principles. However, it was designed so that the people were subordinate to the principles, and not the religion itself. The First Amendment ensures that no law is made establishing or prohibiting the free exercise of a religion. In an organization where strategic decisions are made everyday, involving large-scale lethal force, the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment must outweigh the Free Exercise Clause.
In nearly a decade of service to the military, I have witnessed religion, specifically Christianity, take its place in the agenda of official events. I have had to stand uncomfortably at change of command ceremonies, graduations, and official dinners to listen to the Chaplain preach about Jesus and quote from the New Testament. For three months in Afghanistan, I watched AFN T.V. while I ate my food during all the meals. On an adjacent big screen was a slide show of bible study advertisements, including pictures of the New Testament and the words “Answers Inside” pointing towards the book. In mandatory commander briefs in Afghanistan, I sat through over 25 sessions of “Words from the Chaplain” where I was told how turning to Jesus and following the word of the Bible would bring happiness to my life. How tempted I was to stand up and say to the commander, sir, hold on; isn’t this proselytizing and a blatant breech of the Establishment Clause?
So, why didn’t I? In the military, as in American politics, there is a certain fear established in the culture. It is the fear of retribution and it is the fear of feeling shame for the disrespect shown towards religious authorities. I could imagine fifty faces turning toward me in the room with burning eyes and their voices in unison: Even though you may have a point, how DARE you disrespect the Chaplain. The Chaplain! When I mention this to the few friends who allow me to speak my mind, they ask me why it’s such a big deal to me. Why does it bother you so much? I ask them to imagine me on the briefing stage, with my microphone in hand, telling the military staff that true morality and happiness can only be found through the acceptance of Lord Brahma, the creator. Or, how would they feel if they were required to stand in “prayer” as the Chaplain gave a sermon on the fact that there is no god?
Although I don’t fully agree with it, I understand why taxpayer dollars pay Chaplains to be military officers. The military takes its troops far from home and feels responsible in accommodating their religious needs (although Chaplains are allowed to refuse certain rites to believers who don’t share their own conviction). What I find so hard to understand, time and time again, is why Chaplains can’t keep their personal faith out of the official military arena. Is it that hard to share a set of inspiring, secular thoughts that everyone can enjoy and gain a feeling of wellbeing from? Great leaders do it all the time. The separation between church and people that make things break needs to be well defined and fully enforced.
The bottom line is that I’m a fighter pilot in a predominantly Christian community, and I accept that, just as I accept being an American in a predominantly Christian America. What I don’t accept is defending the Constitution and our nation through the potential lethal force of a Christian military. That is dangerous. Proselytizing at official functions and posting “billboards” advocating one religion over another in the military is wrong. Unfortunately, it is still accepted and encouraged. This is, after all, an organization where “spiritual strength is an integral part of leadership.” God bless our troops, and God bless the United States of America. Do I believe that God drives American lethality with his guiding hand? Of course I don’t. But, to say otherwise would be political suicide in this military.
(name, rank, USAF unit and military installation in Afghanistan withheld)
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After 10 years in the Corps I found an ever increasing “Christian” presence in meetings. Initially chaplains seemed to stay non-denominational and were there if you needed someone to talk things through with that you might not feel comfortable sharing with your friends. That role slowly changed but never approached the level of proselytizing that it has today. It’s not just the Chaplains but also fellow officers and commanders.
Just glad my time is done and hope that things will come around again to the way they were…Semper Fi!
I feel your pain Sir. I too, bite my tongue during prayers, blessings and religious exercises at official command functions.
I wish I could write you directly but I understand why you had your name withheld.
“Imaginary fighter pilot speaks out” lol
bikerbill and mechanic…are your services imaginary too?
For atheists you guys sure love imaginary things…
I was a Chaplain in the 1970s and 80s…the Chaplain Corps of today is nearly unrecognizable to me. “Cooperation without compromise” is the motto of the Navy Chaplaincy; it meant I worked hard to help all my troops…helping those I could, referring those I could not, but above all, respecting the troop who came to me for help. Many times my counseling was not religious at all…sometimes, for example, it was a pay issue, or something else. I never expected Department head meetings aboard ship to start with a “word from the Chaplain”…the only contribution I made was analogous to the input of every other department: Status of manpower, equipment, budget, whatever tasking I had received from the CO or XO. I am appalled at the abuse of an institution that provided much good in the military in the past. Now, I would be tempted to tell the military to abolish the chaplain corps. I would never re-enter the Chaplain Corps of today.
The only thing that gives me hope is that there ARE still good chaplains in the uniforms of the various services; I just wish they had some impact on the chaplains who are misusing their commissions.
It is because of you who post, and because I know what the chaplains CAN contribute to the military that I am a supporter of MRFF.
These people are not worshiping a first century Palistinian Jew named Jesus, who taught humility. They have created an American hyper-military, ultra-nationalistic version of Christ to justify themselves and their “mission”.
They are worshiping themselves, really.
Keke,
I am an F-16 pilot with close to 1000hrs and over 50 combat missions in Iraq. However, that isn’t the point of my article is it? If you think it is, you should actually read the article (not just the title) and then leave an intellectual opinion in the thread. You obviously care enough about the subject to register for this site and leave comments. Let’s hear what you think.