Air Force Voices

Outrageous Claims at the Air Force Academy

Has anyone seen the latest outrageous claims at the Air Force Academy? 

Capt Morton the AFA Chaplain who threw her lot in with Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS), is now crying foul because she is being "removed" from her perch at the center of the investigation.

T.R. Reid of the WaPo is spinning the story this way (here is an excerpt...emphasis added):

An Air Force chaplain who complained that evangelical Christians were trying to "subvert the system" by winning converts among cadets at the Air Force Academy was removed from administrative duties last week, just as the Pentagon began an in-depth study of alleged religious intolerance among cadets and commanders at the school.

"They fired me," said Capt. MeLinda Morton, a Lutheran minister who was removed as executive officer of the chaplain unit on May 4. "They said I should be angry about these outside groups who reported on the strident evangelicalism at the academy. The problem is, I agreed with those reports." ...

...After several "reasonably tense" days among the academy chaplains, Morton said, she received an e-mail on May 4 from Whittington. It said a new executive officer would be named, effective immediately.

[Lt Col Laurent] Fox, the academy spokesman, said this change was made because Whittington is retiring from the Air Force in June and Morton is due for a transfer in July to Okinawa. But Morton said the normal procedure would be to keep her in the number two post until she departs, so that she could help the unit's new commanding officer settle in.

Pam Zubrick of The Gazette adds a little more detail.  Here is another excerpt (emphasis added):

An Air Force Academy chaplain said she was dismissed from an executive position after pointing out religious intolerance issues and contending that evangelical Christians have too much control at the school.

Capt. Melinda Morton, a Lutheran minister, also accused academy officials of lying about faith bias issues, which arose more than a year ago but only recently have grabbed the national spotlight.

In an interview with The Gazette, Morton said Thursday that she went public because working within the academy wasn’t effective and she wanted to preserve her integrity...

...Morton said in December that she was told she would remain at the academy through summer 2006. In March, she got orders to ship out to Okinawa in July. Then, last week, she was removed as executive officer.

Now, she’s not sure what her future holds.

Academy spokesman Johnny Whitaker said Morton’s removal was planned and announced at a staff meeting in April as a transition to a new chief chaplain in June.

He also disputed her recent orders to Okinawa had anything to do with her advocacy of pluralism.

“Air Force policy is we can move you anytime after two years,” he said. “The needs of the Air Force drives that.”

Zubrick provides more details about the good captain (emphasis added):

BIOGRAPHY

Capt. Melinda Morton, Lutheran minister Age: 48 Native of Missouri Joined the Air Force in 1982, served as a missile launch officer and orbital analyst Air Force Reserve chaplain, 2001 Active-duty chaplain, Dec. 9, 2002, assigned to the Air Force Academy

First, I am not surprised the MSM/DNC is spinning things this way.  However, there are other questions from the articles:

1.  Why did the captain leave service as a missile launch officer?  Was her tour up, didn't like missile launch duty, or was the captain's Personal Reliability Program (PRP) status yanked?  In other words, did the captain become a conscientious objector (which would adversely affect PRP) and join the chaplaincy?  Was the chaplaincy the only place the captain could serve?  Or did the captain always want to be chaplain?  I don't know...it just seems like a logical question based on what the article presents.

2.  Why is reassignment to Okinawa being spun as a bad assignment?  Is Okinawa a dumping ground?  I doubt it.  If it is, don't tell the troops stationed there.

3.  Has the captain ever been stationed overseas longer than 120 days?  Hmmm...as a missile launch officer, then a reservist, then a 14-year assignment to the Air Force Academy...I doubt it.  Did the captain think she would never be reassigned from the Academy?  Are chaplains given tenure at the Academy or something?

3.  Is anyone sure what their future holds?  Poor captain...yet, why should the captain be any different than the rest of us?  Will I make general someday?  There are no guarantees.

4.  Since when is the executive officer in an Air Force unit considered the "number two" post?  This isn't the Navy...an executive officer in an Air Force unit is nothing more than a glorified administrative assistant (i.e., secretary). 

[NOTE:  Personal comment:  There are several types of Air Force executive officers. The first type are the "golden boys and girls" who can't risk screwing up in a real job because it might tube their career (they get to "learn how to be generals" instead).  Another type are the "strap hangers" who keep screwing up in a real job that an executive officer job is a safe place to park their butts...the other types are "yes" men or "window dressing" and I won't go into further details...all can answer the phones, update MS Outlook, and get coffee for the boss.  If you are an executive officer reading this post and are offended...tough...you can blame the generals who explained this to me during my many mentoring sessions.]

5.  What did the captain expect would happen?  If religious intolerance is so pervasive at the Academy, why would the investigation team need to speak to her?  It seems she wants to control the outcome of the investigation...obviously biased.

I am sure there is more to the story...the questions above are just some of the things the MSM/DNC leaves out of the story.

In the mean time...expect to hear more about how the poor chaplain is being mistreated <sarcasm> (mean ole Academy zealots) </sarcasm> ...

Intolerance At The Air Force Academy Must End

Question is...who is being more intolerant?  Once again, the answer is the moonbats.

The current witch hunt underway at the Air Force Academy is a blatant attack on Christianity by Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AUSCS), a left-wing organization bent on religious persecution.  Talk about religious intolerance.

This is pure exploitation of what may be legitimate complaints (I am sure a couple of boneheads acted inappropriately), turning the entire affair into a calculated witch hunt which the Air Force will fail no matter how the investigation proceeds or whether people's careers are ruined...all in the name of "religious freedom."  See previous posts here and here.

Lots of great discussion at Mudville Gazette, CDR Salamander, and from Buzz Patterson (whose comments are posted on Mudville Gazette).

Let me calm those who would believe these sorts of accusations. The report is complete and utter BS. I left the academy upon my retirement in 2001. As a commander for thousands of cadets I can tell you, unequivocally, there was ZERO pressure to attend religious services and ZERO pressure to "witness" to anyone. In fact, we went to great lengths to ensure that our "Wicca" brothers and sisters had equal access to all facilities for worship as did other religious groups. There was no attempt, EVER, to deny anyone the right or not to practice their beliefs...

...Unfortunately, my former service and the academy goes to great lengths (too great in my humble opinion) to listen to every bitching and whining voice no matter how outlandish. Much like my stint at the Clinton White House, its crisis management without much leadership.

The fact that the USAFA cadet body and permanent party are 90% Christian (as pointed out by the AUSCS study) is reality. The fact that a doolie during Beast (BCT) had his or her feelings hurt...great, that's the frikkin idea!! We don't want or need to coddle every applicant. We want professional warriors. It was no different when I was commissioned in 1981 nor would I want it to be today!

My former service spends way too much time accommodating anti-Americans such as Barry Lynn and way too little preparing to fly and fight. The fact that we allow organizations such as AUSCS to impact our mission is the real tragedy...

Well said!

I am sure commanders across the Air Force will now have to ensure religious sensitivity training is incorporated into CC Calls and ancillary training records...like there isn't enough to do already.  The mission can always wait...right?

God Help Us

Let the Air Force Academy witch hunts begin...

Last night there were several comments on God and Country.  I agree, a couple of knuckle-heads probably offended some folks with aggressive Bible-thumping.  If so, this needs to stop.  However, this morning, Aim Points released more troubling information.

Here is what I gleaned from the article...the scope of the allegations appears to be extending to the entire Air Force...soon it will get into the other services...God help us.

From the Aim Points release...read the threat from the AUSCS (emphasis added):

“I’d have to hope the Air Force doesn’t try to whitewash this task force, and if they do, that will become obvious and we will act accordingly,” said Americans United spokesman Rob Boston. “We are counting on the Air Force to do this job right. If they do a cursory examination, it’s only going to make matters worse.”

Boston also said his organization has received e-mails in the past week from active-duty and former members of the Air Force, other service academies and government agencies “complaining of similar problems at military bases.”

“This may be a wider problem than some misunderstandings at the academy,” he said, and Americans United will investigate if the complaints appear to be serious.

Hmmm...what does that mean?  Who are these active-duty and former members of the Air Force?  Who gets to decide if the Air Force does a more or less cursory examination?  Sounds like AUSCS has already decided (duh).  You bet they will widen their witch hunt.

No doubt, the Air Force has set itself up to fail.  How much time is the Air Force going to waste on these silly witch hunts?  It is sad that the Air Force has allowed a small group of left-wing idealogues (see the AUSCS website...lots of left-wing anti-Christian rhetoric) to send it on this wild goose chase.

I'll make it easy so we can get back to fighting the War on Terror.  Here is what AUSCS will find across the services (see A Force For Good Indeed).  I have added emphasis to make my point:

This is a great op-ed from the NYT's Robert D. Kaplan.  (HT: RealClearPolitics)  We need to hear this more and more...here is my favorite passage:

"Liberal democratic societies have commonly been defended by conservative military establishments, whose members often lack the sensitivities and social graces of the elites whom they protect...I've learned that marines swear all the time out of habit, and love to be in on a fight, or otherwise they would not have joined the Marine Corps."

"Yet those same swearing marines are capable of a self-discipline and humanitarian compassion - drawn, often, from an absolute belief in the Almighty - that would stun the average civilian...In Iraq, there was nothing more natural for marines (and soldiers, too) than to go from close-quarters urban combat to providing food and medicine, and back again."

Guilty as charged.  I am all for religious tolerance...just not the religious intolerance the AUSCS is promoting under the guise of "religious freedom."

If my core value of "Integrity First" offends anyone that is unfortunate.  I just need to label AUSCS for what it is and what it is trying to do. 

It is hard to to put "Service Over Self" and achieve "Excellence In All We Do" when you strike at the core of "Integrity."  Religion has a big part to do with "Integrity" and the whole person concept.

Oh yeah...folks need to be watching the back door.  While we are blogging about religious intolerance (seemingly distracted)...watch what else is happening in terms of policy, legislation, acquisition, reorganization, and the QDR.  {Hopefully this time we won't be too focused on wearing a Bus Driver uniform while we reorganizing into composite wings or implementing a RIF like we did in the early 90's...Air Force veterans know what I am talking about}

UPDATE:  I was finally able to download the entire report.  Frankly, I see both points of view (HT: No Angst Zone...the truth lies somewhere in the middle).

Indeed, there were some knuckle-headed acts that should be cleaned up (and not in a tongue in cheek manner).  However, the charges of

"flagrant and egregious violations of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as a general climate of religious coercion and official hostility toward those who do not practice evangelical Christianity"

seem a bit overboard to me.  Especially since sources are not named in the report.  How do I know AUSCS isn't embellishing or maybe even making things up? 

Also, I know lots of non-Christians in the Air Force...many of them Academy grads.  All good people with great careers.

Clearly, what is really under attack is Christianity itself.  Plain and simple.  Just visit the AUSCS home page and it practically tells you what the motivation behind the report is.

UPDATE II: CDR Salamander makes some more great points...particularly with the AAR for Cadet BCT II as well as the background of its signers.  However, here is my favorite passage:

One or two things happened here: (1)-No one in a blue Army suit did their homework on Ms. Leslie and YDS, or (2) the people who did bring them in knew exactly what they were bringing in, agreed with the bias coming their way, and wanted this outcome. Either way, the good people in blue better clean house, or they are going to live under a PC anti-religious dictat that will make a Soviet Political Officer proud.

I believe both things happened...worse, the Air Force is a sucker for anything that has "Yale" or "Harvard" attached to it...as if the name makes a biased report any better.  Somebody (or a group of somebodies) was definitely steamrolled and has set the service up for failure...can anybody guess what the AUSCS opinion on the investigation board results will be?  Duh.

MAAP cell is engaged...thanks for standing by.

God and Country

I sure am glad I don't live in a Godless communist state...whoa...wait an minute...

Greyhawk posted something that caught my eye...and upset me quite frankly...

You have to read Hugh Hewitt's column in the Daily Standard as well as his blog HughHewitt.com.  Here is an excerpt from the column:

Barry Lynn is the top guy at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and a cartoonish presence on talking head television, ever-ready to declare the imminent threat of theocracy in the land. It should come as no surprise to anyone, then, that the organization Lynn leads last week leveled a series of very serious charges against almost everyone at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The report, available here in PDF, is among the worst examples of McCarthyism since Joe McCarthy stood up on February 9, 1950, and declared that "I have here in my hand a list of 205 that were known to the Secretary of State as being members of the Communist Party and who nevertheless are still working and shaping the policy of the State Department."...

...Unfortunately, the acting secretary of the Air Force quickly established a task force to investigate the report's allegations before considering whether the group issuing it was worthy of trust on such a matter, whether the specific charges can be considered to have risen to a level worthy of further investigation, and whether the appropriate response might not have been a demand of Americans United for their sources before launching such a high-profile, well, we can't quite call it a "witch hunt," can we?

Even a cursory review of AU's "report" reveals it is built on multiple levels of undocumented hearsay. Over and over again the phrase "we have been informed" introduces an allegation of misconduct, or "we have received a host of reports" leads to a serious charge. There are zero footnotes and zero affidavits attached to the report...

Hugh Hewitt makes the following recommendation:

...Put the task force on hold, and ask for the back-up. If there are credible assertions, determined as such by credible third parties skilled in Establishment and Free Exercise Clause doctrine, then quietly empanel an investigation. Asking "how high" when Barry Lynn says jump is a terrible decision.

The Air Force leadership at the Academy deserve the benefit of the doubt...not baseless accusations and a witch hunt on who is more politically correct under the guise of diversity.

Previously, Greyhawk posted a chilling quote taken from the archives of the Belmont Club.  Here is the quote:

For one, Hitler would have taken a very dim view of Jesusland, a country which George Bush is said to be in the process of founding, whose geographic location is to the immediate south of the United States of Canada. Martin Bormann said, "National Socialism and Christianity are irreconcilable." Hitler, according to Klaus Fischer's Nazi Germany stated that "one day we want to be in a position where only complete idiots stand in the pulpit and preach to old women." In a concession to popular feeling, however, the Nazis offered the public certain acceptable 'faith traditions' including something called "Gottglaubig", a dished-up creed heavily overladen with ancient Germanic pagan beliefs with versions of rituals for birth, marriage and death. "By 1938, carols and nativity plays were were forbidden in the schools, and the words 'Christmas' itself was replaced by the word 'Yuletide'." 

I shudder to think of all the great men and women who died to secure the blessings of liberty for our country...they had a strong belief in God and would no doubt be equally as upset to see what is happening today.

Finally, I agree with Greyhawk...how long before we are forced to bulldoze this building?

Notice the ominous clouds above the spires...what a great metaphor for the storm brewing at the Academy.

Or, could this represent the beginnings of of a mini-blogswarm in response to the witch hunts taking place at this great institution?  Hmmm...

UPDATE: CDR Salamander has a great post on this subject.  Here is an excerpt and an equally stunning photograph:

The military does not push religion on anyone, it gets out of the way. There is a lot of religion is the military though. Being shot at will do that to a man. This has always been true in our military, and we have a great history of being tolerant of each other's proclivities - religious wise. If you want to destroy this history of allowing a person to demonstrate their faith while in service, then I recommend you start by getting a chisel and hammer.

Well said...from a "pretty boy in blue."