Seven U.S. Army and Air Force officers who appeared in a Christian Embassy promotional video may be reprimanded, but that would not be enough for some critics.
In a July 20 report, the Department of Defense’s inspector general concluded that the officers had improperly endorsed the Campus Crusade ministry while in uniform. He also faulted the officers for appearing to provide governmental sanction for a particular religion.
Spokesmen for the Army and Air Force said their legal staffs are still considering penalties for the officers. Both said the case would likely be considered a personnel matter, however, meaning any punishment would be private.
“A letter of reprimand is normal,” said Paul Boyce, deputy chief of the Army’s media relations division.
Mikey Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, wants the officers court-martialed. Weinstein, who complained previously about religious discrimination at the Air Force Academy (see “No Overt Discrimination,” CT, August 2005), said the video is another example of pervasive military favoritism toward evangelicals.
“We are not against religion; we are against people pushing their beliefs on (subordinates),” said Weinstein. He seeks remedies to what he calls overbearing proselytizing in the military.
The American Center for Law and Justice, which represents two of the censured officers, expressed disappointment with the Defense Department report. Chief counsel Jay Sekulow said the panel ignored evidence and conducted follow-up investigations without notifying his agency or allowing it to respond.
“It will be a tragedy for the men and women in the military if this report ends up having an adverse impact on the ability of [ministries] to serve the military, as they do Congress and the executive branch,” Sekulow said.
Bruce Fister, executive director of Officers Christian Fellowship, thinks such an outcome is unlikely. He said the report should have little impact on military ministries, so long as they incorporate officers on a voluntary, off-duty basis. “[O]ur prayer and our hope [is] that people will see Christ in us as military leaders,” Fister said. “It does not mean we twist arms or force the gospel on anyone.”
Heated rhetoric on both sides distorts the main issue, said Charles Haynes, senior scholar at the First Amendment Center in Arlington, Va.
While not favoring penalties for the officers, Haynes said the report should serve as a reminder of the government’s need to treat all religions fairly.
“Christian Embassy and other groups ought to be first in line to say, ‘We don’t want to be endorsed or sponsored by the government,'” Haynes said. “The First Amendment works to protect religious groups as much as religious conscience. Sometimes that’s overlooked.”
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Related Elsewhere:
On July 27, the U.S. Department of Defense released a report on the alleged misconduct of nine military personnel. Related articles include:
Officers’ roles in Christian video are called ethics breach | The Defense Department’s inspector general has found that four generals and three other military officers improperly participated in a fundraising video for an evangelical Christian group, inappropriately offering support for the religious organization while appearing to operate within the scope of their official government duties, according to a 47-page investigative report (The Washington Post)
IG faults generals who appeared in video | Christian fundraising effort was filmed at Pentagon (Air Force Times)
Officers’ role in Christian video probed | The Army and Air Force are considering disciplinary action against seven officers — including four generals — who violated ethics rules by assisting a Christian group in the production of a fundraising video (Associated Press)
Geren cleared in inquiry of Christian group’s video | An 8-month Pentagon inquiry has cleared Army Secretary Pete Geren of participating in a Christian promotional video three years ago but concludes that seven high-ranking military officers who also appeared in the video violated Pentagon ethics rules (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Tex.)
Langley general could be punished for role in Christian video | A general at Langley Air Force Base could face discipline for violating regulations by wearing his uniform in a fundraising video for an evangelical Christian group, according to a government report (The Virginian-Pilot)
General got 2006 reprimand | The Langley Air Force Base general facing punishment for appearing in a 2004 Christian fundraising video was reprimanded last year for using his military e-mail account to solicit support for a Christian congressional candidate (Daily Press, Hampton Roads, Va.)
Pentagon: Hold on, Christian soldiers! | The new Inspector General’s report will hardly reduce the flow of Weinstein’s hate mail. But it constitutes an instance of official support for some of his concerns (Time)
Not Just Chaplains” discussed some of the ethical challenges ministries to the military have to consider.
