Posted on 03/12/2013 6:44:58 PM PDT by DogByte6RER
Air Force Chaplain Awarded Bronze Star for PowerPoint Teaching Proper Sensitivity for the Koran
An Air Force chaplain has been awarded a Bronze Star for his service in crafting an especially good PowerPoint about how to treat Islamic religious materials with sensitivity, according to Ohio’s Dayton Daily News. After U.S. troops in Afghanistan accidentally burned copies of the Koran, sparking riots that took over 30 lives, Lieutenant Colonel Jon Trainer came to the rescue:
After the accidental burning last year of Qurans by U.S. troops in Afghanistan sparked deadly rioting, an Air National Guard chaplain from Springfield stepped in and potentially saved countless American lives.
For his effort, Lt. Col. Jon Trainer received the prestigious Bronze Star — a medal given for heroic or meritorious achievement in connection with operations against an armed enemy.
And he did it with a PowerPoint presentation. . . .
Within 48 hours, Trainer developed a PowerPoint presentation on the proper handling and disposal of Islamic religious material that was seen by every American — military and civilian alike — in Afghanistan. The presentation then was distributed to the U.S. for use in all pre-deployment training.
The piece explains that Trainer also helped teach service members just how wide the breadth of their sensitivity had to be, covering what constitutes Islamic religious material in the first place. “When a Muslim writes down even a few verses from the Quran on a piece of paper,” he told the paper, “that immediately gets that same protected status.”
Trainer is a nondenominational Christian minister who has been in the Air Force for 17 years. He is also being recognized for his work running the Army’s suicide-prevention program, in which he’s trained more than 36,000 service members.
The Bronze Star is the U.S. military’s fifth most prestigious combat award, and can be awarded for acts of merit or valor in a combat zone (if the military deems it an act of heroism, the award is given with a “V” device).
It’s always bad manners to get the neck blood of non believers on the cover.
Is this semi news/semi satire?
Link to the original article ...
Local chaplain played vital role in war
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local/local-chaplain-played-vital-role-in-war/nWhTm/
All men and women who serve are worthy. Thank you for your service Chaplin.
That said, this award seems to demean/deminish the service of others who earned a Bronze Star. Just sayin’.
I wish it were so.
Just like academia has grade inflation, now our miltary has hero inflation.
His name is Trainer too? LOL. This has to be a joke. Did the media fall for another fake site?
Makes this medal pretty much worthless.
... at least he didn’t get the “V” to put on his Bronze Star.
This makes me want to crap.
I’ll be needing some paper!
Thinking further, does the skid mark in my shorts spell Mohammed, in Arabic?
Trainer, who would like to volunteer to serve as chaplain in Antarctica next...
It’s only “hate” if you’re conservative.
I can see. My question was rhetorical.
I wonder when all service members will get the smiley face ribbon...
“Bronze Star — a medal given for heroic or meritorious achievement in connection with operations against an armed enemy.”
Actually, without the V device, it is for meritorius service in a combat zone.
I personally do not think what he did warrants a Bronze Star. He was merely doing his job. The ONLY way I can see it as remotely warranting such an award is IF the training directly saved the lives of Americans military personnel. That is probably what those that awarded this thought.
I doubt they were right, but I wasn’t there to know.
I am going to vomit, because this stupidity makes me want to drink to excess.
You'll get a Silver Star if you kiss Obama's fanny...and a Medal of Honor if you say something nice about Michelle's wide load.
And now they give them out for powerpoint presentations...Excuse while I throw up.
I am that chaplain; member of FR since 2000.
It would have been kind of Patrick Brennan to at least drop me or my commander a line before posting an article on The Corner is a manner that is demeaning of my service to this great nation.
Unless Mr. Brennan or someone else at The Corner (which I frequent almost daily) has read my Bronze Star citation in full, or has talked to my commander, or others with whom I have served, or even myself, it seems journalistic malpractice at the very best to just post-away.
And here is what I posted at NRO:
“This is an end of tour award. Standard fair for the rank, position, and responsibility I held during this tour—Training Chaplain for all the of the chaplains in Afghanistan and Garrison Chaplain at New Kabul Compound in Kabul. Events of serious consequence occurred while in theater; the article highlights those. The way the original article is written implies the BSM was given for writing a PPT presentation. This does not represent the facts nor the bullet points in the BSM write-up.”
This just highlights to me the dangers of our new media where a journo feels free to run with a blog post or posters feel free to demean someone’s character without making an ounce of effort to get the facts.
The guy who wrote the original story was an old fashioned journalist who came to my office at the request of my commander. He came with a pen and paper and took notes—just like the good old days.
Thanks!
Chap T
what... no V device???
ping
damn, you beat me...
In addition:
-I did not receive a Bronze Star with a V for Valor...I did not deserve one; however, I did receive a BSM for meritorious service...this is a more common award given to non-combatants for meritorious work while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force
-the Bronze Star was awarded for meritorious service over a period of six months, not for one incident that lasted 48-72 hours
-the citation package includes bullet points outlining other achievements during the deployment
-the award was given, in part, because I was serving as a Lt Col on a command staff with oversight of every chaplain deployed in the AOR...in other words the significance of the position and the rank of the individual play a large part in the kind of medal given
-the training package in response to the Quran burning is mentioned because it had theater-wide import—strategic implications, not because it had anything to do with Islam
Here is a fairer representation of my tour:
http://sunburynews.com/2012/06/lt-col-jon-trainer-harlem-zoning-board-presented-bronze-star/
Chap T
I take back the hoax comments, found his facebook page and seems legit, even the Antarctica comments.
https://www.facebook.com/jon.trainer1
He also seems to lean right based on his likes. Several pro-life pages and Conservative economics like CATO.
Thanks for that post. You’ve been here long enough I hope you can understand how and why people were skeptical about this. The other post with details does help clear that up.
bump, should have waited for you to post. That does give a much different perspective than the media posted.
Still, you have to admit, the last name ‘Trainer’ associated with a Power Point is kind of funny.
Thanks for your service.
I get a lot of kidding about my name tape on the uniform...God gave me a good name for my job!
As an instructional designer, I can appreciate that one.
I may be imagining things, but this seems to be a step calculated to undermine another of the things Americans hold sacred. If the boys in DC can hand out these medals like Cracker Jack toys, it diminishes the service for which they were originally intended, and leaves us with little to admire and hold sacred about our military service.
you can’t make this up since the only way to eternal life is belief in Jesus as the Son Of God. All others face the judgment and hell.Christians don’t face any judgment because they are saved by their belief in Jesus. Why would you waste time by judging someone already pardoned for all sins?
You must understand that there are two kinds of Bronze Stars...one for Valor and one for Meritorious service...soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines know the difference...we hold those who wear the V with highest regard and understand ours is a lesser award...
But I also perceive a disturbing trend among the propagandists in this government to undermine and downgrade all we hold dear, especially regarding the military and the services rendered by our heroes.
Thank you for your service, and forgive me if I offended you. It was most assuredly not my intention. God bless you.
no problem! thankful for the opportunity to shed a little light on things here...it has been a real caution for me regarding the tendency to jump to conclusions...i have never been so vilified and by people who are on my side of the aisle...
Would you be willing to post a new thread on what you put in post #22 outlining the real reason for your reward to counter how the media put it? I think it would help to have your side of the story out more.
I am waiting to see if my chain of command will take it up; I have asked Rich Lowry to clarify things...we’ll see...
Completely understandable.
if you have not seen the powerpoint slides, how can you comment on their content?
Thanks for your service to our country!
Thank you, Chaplain!
Either this is a joke in very bad taste, or it’s yet another sign of Obama’s ongoing effort to destroy our military.
My father also awarded a Bronze Star for combat on New Guinea, and one for action on the island of Morotai — 31st Infantry “Dixie” Division (Alabama National Guard). Giving one to a USAF chaplain for a PowerPoint brief teaching warfighters how to kiss Muzzie asses dishonors my father’s memory, as well as your father’s. And for that matter, it dishonors my uncle’s service in WWII, and my brothers’ and my service in Vietnam, Persian Gulf Ops, and Gulf War I. Disgusting. Zero & his henchmen are destroying everything, including the military.
Did he get the Bronze Star posthumously?
Next in line to get the award...
Jesse Jackass, Al Sharpie, the New Black Panthers, Nation of Islam and CAIR.
Chap ...
Thanks for your service. When I first read the NRO post, there is the distinct impression in the story that this was a simple PowerPoint course to sanitize the religion of Islam.
It too served (USN in the 1980s) and I experienced a great deal of the muslim world having been deployed to the Persian Gulf three times. As a regular FR poster, I have frequently posted topics critical of Islam and I make no apologies for that.
I agree with the Admin Moderator that you should consider posting a new FR thread to better describe this course you developed and the circumstances in which you were awarded the Bronze Star.
I think that the initial reading of the story just rubbed me wrong ... similar to how military drone operators are now being awarded medals that are higher than Purple Hearts and other medals awarded in dangerous combat situations.
Forgive my intial negative reaction ... but the NRO report does play to my sketicism of the Pentagon brass and the politically correct civilians running the DOD.
Best Regards,
Rick
No problem! The guys at The Corner did me a great disservice by redacting the original article in order to fit their political agenda. That hurts...not only because it undermines my service, but also because it discredits their journalism. This is something we expect on the left, but hope the right avoids. Hopefully, it will get cleared up in the next few days, but my character is totally besmirched and I am unable to defend myself.
FWIW, I agree with you regarding the new medal for UAV operators. I believe the current award system could be used to honor their unique contributions to the war effort.
” - - - Awarded Bronze Star for PowerPoint Teaching Proper Sensitivity - - - .”
What would General Patton say?
” - - - Awarded Bronze Star for PowerPoint Teaching Proper Sensitivity - - - .”
What would General Patton say?
If he throws it over the White House fence, will he become the next Secretary Of State?
Well this post makes me feel better in the case you do become the next Secretary Of State, and the sooner the better...
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