Posted on 08/07/2007 12:40:07 PM PDT by Bulldawg Fan
WASHINGTON (AP) -- 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.
The Pentagon inspector general found the officers were interviewed in uniform and ''in official and often identifiable Pentagon locations,'' according to a 45-page report.
They made comments that ''conferred approval of and support'' to the evangelical group, Christian Embassy, ''and the remarks of some officers implied they spoke for a group of senior military leaders rather than just for themselves,'' the report stated.
None of the Army and Air Force officers involved asked for or received approval from their superiors to participate in the interview in an official capacity or in uniform, according to the inspector general's report, which was released last week.
The report recommended that senior military leaders consider ''appropriate corrective action'' against the officers.
Lt. Col. Linda Haseloff, an Air Force spokeswoman, said Monday the service is still studying the report ''and no additional information can be provided at this time.''
Army spokesman Paul Boyce said the report is being reviewed by legal staff and no decisions would be made until they are done.
According to the group's Web site, Christian Embassy is a nonprofit, nonpolitical organization that ''seeks to help diplomats, government leaders and military officers find real and lasting purpose through faith and encouragement.''
Christian Embassy holds prayer meetings each Wednesday morning at the Pentagon.
The inspector general's report reveals a ''long and deep collusion with a fundamentalist, religious missionary organization,'' Michael Weinstein, president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said in a statement.
Weinstein wants Congress to hold oversight hearings over the Defense Department's failure to separate ''church and state.''
Among the officers cited in the report are Army Brig. Gens. Vincent Brooks, deputy commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, and Robert Caslen, commandant of cadets at the U.S. Military Academy.
Air Force Maj. Gens. Peter Sutton and John Catton also appeared in the video.
Sutton, who has retired, and Caslen ''accepted full responsibility for their actions and committed to be more alert to ethical issues in the future,'' according to the report.
Brooks told investigators he believed he did not violate any rules. Due to Christian Embassy's long tenure of working with Pentagon employees, Brooks said he saw the group ''as a sanctioned or endorsed activity.''
Catton's response was similar. Christian Embassy had become a ''quasi-federal entity,'' he told investigators, and he believed he was taking part in a program approved by the Defense Department.
Catton is director of requirements at Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Retired Army Col. Ralph Benson, former Pentagon chaplain, was criticized for allowing Christian Embassy to film inside the Pentagon. Benson, the report said, misrepresented ''the purpose and proponent of the video.''
The names of the other two officers were redacted from the report.
Cleared of any impropriety was Army Secretary Pete Geren and an unnamed civilian Army employee. Investigators said while Geren and the employee ''provided personal endorsements of Christian Embassy, they did so without verbal or visual references to position, title or DOD.''
Typically, anti Christian groups always call their targets, "fundamentalists." You can bet this "Freedom Foundation" is actively seeking to eliminate Christianity from any official role in the military. These are likely the same anti Christians who would have Christian Chaplains eliminated from the service and prayers banished from the service academies.
The war on Christianity rolls on.
I wonder if the same stink would be raised if they approved of Islam.
What the hell has this country come to? Now we’re prosecuting soldiers for Christian activism! We have a chaplain corps! FDR led public prayers on the radio, and Patton had a prayer written for victory! Christian faith was considered a virtue for troops!
Evil is truly becoming the norm in the way things are done in this country.
The goal is a Christian-free-military.
Imagine that.
Liberalism IS a religion. It is antithetical to Christianity.
CNN did a hit piece on this yesterday on “The Situation Room”.
Mikey is an Air Force Academy grad who has been on a jihad against the Academy and Christianity in the military for years. If you go to his website you'll find he's teamed up with many of the usual liberal suspects, but get this, he has "Ambassador" Joe Wilson on his advisory board!
That said, these officers screwed up by appearing in uniform and filming in the Pentagon, but they shouldn't be crucified for it, not for the likes of Mikey.
“Evil is truly becoming the norm in the way things are done in this country.”
YES and it needs to STOP!
I’m still blown away that a Navy Chaplain, James Klingenschmitt, was court martialed for praying in Jesus’ name.
But you can order Firemen to march in a Gay Sex Parade.
Exactly! We need to start a campaign to inform people that we have freedom OF religion in our beloved nation, AND the free exercise thereof. NOT freedom FROM religion!
Well I guess you could call it a war or a home run for the prosecutor. I am sick and tired of people confusing religious freedom and being in the military. OK I am going to scream this from the rafters because FREEPERS have a very difficult time understanding this....
THE MILITARY DOES NOT ALLOW MILITARY MEMBERS TO WEAR THEIR UNIFORM IN ANY CAPACITY THAT IS RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL, ETC. PLEASE PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS.
This is why that Chaplain was given the boot. I guess people without military experience don’t understand this.
I’m still blown away that a Navy Chaplain, James Klingenschmitt, was court martialed for praying in Jesus’ name.
He did not uphold the military rules. Thank God he was taught that rules are important before he decided he did not want to follow other rules and get someone hurt. It is clear that you cannot wear your uniform while at a rally...sorry can’t spin this to your liking.
Save Vince Brooks!!
Call them up or fax, let them know that we won’t take this BS.
I believe the Constitution is very clear on this. As long as they were not on paid time, were off duty, they have every right to do what they did. And there can be no law military or civilian, to prevent them from believing what they believe.
Thought policing may be pervasive in the EU, but not here (yet).
So give them a slap on the wrist and let it go. It doesn’t have to be an Article 15 offense.
I also believe that the UCMJ is very clear about NOT doing this sort of thing in uniform.
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