[GunRunner]

Hall's atheism became an issue soon after it became known. On Thanksgiving 2006 while stationed outside Tikrit, Hall politely declined to join in a Christian prayer before the holiday meal. The result was a dressing down by a staff sergeant who told him that as an atheist he needed to sit somewhere else.

In another episode, after his gun turret took a bullet that almost found an opening, the first thing a superior wanted to know was whether Hall believed in Jesus now, not whether he was okay.

This is un-American and stupid.

The staff sergeant and the superior should be reprimanded. There is no religious test for military service.

[L98Fiero]

“This is un-American and stupid.”

Kind of like taking this article at face-value.

[wideawake]

This is un-American and stupid. The staff sergeant and the superior should be reprimanded.

Because it would be American and intelligent to just go ahead and reprimand someone who has been accused of misbehavior - without any proof other than the say-so of a disgruntled subordinate and that subordinate's friend?

[Dead Dog]

This doesn't pass the sniff test. More like proselytizing by the atheist media with an eager young dupe to carry their water. But that is just my initial perception.

[muawiyah]

Best thing you can do is ignore it ~ I served alongside Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Moslems, Animists, Baptists, Amish, Presbyterians and Jews ~ if someone made a religious comment, I simply did my job whether I agreed or disagreed with them.

Irrespective of your religion, or lack of religion, the military is one of those places you shouldn't let your own beliefs or nonbeliefs get in the way of conducting yourself professionally.

You'll be out of there soon enough and you won't even remember what your buddies believed specifically.

And never forget, all of them have a full right to their own religious beliefs and your attempts to interfere with them will probably not be appreciated ~

[AnotherUnixGeek]

This is un-American and stupid.

The staff sergeant and the superior should be reprimanded. There is no religious test for military service.

Agreed. The purpose of the US military is clear and well-defined, and meddling in religious matters is no part of that purpose.