Replies

Thanx for the ping, what a great story. It was great in basic training being Jewish, getting the goodies, and I was allowed to have a friend visit (a fellow Jew who happened to live in San Antionio, where Air Force basic training takes place, and happened to be a beautiful red head girl) when everyone else was complaining about missing their friends and family. Our lay leader (we didn't have a Rabbi) was a Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) who was about to retire.
When I first arrived, they didn't ask who was Jewish, only who was Catholic or Protestant, so I tagged along with the Protestant services just to get out of the barracks for a couple of hours. Later, when the word got out that there were Jewish services, the Chief was furious that nobody had told me about them. He called my Drill Sgt (a Technical Sgt, E-6), and had him quivering! We heard the TSgt on the phone saying "Yes, Chief", "I'm sorry, Chief", "It'll never happen again, Chief". All the recruits sat around saying, "Wow, wonder what happened? Somebody must be in trouble. If he calls any names, they're done for." Well, as soon as he hung up we all scurry to look like we're busy. Then, in his loudest voice ever, he calls my name -- "Airman Rosenthal! Report!" My heart sank, I thought it was the end. He calls me in, shuts the door, and asks if anyone had told me about the Jewish services. I said no. He said why didn't you say something, I said I did, I asked and nobody knew about them. He said that I have a Constitutional Right to my religion, and the military cannot get in the way of that, I could take the matter up in legal proceedings that I was denied my Constitutional right. I said no, I just want to go to service, it was an honest mistake. And, just as I was dismissed, I was told that he (my Drill Sgt) didn't appreciate being ripped a new one by a Chief Master Sgt, so please, don't miss service again.