Air Force Cadet E-Mails Religious Quotes

The Washington Post ^ | 1 June 2005 | Robert Weller

[ViLaLuz]

"That happens on active duty and throughout the AF. The 'Christian Mafia' in the AF is strong and vengeful."

What a crock. The only "strong and vengeful mafia" you will find is on the looney ACLU liberal left.

[stuartcr]

Thank you, it seems to be a rare thing for me lately.

[RightOnline]

Oh stop. If you're looking for sympathy or tears, you came to the WRONG guy, bubba. I could give you a hundred reasons why, just from your post.

Some of you whiners here just make me want to slap ya. If you had a jerk for a supervisor/commander, and if you were too much of a pantywaist to know how to handle it ......IF you had proof.......then do NOT come whining to me. I'd suspect most of my contemporaries would feel the same, and they're the sumbitches running this Air Force these days.

[Sensei Ern]

Obviously not. Remember "Don't ask, don't tell?"

I've got news for you...we don't have to ask. We can tell.

For instance...
When you refer to camo paint as eye shadow...we don't have to ask.
When you call your rifle an MMMMM-16...we can tell.
And, we don't have to ask, we can tell when you are ordered to blow the enemy away and you get out your chap stick.

[RJS1950]

I was an enlisted Marine and an AF officer, now retired. I can tell you that yes, there are plenty of service members out there proselytizing, trying to convert others who are believers, just not their particular denomination of believer. They keep picking away, telling you that you cannot be saved unless you hold to their particular beliefs, or that God won't hear your prayers unless you end them with "in the lord Jesus name".

Yes, they are very often a detriment to discipline and good order and can be a general pain in the arse.

Confine your preaching to off-duty and non-official venues

[RJS1950]

Both go on, and neither has a place in the duty environment.

[angelsonmyside]

Cogadh

My son has never, I repeat he never had a problem with or without going to services. He did not attend services during Tech School and was still able to obtain the highest "Rope" possible during that phase of his Air Force training.

Unless you know something we all don't and this guy was "Preaching" then please enlighten us. However what I read was his comment "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ,"

Dang is this not what is being taught in the Military, to watch each other back. Of course you would know that since you DO have personal experience.

Maybe I am wrong but it appears to me the mere mention of Christ has pushed your buttons. Personally the statement "Christian Mafia" in itself I find offensive.

[mtntop3]

Cadets have been required to attend religious tolerance seminars, during which they have been reminded that Air Force policy bans the use of official e-mails for personal messages.

And just what consitutes an "official e-mail" and a "personal message"???

This was clearly - and emphatically - a personal message from a graduating cadet.

There was no attempt by this graduate to indicate or imply that his message of best wishes had "offical" standing in any manner.

[little jeremiah]

later pingout.

[gogogodzilla]

Well, then, if it is so easy, pick JUST ONE of the 'hundreds' of reasons.

Oh, and I note that you don't refute my position that it IS easy to write a watered-down EPR on a supervisee that you dislike. Or to reduce/eliminate a medal...

Yet you clearly stated that one couldn't do that.

[gogogodzilla]

Oh, and I note that you don't refute my position that it IS easy to write a watered-down EPR on a supervisee that you dislike. Or to reduce/eliminate a medal...
---

Make that 'relatively easy' instead of simply 'easy'.

[gogogodzilla]

So the oath does say that.

That oath does not say, "defend the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic, so help me Jesus. Oh, and if you don't believe in Jesus, you're going to burn in hell."

Which does not reflect the majority of the USAF personnel. But there are bad apples in every bunch. The question is why so many here think the bad apples are the good ones.

The best policy is to leave your religion at your home, where you raise your children. Only discuss it at work among close friends or if asked. Give your troops the equal opportunity to worship (ie - attend services). And finally, DON'T FORCE YOUR BELIEFS ON OTHERS.

[Sam's Army]

LOL!

[Cogadh na Sith]

I AM a Christian. Christ is my savior.

Maybe I am wrong but it appears to me the mere mention of Christ has pushed your buttons.

You are categorically wrong. The AF is not a religious institution created to glorify Christ. It exists to, and only to, kill people and break things in defense of the nation.

Training schools aren't so bad, but at many permanent stations, supervisors are prejuciced against unbelievers and even Chistians who do not profess it loudly and often enough. It is a problem and the AF has already disciplined individuals because of it.

Personally the statement "Christian Mafia" in itself I find offensive.

Nonetheless, it is an accurate description.

Some people just can't leave their pets at home....

[BeHoldAPaleHorse]

"And just what consitutes an "official e-mail" and a "personal message"???"

If you're using your USAFA email address, it's official. There is no such thing as "unofficial government email."