Air Force updates religious expression rules

AirForce Times — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 10:25:12 -0500

From: Air Force Times

The Air Force approved an update to its rules governing religious expression Nov. 7.

In a release late Monday announcing the update, the Air Force said Air Force Instruction 1-1 has been changed in several places "to clarify guidance for how commanders should handle religious accommodation requests or when Airmen's rights to free exercise are questioned."

The Air Force also said chaplain corps officials clarified policy language to help commanders balance constitutional protections for their own religious expression or other personal beliefs, with the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion.

"We trust our commanders with the great responsibility of caring for our Airmen," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said in the release. "That includes Airmen's physical, mental, social and spiritual health. We owe them clear guidance on what their responsibilities and rights are to protect and care for their Airmen."

The update to AFI 1-1 has not yet been posted online or released publicly. A draft version of the revised rule -- provided to Air Force Times in June by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an organization that advocates for the separation of church and state in the military -- would weaken the regulations by dropping language that ordered airmen to "avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion."

It is unclear how closely the revised AFI 1-1 reflects changes in the June draft because the Air Force announced the changes before they were posted on the service's official e-publishing website. Government offices were closed Tuesday in observance of Veterans Day.

The draft also dropped language that says "airmen, especially commanders and supervisors, must ensure that in exercising their right of religious free expression, they do not degrade morale, good order and discipline in the Air Force."

The draft instead only read "expression of sincerely held beliefs (conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs) shall not be prohibited unless the expression would have a real, not hypothetical, adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, good order and discipline, health and safety, and mission accomplishment."

In a June 6 letter to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, MRFF President Mikey Weinstein said that the language opens the door to discrimination and unwanted proselytization in the Air Force. Weinstein fears that, under the proposed rule, an airman would be allowed to express disdain or disgust for a fellow airman who is gay, lesbian or bisexual, as long as those opinions stem from "sincerely held" religious beliefs. Because such expressions would only be prohibited if they "have a real, not hypothetical adverse impact," Weinstein said the proposed rule set an impossibly high bar for airmen who wish to complain about such prejudicial statements.

"This policy, if adopted by the USAF, will universally discourage military members from ever filing complaints about religious witnessing and proselytizing for fear that their uncorroborated complaints will be considered merely 'hypothetical,' and not 'real,'" Weinstein wrote in a June letter to Welsh. "The Department of Defense would never adopt such a similar shocking policy shielding abusers regarding sexual assault, sexual harassment and racial discrimination."

The Liberty Institute, a nonprofit organization that supports religious freedom, praised the change in a release Monday.

"This is an important step in the right direction for people of faith serving in the Air Force," said Mike Berry, the Liberty Institute's senior counsel and director of military affairs. "Before these changes, the Air Force had the most problematic policy regarding religious accommodation for its members. Now they have a policy that, in writing, protects religious freedom to a greater degree than previously. But only time will tell if this written policy is put into practice."

The changes stem from a "Religious Freedom Focus Day" the Air Force held earlier this year at Welsh's direction. Leaders of the Air Force's chaplain corps met to discuss the service's law and policy regarding religious freedom, the complaint process, and how to inform airmen about their rights.

Airmen who feel their leaders are not appropriately accommodating their religious expression, or who feel their leaders' behavior is infringing on the prohibition against governmental establishment of religion, should first try to resolve the conflict through their chain of command, James Carlock, the Air Force's equal opportunity director, said in the release.

Airmen should also be told about their rights to talk about their concerns with an equal opportunity adviser.

"We are committed to creating an environment in which airmen can realize their highest potential, regardless of their personal religious beliefs or lack of beliefs," Carlock said. "Taking care of our airmen is our number one concern."

The issue of religion has been extremely controversial in the Air Force, and critics say the service is unwelcoming to atheists and agnostics.

Most recently, an atheist airman was denied reenlistment in August for refusing to swear an oath containing the words "so help me God." After the American Humanist Association threatened to sue, the Air Force reversed itself and said it would allow the airman to reenlist.

And a scandal involving religious harassment and discrimination at the Air Force Academy that emerged in 2005 led the academy to establish a Religious Respect Program.

In a memo to all major commands in September 2011, then Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz reminded "leaders at all levels" that they must avoid even the apparent use of their positions to promote their religious beliefs. Commanders "must refrain from appearing to official endorse religion generally or any particular religion," Schwartz wrote.

Updated rules to AFI 1-1 signed by the chief of staff 11 months later state that "all airmen are able to choose to practice their particular religion, or subscribe to no religious belief at all."

But some conservative lawmakers have said the rules go too far. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., sent a letter to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh May 6 asking him to loosen the rules requiring religious neutrality.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/careers/air-force/2014/11/11/air-force-updates-religious-expression-rules/18845935/

Response by 1LT Nick Kidwell made Nov 12 at 2014 11:12 AM

1LT Nick Kidwell — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 11:12:52 -0500

Nah, religion shouldn't be forced on anyone.

However, on the flip side, the military (and the government in general) needs to make sure they are not violating someone else's religious rights by catering to any one particular group.

Just because another person is an atheist does not mean that MY practice of my faith should be restricted.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 16 at 2015 10:10 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 10:10:33 -0400

Wow, little did I know how region was forced on me when I entered the Air Force. My golly, the DI said he felt our faith, if we had one, should not be abandoned and that we would be allowed to attend church. How did he dare to force it on me like that.

Is 55 years too late to sue?

For any that don't recognize it I am being sarcastic about the the situation as it now is.

Get back to work people.

Response by SFC David Pope, MBA made Apr 16 at 2015 11:35 AM

SFC David Pope, MBA — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 11:35:50 -0400

I have many friends and family that have been in the harshest combat situations that Iraq and Afghanistan have to offer. Some of them with the most horrible jobs imaginable. All of my friends have different religious backgrounds. All have seen the worst in humanity at a very close and personal point of view. Those who have little or no religion in their lives are suffering more than those who are very faithful in their religion. A very close friend of mine who ended up with my job when I retired was assigned to an assassination team. He lead 40 Afghani soldiers through the mountains wiping out Taliban. He saw the worst of any of my friends, and he does suffer from PTSD, but because of his commitment to his faith, he has been able to return home and remain strong in his religious practices. A large majority of our friends that served with him that were not as religiously faithful have a hard time functioning outside of a bottle. It is our core beliefs that allow us to do what has to be done, and still remain human, when what we have to do is considered inhumane.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Apr 16 at 2015 2:13 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 14:13:24 -0400

As I feel with all social issues within the military, if the religious accommodations does not negatively affect mission, morale, or best interest, it should be made. I have had an instance when one of my supervisors would not allow me to leave for a religious ceremony. This was during the time our unit did not fly because of funding issues, and we were overmanned. Overall my supervisor did not agree with my religious preference so I brought it up to my shirt and commander. It was later granted, and I was able to leave and visit my place of worship as long as it does not affect mission requirements. I did choose to make up the hours I was gone for.

Response by LTC John Griscom made Mar 16 at 2018 7:22 AM

LTC John Griscom — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:22:06 -0400

I understand Weinstein is a lawyer, but no one yet has shown me, yet, where the non-establishment clause in the First Amendment means the same as separation of Church and State.
It's really bad when chaplains and others are punished for expressing their faith.
"One Nation Under God", "In God we trust".
"And that's all I have to say about that". Forrest Gump

Response by PO2 Rev. Frederick C. Mullis, AFI, CFM made Aug 15 at 2018 4:12 PM

PO2 Rev. Frederick C. Mullis, AFI, CFM — Wed, 15 Aug 2018 16:12:51 -0400

Will the Air Force allow those with Native American Blood to practice their religious customs? Which include smoking a bowl of Peyote after chanting and drumming? I know of a certain full blood Cherokee on the Enterprise who turned in a bag to the MAA office when he signed aboard and he when there once a week and got enough to fill half a pipe, went back on the Fantail and did his thing when we were not at Flight Quarters. Navy allowed it decades ago will the Air Force now?

Response by PVT Ted Rodosovich made Dec 4 at 2022 8:51 AM

PVT Ted Rodosovich — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 08:51:31 -0500

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