Last week a disturbing new video surfaced featuring high-ranking Air Force and Army officers in uniform and on active duty, evangelizing for Jesus. This behavior is expressly prohibited by military ethics regulations and the UCMJ.
One officer, Maj.Gen. Jack Catton, USAF, is heard on the video stating his 'priorities' as, "...God, then my family, and
then country." I guess I'd better hope that his god is my god and should wish I was a member of his family because his
oath to defend the
U.S. Constitution and the
Air Force Core Values consisting of "Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do" doesn't seem to matter much.
Specifically, "Service Before Self" is defined as, "The giving of self to provide for the welfare of others. Air Force people focus service in defense of the nation." Participating, producing, and appearing in uniform while
in the Pentagon espousing hard-core Christian ideology hardly seems to fit that definition.
This new revelation angers and frightens me. These regulations are in place for good reason. The Founders specifically codified separation of church and state in the 1st Amendment. The military is an arm of the government. Should those who have the power to wage war and kill have control of nuclear weapons in what could easily be characterized as a war on Islam?
The hypocrisy and theocratic ideology is implicit as demonstrated by the treatment of anti-war protesters by the military. Jason Leopold at TruthOut writes:
"Over the past few years, the military has set its sights on prosecuting Iraq war veterans who have completed active duty, soured on the war and participated in antiwar protests while wearing their uniforms. Recently, the US Marine Corps prosecuted Cpl. Adam Kokesh and Marine Sgt. Liam Madden, both of whom were photographed marching in an antiwar protest while wearing their uniforms in what the Marine Corps says was a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Military prosecutors vigorously sought to have both men dishonorably discharged. However, it appears unlikely the military will apply the same standard to the Air Force and Army officers who the inspector general said violated the same code of conduct Kokesh and Madden were found to have broken, according to the disciplinary recommendations of the report." Leopold posts the video and his well-researched article.
