‘We will not lie, steal or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does. Furthermore, I resolve to do my duty and to live honorably, so help me God.’”
This is the Honor Oath taken by all USAF Academy (AFA) Cadets when they are accepted into the Cadet wing at the conclusion of Basic Cadet Training.
Correction- this was the honor oath. Earlier this month, the USAF Academy announced that the words "so help me God" would no no longer be included in its honor oath.
The rationale? “Here at the Academy, we work to build a culture of dignity and respect, and that respect includes the ability of our cadets, Airmen and civilian Airmen to freely practice and exercise their religious preference — or not,” Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson, who serves as the Academy’s superintendent, said in an official statement.
Apparently, who ordered that is TBD, but in an email from a Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) which is an E-7,8 or 9, depending on unit size, stated the following:
This is the Honor Oath taken by all USAF Academy (AFA) Cadets when they are accepted into the Cadet wing at the conclusion of Basic Cadet Training.
Correction- this was the honor oath. Earlier this month, the USAF Academy announced that the words "so help me God" would no no longer be included in its honor oath.
The rationale? “Here at the Academy, we work to build a culture of dignity and respect, and that respect includes the ability of our cadets, Airmen and civilian Airmen to freely practice and exercise their religious preference — or not,” Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson, who serves as the Academy’s superintendent, said in an official statement.
“So in the spirit of respect,” she continued, “cadets may or may not choose to finish the Honor Oath with ‘So help me God.’”
So the AFA is pro-choice.
Correction- in the AFA's Cadet handbook, “so help me God” has already been removed. Apparently it's a bit hush hush on who ordered that as the AFA's Public Affairs Office stated that a Freedom of Information request must be submitted to get that question answered.
From the NEWSMAX article:
The complaint came after the Colorado Springs Independent newspaper published a photograph of a poster at the academy, which included the oath, and then forwarded the photo to Military Religious Freedom Foundation president Mikey Weinstein, a frequent critic of Christianity in the armed forces.
But Weinstein, while applauding the decision to make the oath optional, questioned how it will be applied.
If the person who leads the oath includes the words, Weinstein said, cadets who don't say the phrase may feel vulnerable.
"What does it mean, 'optional'?" Weinstein said. "The best thing is to eliminate it."
But Weinstein, while applauding the decision to make the oath optional, questioned how it will be applied.
If the person who leads the oath includes the words, Weinstein said, cadets who don't say the phrase may feel vulnerable.
"What does it mean, 'optional'?" Weinstein said. "The best thing is to eliminate it."
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In other news, Navy SEALs have been ordered to remove ‘don’t tread on me’ Navy Jack from uniforms. This is a patch similar to the Gadsden Flag with the coiled snake:
Apparently, who ordered that is TBD, but in an email from a Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) which is an E-7,8 or 9, depending on unit size, stated the following:
ALL:
WARCOM and GROUP TWO/ONE have pushed out the uniform policy for NWU III and any patches worn on the sleeve.
All personnel are only authorized to wear the matching “AOR” American Flag patch on the right shoulder. You are no longer authorized to wear the “Don’t Tread On Me” patch.
Again the only patch authorized for wear is the American flag on the right shoulder. Please pass the word to all.
SEAs usually don't operate unilaterally, making up orders as they go along. They work closely with the CO, XO, or Chief of Staff in their day to day duties and almost definitely were given orders to put out this uniform policy from NAVSPECWARCOM. What pushed that Command to change the uniform policy? According to the article on The Daily Caller,
"When a friend of mine asked his leadership the same question, he was told, “The Jack is too closely associated with radical groups.” We must assume that this thought policeman embedded in the SEAL community is speaking of the Tea Party, whose flag (which also dates from the American Revolution) depicts a snake with the same defiant slogan as The Navy Jack."
Tea Party members, American patriots who just want the government out of their lives, lower taxes, and more liberty, they are now considered Radical Groups.
~banging my head repeatedly on my keyboard~
ReplyDeleteEnough is enough.
Oh.My.God.
ReplyDeleteWhat the Hell happened to my Air Force?
Let it be known that from this day forth, the "Old" in "OldAFSarge", which used to indicate that I am old, will now symbolize that I was a Sergeant in the OLD AIR FORCE. The Air Force of Ritchie, DeBellevue, Rasimus, Olds and Day. NOT this new wimpified, politically correct assemblage of politicians in uniform.
For those who currently wear the Air Force Blue and still believe in the values which made this country great, persevere my brothers and sisters in arms. This bullshit can't last forever. And for those who wear the uniform and believe in this crap? Resign, get out, desert, whatever. You have no honor and you disgrace the uniform. You aren't worthy to lick the boots of those who went before you.
And Tuna, this was brilliant. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Yup. It's Not Your Father's Air Force any longer. (I'd shamelessly plug here but you know what I'm on about.)
Delete.....so it was ordered, and then we became England. The end.
ReplyDeleteB.O. promised to fundamentally change this country. Did anyone think the armed forces wouldn't be included?
ReplyDeleteThe ones doing the "changing", and their sons and daughters, won't be the ones dying, they think. They are wrong. Without a strong defense, our enemies will gleefully attack us.
I've noticed that God flourishes when he is denied by the State. In so far as the uniform goes, the SEALS have a little trouble with trifling things like uniform regulations but the way the order was phrased tells me it was one of the b/s admin nitpickers on the east coast who got all lathered up over one of the 213 standard uniform variations practiced by members of the navy.
ReplyDeleteGuess it's a good thing Kitty Hawk is gone, since that was her flag!!!
ReplyDeleteStrangely, I'm not that upset about the AFA Honor Code oath deal as neither WP nor Canoe U have a reference to God in theirs, but of course I DO full-well understand the anti-Christian multi-culti PC sentiment behind the move..
ReplyDeleteIn re the patch deal from afar it's hard to tell if it was actually ordered from on-high outside the Seal/Special Forces Command structure or was a localized knee-jerk reaction from the Big Kids/thought-police at Command-level to the "felt" PC "pressures"/public pronouncements of their CinC'/Dear Leader.. After all, Naval ships still fly the Navy Jack as per an amendment to the NAVY CODE called SECNAV Instruction 10520.6 which clearly states that as of 31 May 2002 all Navy ships will fly the flag "for the duration of the War on Terror " So it seems that this is NOT an ALL-Navy thing--yet..
Really? Let the liberals question a Navy Seal to his face re: the 'Don't Tread on Me' patch...
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm not surprised about the removal of 'so help me God'......it might offend someone who is being sworn in to uphold the constitution of a Christian country...sigh