Thursday, June 23, 2005
The Air Force Academy Evangelical Crisis - The Report is in!
Regular visitors to this site know that this the religion scandal at the Air Force Academy has become a pet project of mine. With the Academy literally only a short bicycle ride from my house, this is one of those hometown issues that has national importance.
First lets lay out the timeline:
ACADEMY TIMELINE
2003
April: Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida issues advisories to staff, faculty and cadets urging observance of National Day of Prayer.
June: Weida issues a commander’s guidance telling cadets their first duty is to God.
2004
February: A faculty and staff survey shows half of non-Christians feel people at the academy respect individuals whose religious views and faiths are different from their own.
March: Fliers promoting Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” are placed at every cadet’s place in the cafeteria.
July: Yale University Divinity School observes a week of basic training. It advises that “stridently evangelical themes” encourage religious divisions. The report isn’t made public until April.
August: More than half the cadets responding to a survey report hearing religious jokes, comments and slurs. One-third of non-Christian cadets say they believe Christian cadets get preferential treatment.
November: The academy says it received 55 complaints of religious intolerance dating to 2000.
Nov. 17: Football coach Fisher De-Berry hangs a banner in the athletic department stating, “I am a Christian first and last . . . I am a member of Team Jesus Christ.”
2005
February: DeBerry says religion is “what we’re all about” at the academy.
March 29: The academy launches Respecting the Spiritual Values of all People, RSVP, a training program of 50-minute sessions for small groups of cadets, faculty and staff.
April 28: Americans United for Separation of Church and State says its investigation finds cadets frequently are pressured to attend chapel and receive religious instruction. Report is sent to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
May 3: The Pentagon announces a task force review of the academy’s religious climate.
May 9: Weida is nominated for promotion to major general.
May 12: Academy chaplain, Capt. Melinda Morton, says she is fired for speaking out about claims of religious intolerance. Air Force officials say her duties changed as part of a planned reassignment. The Anti-Defamation League calls for the Air Force to put Weida’s promotion on hold.
May 24:
Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper sends a message to all major commands reminding them to be sensitive to all religions and for commanders to not use their office to promote a specific belief.
June 3: Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Rosa Jr. tells a meeting of the Anti-Defamation League in Denver the academy has religious bias problems that could take up to six years to fix.
June 8: The Air Force reveals Weida is under investigation by the Air Force inspector general for “specific allegations of improper conduct.” The academy confirms the retirement of Morton’s boss, Col. Michael Whittington, has been put on hold pending a Pentagon inspector general’s investigation of Morton’s dismissal as executive officer.
June 19:Rosa accepts a position as president of The Citadel but will remain at the academy for several months.
June 21: Captain Morton resigns her commision.
Thanks to the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph for this timeline.
