Pentagon: DADT Repeal Won't Change Anything For Military Chaplains

By Adelle M. Banks
Religion News Service

WASHINGTON -- The pending repeal of the U.S. military's ban on openly gay members will not change policies related to chaplains, the Pentagon stated Friday (Jan. 28).

"There will be no changes regarding service member exercise of religious beliefs, nor are there any changes to policies concerning the chaplain corps of the military departments and their duties," reads a six-page memo about implementing the repeal of the Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy.

It notes that chaplains will continue to be required to "care for all," and their First Amendment freedoms will remain unchanged.

"When chaplains are engaged in the performance of religious services, they may not be required to engage in practices contrary to their religious beliefs," it reads.

In November, the military issued a comprehensive review of the planned repeal and concluded "special attention" should be given to the chaplains corps because of sharp differences on the issue. But that report also concluded existing rules protecting chaplains' First Amendment rights were "adequate" for the ban's repeal.

Officials of some chaplains' organizations have opposed the repeal and questioned whether chaplains who oppose homosexuality will be protected.

The exact effective date of the repeal remains unclear, but President Obama said in his State of the Union address it would occur this year.

Comments

[Edward Standley]

08:51 PM on 02/02/2011

I realize that some soldiers and sailors like to have chaplains, but it would seem that a secular government shouldn't supply them. It might be more appropriate for tax exempt churches to supply them.

[FreedToChoose]

04:31 PM on 02/02/2011

The headline, "DADT Repeal Won't Change Anything For Military Chaplains", while correct, is misleading to those who read it as saying there will be no change in Chaplin requirements to counsel the distraught irrespective of sexual orientation. Moreover, it will change the nature of their ministry such that is\t will change the type of person 'called' to military chaplinry. Great!

[Bellla]

01:16 PM on 02/02/2011

Will Air Force Chaplains still get to deliver homophobic rants purporting to be "sermons"?

[onionboy]

01:05 PM on 02/02/2011

Translation - Do you're frickin' jobs!

Calling or not, military chaplains are paid to do a job and they swore an oath. If the military changes its policies, they're held to uphold them all the same. If they don't like it, they can leave at the earliest opportunity their commitment allows. Until then, tow the company line.

[RedLeg2]

03:33 PM on 02/02/2011

that sounds about right

[mikevab]

10:14 AM on 02/02/2011

I've read through a large number of comments on this topic, they range from some who think there should be no chaplains at all, to others who think all chaplains are homophobes. The truths is really in the middle. I'm a Christian, I'm a retired Navy Chief (23 Years), and I'm Gay. I went often to chapel services on board ship, as well as being a member of a local church. When you, as a service member are away from home and are not able to go to the church of your choice, it is nice to have religious services available to you. Just like the military provides stores to buy things you need, and libraries to borrow books, and clubs for recreation, they also provide access to religious services through the military chaplains. Are some of them religious zealots and make their feelings known, sure, just like in any community. Most are, as some have stated, very professional and would never let their personal faith stop them from helping anyone in need. The military is just another community, the people in the military are made up of the same type of people in your community. A chaplain in a personal counseling session should NOT EVER let his or her personal faith interfere with their willingness to help a service member in need, and most would never let that happen.

[WheelsOnFire]

07:27 PM on 02/01/2011

What about the chaplains who actually adhere to the 10 Commandments, and especially the one about "thou shalt not kill"?

Don't they see the hypocrisy of being a chaplain to those who exist to kill?

[ManuOB1]

08:11 PM on 02/01/2011

Actually the original meant do not murder your fellow countrymen. The Israelites were quite able warriors and, after all, it's their Torah.

[GinnyW]

02:07 AM on 02/02/2011

Wheels, that is an incorrect translation; in the original Aramaic the word is not "kill", but "murder", which is to kill without justification.  God did a whole lot of "slewing" himself, so it doesn't make sense that the mistaken translation is valid.  Just as "lie" is a corruption of the original for "bear false witness", to lie after being sworn before a judge and provide testimony which has adverse effects on the person being tried.

[El Superbeasto]

05:49 PM on 02/01/2011

What about the chaplains that opposed de-segregation on religious grounds... what happened to them?

[writerjohnny]

04:07 PM on 02/01/2011

The only thing good about military chaplains is they don't have as much access to kids.

[schnauzergirl]

03:57 PM on 02/01/2011

Unless a soldier is seeking out a chaplain specificly to discuss his/her homosexuality the the cahplain can refer them to anther if he so chooses. Any other reason a soldier might seek counsel should not be a problem for any chaplain.

What disturbes me is that there is no secular alternative to the "counseling" service the chaplian corps provides. The only option is talking with a mental health professional and that shows up on your record, talking to the local unit's padre does not.

[Loggietoad]

05:20 PM on 02/01/2011

Yes there is...the military provides counselors and psychiatrists. They also have a referral program that allows you to go off post to see a civilian provider of your choice.

[Loggietoad]

02:27 PM on 02/01/2011

So what's the problem?

[Jdaddy1951]

11:01 AM on 02/01/2011

So --- what does this mean, exactly? There are evangelical and conservative chaplains whose belief systems don't include acceptance of homosexuality. Will they still be allowed to say so, publicly, or is this a new application of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" If a gay or lesbian service member feels the chaplain is "not caring for all" or being abusive of a same-sex oriented service member, will there be grounds for addressing the abuse?

Seems to me like requiring chaplains to "care for all" and still being allowed to practice their own prejudiced beliefs is an accident --- or a lawsuit --- waiting to happen.

Better the directive should say, "Chaplains, the military respects all its service members. If you don't like it, you are free to go back to the civilian sector and try your luck there."

[morgansher]

11:09 AM on 02/01/2011

I agree with you - if they don't like it, they can return to civilian life. I reckon there are other clergy who do support gay rights who would be just fine additions to the chaplain's corps.

[Jdaddy1951]

12:12 PM on 02/01/2011

And I imagine, if they can't find a civilian-related job right away, there is plenty of standing room at the local unemployment office.

[Loggietoad]

12:36 PM on 02/01/2011

I guess you've never heard a sermon by a military chaplain...they don't talk about issues like homosexuality, politics, etc. It's very generalized to allow for all Soldiers of various denominations to participate.

Your last statement is pretty offensive. It's akin to a thought police type mentality. Soldiers can think whatever they want. Would you have wanted Soldiers kicked out because they didn't like George Bush? Chaplains are for the most part pretty professional, I doubt this is going to be an issue to anyone but HuffPo.

[Jdaddy1951]

01:19 PM on 02/01/2011

I agree that chaplains, for the most part, are professional. But there are a few who actively push their homosexual views. I don't really care if you are offended or not. I've been offended by religious homophobes most of my life. I'm glad the U.S. military has adopted a policy which requires that chaplains support ALL personnel. I will assume that if their religious beliefs don't allow them to be supportive of gay and lesbian service personnel, they will have to go into the civilian sector to preach their hatred.

And your suggestion that no one but the military should be allowed to have an opinion on the subject is pretty elitist and suggests that you've forgotten that while the military does serve all the people of this country and deserves respect for that, it also is EMPLOYED by all the people of this country and should show its employers respect. You are dismissed.

[lawmed]

07:15 PM on 02/01/2011

Uh...no...the CHAPLAINS are the ones for whom this is an issue....read the story:

"Officials of some chaplains' organizations have opposed the repeal and questioned whether chaplains who oppose homosexuality will be protected."

[squat6971]

10:41 AM on 02/01/2011

Any chaplains who don't like it, can walk.

[StevieRayB]

07:04 AM on 02/01/2011

Military Chaplains... now there's an oxymoron if ever there was one. Let's bless our solders to go out and kill in the name of someone's god.

I have never, and will never believe that our taxpayer dollars should fund one single bit of religious nonsense for the troops. If our troops want to worship some god (be it Christian or otherwise) then that is and should be a personal matter but not funded by the taxpayer.


StevieRayB, Major USAF (Retired)

[elijah24]

08:25 AM on 02/01/2011

2nded

JayR. Sgt. US Army (Current)

[morgansher]

11:11 AM on 02/01/2011

Thirded.

Morgan Bagi Sheridan
Sgt. USAF (1974-1979)

[grf67]

05:32 AM on 02/01/2011

If the chaplins cannot support the decisions of the Commander in Chief and the leadership of the military, they should find other jobs.

[WheelsOnFire]

07:35 PM on 02/01/2011

Even stronger than that. If they cannot or will not support the decisions of their commanding officers, they should be court martialed and given a dishonorable discharge.

[FaceTheTruth00]

04:22 AM on 02/01/2011

Well that's the only positive thing in this whole ordeal. The fact that they can't punish chaplains for having their beliefs and upholding the beliefs of their religion.

[elijah24]

09:33 AM on 02/01/2011

Yeah, nevermind that we cant discriminate against people for being who they are. Its much better news that homophobic chaplains are allowed to continue to practice bigotry.

[Loggietoad]

02:31 PM on 02/01/2011

In what way are they practicing bigotry?

[Jennifer Mead]

10:31 AM on 02/01/2011

There are many positive things about the repeal. Keeping chaplains hanging onto to homophobia is not one of them.