JWV Repeats Demands to Discipline Officers

Who Took Part in What Appeared to be a DOD Proselytizing Video

A newly released DOD Inspector General's Report confirms what the Jewish War Veterans of the USA (JWV) stated in a December 2006 press release calling for an investigation of a video featuring seven military officers in uniform endorsing an evangelical Christian organization, the "Christian Embassy:"

Groups like the "Christian Embassy," which attempt to allow the religious views of evangelical Christians to take precedence over those of other religious groups, and which violate the separation of Church and State must not continue to undermine this most important underpinning of our democracy.

According to this new report, the appearance of these officers "violated ethical standards by appearing or participating in a Christian fundraising video filmed inside Pentagon hallways." The report urges "appropriate corrective action" against those officers, among whose ranks are four generals. The Army and Air Force are considering these recommendations, according to spokesmen for the two services.

The time for considering appropriate action is long past, and the time for taking such action is now. The JWV urges that appropriate action be taken immediately to discipline those who appeared in such a video in uniform thus violating the most basic cornerstones of our democracy, freedom of religion and the separation of Church and State.

The Army and the Air Force must act immediately to staunch the violations of these principles upon which our country was founded. The JWV has defended these principles since its founding in 1896, and states proudly in the preamble to its Constitution that it stands "To maintain true allegiance to the United States of America; to foster and perpetuate true Americanism; to combat whatever tends to impair the efficiency and permanency of our free institutions."

The violation of the principle of the separation of Church and State as represented in the appearance of American military officers in uniform in a video promoting one religion over the other is an egregious example of the impairment of the permanency of our free institutions.

We urge the Army and Air Force to implement the "appropriate corrective action" as soon as possible to send the undeniable message that such violations will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

«Return to Previous Page