AF colonel accused of imposing religion

[lebkuchen]

Source: Stars & Stripes

RAF MILDENHALL, England — An Air Force colonel is being criticized for improperly referring airmen under her command to a far-right religious Web site.

Col. Kimberly K. Toney sent a e-mail Jan. 16 to the 501st Combat Support Wing inviting airmen to enjoy a linked video highlighting an inspirational individual on 4marks.com, a Roman Catholic Web site.

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Air Force Master Sgt. Jeffrey L. Thompson, a member of the 501st, sent a letter to Toney that complained she had inappropriately advanced her faith in an official capacity.

***

In the Feb. 2 letter to Toney, Thompson contended in his letter that the e-mail violated Air Force regulations regarding religious proselytizing. He also said the Web site 4marks.com "explicitly promotes an atmosphere that is hostile to our commander-in-chief, which is potentially detrimental to the good order and discipline of our unit." One posting on the Web site features President Barack Obama in a Nazi uniform with a Hitler-style moustache, while other content claims Obama "wants to murder babies that have survived abortion."






Read more: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=60597

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This article is headline news in today's Stars & Stripes. Note that the COL has held her position since 2007. I speak from personal experience working on a US overseas military base throughout the Bush administration years that every position the Bushies could impact in their likeness, they did, military and civilian positions alike.

[BOSSHOG]

1. COURT MARTIAL NOW!!

Per the website, sedition charges are in order. She does not belong in uniform, she belongs in jail.

[MineralMan]

2. Too cool. An Msgt against a Colonel...with the

enlisted man in the right, where regulations are concerned.
I like it.

[sarge43]

10. Senior noncoms know the regs. More importantly, they have

street cred and aren't easily intimidated. Lower grades can be pushed around; the big hounds not so much.

[MineralMan]

13. This is true. A Msgt can write a letter to a commander

expressing concern over a breach of regulations on the commander's part, as long as he/she does it in the appropriate polite tone.

If the commander continues the violations of orders, after receiving the letter, the Msgt may, with impunity, report on this to the next level of command. Again, all using the correct form and without any insubordination.

Officers who ignore this process don't last long.

[TheWraith]

3. The religious right has infected the Air Force to a really horrible extent.

There's a lot of pressure in the AF and AF Academy to conform to the right-wing Christian Dominionist sorts of beliefs.

[donco6]

15. Yes.

Focus on the Family is within visual range of the AF Academy in CO Springs. And they make the most of it.

[The Backlash Cometh]

24. That can't be stressed enough.

[rusty quoin]

4. I wonder how common this type of thing is in the Air Force.

It's sure changed since I was in.

[sarge43]

9. Sure has. I once saw a sergent get jumped for having a bible on his desk.

Boss, I say she should be nailed for fomenting insubordination, re the CinC diss on that site.

[nookiemonster]

22. Me too.

I separated in 92, guess alot has changed since then. Yikes!

:scared:

[FLyellowdog]

5. We don't need no stinking colonel!

[Tempest]

6. The Bushies strike again

They said they were going to put a stop to this after the Air Force Academy scandal broke.

Another lie from the most corrupt administration in American history.

[lebkuchen]

7. The "Christian " website includes a Rush/Coulter interview blasting Obama

http://www.4marks.com/videos/details.html?video_id=978

[jmowreader]

27. Come now...

when Shrub said he was going to put a stop to "this," the "this" was "people reporting fundamentalist attacks. If you thought he meant he was going to put a stop to the fundamentalist attacks...well, you were wrong.

[DCKit]

8. The worm is turning.

Too stupid to realize that BushCo no longer has their backs?

[lebkuchen]

12. Obama has the majority of the military covering his back

putting a stop to this kind of crap as soon as it hits their inbox.

There were so many complaints about the 2008 e-mail inre: the mythology of Obama being "Muslim" making the rounds on US govt. computers that Stripes had to print a warning to readers, from the powers that be, that misuse of Outlook would not be tolerated.

[nichomachus]

11. The AF is a rat's nest of religious extremism

[southernyankeebelle]

14. Religion and the Military

My father and father-in-law were retired military. My husband was a chaplain's assistant in the army for 21 yrs. He retired before Bush II took over. Never in the time my husband was in the military did anyone try to impose their religion on anyone. My husband as a senior enlisted soldier would have made sure if a soldier had a problem he would have made sure the higher ups knew about it.

[dodger501]

16. Say hello to

Lieutenant Kimberly K. Toney

[sarge43]

17. No, she won't be busted. At best she'll be handed retirement papers.

No hail and farewell ceremonies, just a go away and don't let the main gate hit your ass.

[tanyev]

19. Then she'll go on a speaking tour of fundie churches, whining about

how she was "persecuted" for her faith.

[sarge43]

20. No doubt. It's one of the things that type does best - whine.

Plus, she'd do the same if she were busted to ranks, especially if she were busted. Then, she's a martyr rather than just another bird with clipped wings.

[byeya]

18. When I saw the headline, I asked myself,

which religion is it that this officer is pushing? Wiccan? Taoism. Unitarianism. Then I thought: ProtFundy! and I was right. Did anyone else guess this answer?

[barbtries]

21. i never thought of any other n/t

[MellowDem]

25. It says Roman Catholic actually...

and evangelical, which you are referring to, is not often thought of as "Protestant". But I'm glad you take such joy in your (wrong) assumptions and steryotypes.

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. Good job for whoever turned her in.

[jody]

26. I agree with Thompson re religious influence but IMO irreligious influence is also improper. n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

28. Does the military have a problem with "irreligious influence?" -nt