A Pentagon task force is visiting the Colorado Springs campus this week to study the religious atmosphere and propose possible remedial steps.  In a letter that will be sent to the Acting Secretary of the Air Force later this week, Congresswoman Capps and other Members of Congress will ask that the group thoroughly and publicly investigate a tide of complaints about harassment of anyone not an evangelical Christian and special treatment for evangelical Christians.  The report is due May 23.

“Religious freedom is one of the bedrock principles for which the United States stands, and which the U.S. Air Force is meant to defend,” Congresswoman Capps said in her letter.  “The young men and women who volunteer to defend our nation as part of the Air Force should be able enjoy these freedoms.  But if the accusations we have learned about are true, religious freedom is under assault at one of our premier institutes for training the Air Force officer corps.”

Capps additionally expressed concern in the letter about the reassignment of Captain MeLinda Morton, a chaplain at the Air Force Academy, after her public statements about religious harassment at the academy.  “Captain Morton’s reassignment has the appearance of the Air Force punishing an officer for looking after the spiritual well being of all the cadets,” Capps said in her letter.

The Air Force's recent attention to the issue of religious intolerance and harassment at the academy stems from a study done in the wake of an earlier scandal at the school in which female cadets said commanding officers ignored or dismissed numerous cases of sexual assault by male students.

Copies of Capps’ letters to her colleagues and the Acting Secretary of the Air Force follow:

May 16, 2005

Air Force Must Act To Protect Religious Freedom For Academy Cadets

Sign on letter to Air Force Secretary Dominguez

Dear Colleague:

The men and women of our Armed Forces should be able to practice their own faiths as they see fit.  But recent reports about the practices at the Air Force Academy show that this may not always be the case.

These reports about long-term religious intolerance at the Air Force Academy are extremely troubling.  In just one example cited by the Washington Post, “one staff chaplain reportedly told newly arrived freshmen last summer that anyone not born again ‘will burn in the fires of hell.’ ”

In addition, according to several press accounts the Air Force has fired the executive officer of the Air Force Academy’s chaplain unit, Capt. MeLinda Morton, from her position.  This action appears to have been because she agreed with the reports about religious intolerance at the Academy and urged changes.  This removal is taking place just as the Pentagon is beginning an in-depth study of those charges this week. 

If this reported action against Capt. Morton by the Air Force is the service’s response to charges of religious intolerance then we may have an even more serious problem at the Academy than first envisioned.

For this reason I ask you to join me in sending the attached letter to the Secretary of the Air Force.  The letter urges the Secretary to ensure that the religious intolerance investigation is thorough and public.  The letter further requests an explanation of why Capt. Morton was removed from her post.  If you have any questions or would like to sign on the letter please contact Jeremy Sharp at 5-3601.

Sincerely,

LOIS CAPPS

Member of Congress

TEXT OF LETTER TO ACTING SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE:

Mr. Michael L. Dominguez

Acting Secretary of the Air Force

1670 Air Force Pentagon

Washington, D.C. 20330-1670

Dear Secretary Dominguez:

We write to express our concerns about the growing controversy surrounding accusations of religious intolerance and harassment at the United States Air Force Academy. 

Religious freedom is one of the bedrock principles for which the United States stands, and which the U.S. Air Force is meant to defend.  The young men and women who volunteer to defend our nation as part of the Air Force should be able enjoy these freedoms.  But if the accusations we have learned about are true, religious freedom is under assault at one of our premier institutes for training the Air Force officer corps.

Surveys of current and former cadets, findings of a team of observers from the Yale Divinity School, media reports, and statements by at least one chaplain at the Air Force Academy paint a picture of considerable religious intolerance at the academy.  Accounts of permanent faculty and chaplains telling cadets who refused evangelical efforts to convert them that they would “burn in the fires of hell” and organization of students into “heathen flights,” among other examples, suggest Government sponsorship of a particular religion and violations of the Constitution’s establishment clause.

We understand that a “cross functional task force” has been appointed to investigate this matter.  While this is a good first step, we urge you to take a direct role in making sure this investigation is thorough and public.  We are deeply concerned by parallels between this issue and the recent investigation of sexual assaults at the Air Force Academy.  In that instance the reluctance demonstrated by the academy and the Air Force to fully investigate the accusations was extremely damaging to both institutions.  It is critical that the Air Force take this matter more seriously than it initially did the cases of sexual harassment.

Furthermore, we are deeply concerned by reports that Captain MeLinda Morton, a chaplain at the Air Force Academy, is being reassigned following her public statements in this matter.  Captain Morton’s reassignment has the appearance of the Air Force punishing an officer for looking after the spiritual well being of all the cadets. 

We respectfully request that you detail for us how this investigation is being carried out and your office’s plans to ensure its legitimacy.  We further request that you explain the circumstances of Capt. Morton’s transfer and inform us of your efforts to ensure she is not being punished for doing her duty.  Thank you for your attention to this important matter.