This isn't exactly right.

A Jewish Chaplain can not perform mass. WHen my husband was in the Navy, if a chaplain was of a different faith from others on board, they would appoint a representative to act as a sort of assistant to the chaplain. One of my husbands friends did this on his ship for Catholics who were on board ship. I remember he received some additional training. If the chaplain is Jewish, then Catholic and protestants would be assitants, if the Chaplain was Catholic there would be a protestant representative.

I think a chaplain should be able to lead a worship service however he desires according to his faith, and I agree that if it is a command ceremony where service members are required to attend that the goal should be to avoid sectarianism, but I also don't think it is the end of the world if a pastors offers a prayer in Jesus' name, nor do I think malice should be ascribed to him, or even should he be punished. These are adults, they should be able to deal with it.

I don't care. Somebody.

"What's wrong with a moment of silence?"

Nothing. But if it's not religious, we don't have to have a member of the clergy initiate it.

What's wrong with a moment of silence?

There should be another way to send the message â??hey, folks, this is a serious occasionâ?? if we canâ??t have a prayer that really resembles a prayer.

Resembles a prayer to whom? Being part of the group means that you can accept generic words of goodwill from clergy as being positive. It would take hours to deliver faith specific messages, however I do believe there is a benefit to having a blessing. Avoiding it because of a few squeaky wheels would truly be a loss.

Of course it all depends on the venue, and no matter what you do, it will probably piss of the atheists. I think they need to just take the message for being a few kind words in a difficult time, and leave it at that.

Frankly, IMNSHO, people like the ICECE do more harm than good.

I don't disagree. Perhaps we should give the military more credit, as it seems their policy is more often than not leading-edge, and has instructional value for civilians. Many disagree with how they do things (don't ask-don't tell), but they do it because it works and gets them back on more important things- like the mission.

Any chaplain who cannot reconcile his duty to his religion with his duty to the military _cannot_ perform as a chaplain, and should leave the military post-haste. Period.

Frankly, IMNSHO, people like the ICECE do more harm than good.

There should be another way to send the message "hey, folks, this is a serious occasion" if we can't have a prayer that really resembles a prayer.