There Really Are No Atheists in Foxholes...

... because we keep throwing them out of the service when we find them... [c.f. Soldier's Promotion Hosed for Religious Belief]

You know, it's not like America doesn't have enough problems/enemies without a small cadre of bloviating gasbags trying to make us turn on each other. This is really the basest kind of stoopidity...

According to the U.S. Census and surveys like the American Religious Identification Survey that nearly 15 percent of Americans, that's almost 30 million people, have no religious affiliation. While about a million are identified as "atheist" the others are agnostic, humanist, secular or simply say "No Religion."

How crazy is it that we are tossing 30 million Americans under the bus when it comes to serving our country because they can't profess a belief in God? And the reason for withholding the promotion of this one individual stretches the credulity of the Army to the absolute breaking point: "According to the lawsuit, Hall was counseled by his platoon sergeant after being informed that his promotion was blocked. He says the sergeant explained that Hall would be 'unable to put aside his personal convictions and pray with his troops' and would have trouble bonding with them if promoted to a leadership position."

Would someone please point out to me where in FM 6-22: "Army Leadership" or FM 22-51: "Leader's Manual for Combat Stress Control" or FM 1-05: "Religious Support" it says that the ability to lead your troops in prayer is necessary for unit cohesion and mission efficiency?

Because I can nearly guarantee that when bullets are flying and all hell's broken loose and you are looking to your leaders in the field to get you through alive, you want to see active, swift, calm, decisive leadership ... As for me, if I were in a hot zone and the world is all turned to sound and fury, and I look to my platoon or squad leader, the last thing I want when it's go-time is to see is that person doubled over in a prayer position rubbing their rosary beads...

mojo sends