According to one of the military's fiercest critics when it comes to protecting the religious freedom of all personnel, a new Air Force Academy Superintendent has ushered in a remarkable turnaround in the climate of religious tolerance and diversity. Recently an institution highly criticized for consistent allegations of religious harassment among cadets, Mikey Weinstein says conditions have greatly improved. New strategies and new leadership seem to have made all the difference.
The academy superintendent, Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, says the improvements are the result of a topdown campaign to foster respect and a commitment to accommodate all cadets, even nonbelievers and an "Earth-centered" religious group that needed a place for a stone circle so it could worship outdoors.
"If we are going to have success in our primary mission of developing leaders of character, we have to do that based on respect in all things, whether we're talking gender, race or religion," Gould said.
Academy commanders say the school has started to seek out the religious needs of its cadets and accommodate them, instead of waiting for cadets to ask.
I don't know of a more determined church-state advocate than Weinstein, who has been a true pioneer in both exposing and challenging religious bias in the US military. If he says it's getting better, I believe him.
