Air Force deems chaplain's call appropriate

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Apr 27, 2005 by PAM ZUBECK THE GAZETTE

An Air Force Academy chaplain's call for cadets to evangelize bunkmates during basic training was appropriate and consistent with federal workplace rules, the Air Force said Tuesday.

Maj. Warren "Chappy" Watties' message has been described by Yale University Divinity School as part of "stridently evangelical themes" during basic training that encouraged divisions rather than unity and spiritual awareness.

The Air Force said Watties, the service's chaplain of the year in 2004, acted properly because Air Force regulations allow chaplains to evangelize in the performance of their duties to those unaffiliated with another religion.

"Chaplain Watties' messages and sermons were deemed to be appropriate encouragement to his congregation to share their religious convictions, when invited and in an appropriate manner, consistent with rules governing the federal workplace," the Air Force said in a statement in response to The Gazette's written questions.

The statement noted that Watties was conducting a multidenominational Protestant worship service, not an interfaith service, and "did so in a manner consistent with his ordination as a Christian minister and his training as a chaplain." Cadets were not required to attend the service.

Yale officials also noted in their July 2004 report, first disclosed by The Gazette last week, that Watties told about 600 cadets at a Protestant service that anyone not "born again" by turning to Jesus "will burn in the fires of hell."

Academy spokesman Johnny Whi- taker said Tuesday that all academy Protestant chaplains have said in recent days that they didn't make the "fires of hell" comment or hear anyone else say it.

Watties could not be reached for comment. Whitaker said Watties told chief Chaplain Col. Michael Whittington that he invites congregants to "share the word" but didn't use the phrase "fires of hell."

"I can't find anybody who said they said what was quoted in there," Whitaker said of the Yale report.

Kristen Leslie, leader of the Yale team, a Methodist, said in an interview that Watties' actions were "wrong on a number of levels."

First, evangelizing doesn't help unit cohesion but creates an intimidating environment, she said. Second, an officer's calling cadets to "witness" to others might be seen as a command, especially by basic cadets who are powerless and even limited in what they say to officers, she said.

"They're contending the chaplains, within the power given to them, have the right to promote one particular notion of a Christian doctrine," Leslie said. "In a pluralistic environment where you have multiple-faith traditions, there still needs to be room for mutuality of consent, and in that environment (at the academy) there is not -- even among the Christians."

The Yale report has intensified focus on the academy's religious bias problem and raised questions about how deeply rooted it is. The academy has said the issue is not "systemic," but signs of religious intolerance prompted it to introduce "respect" training, which began last month.

Watties was chosen by the Military Chaplain's Association for the 2004 Distinguished Service award for his "exceptional military service and ministry," the Air Force said.

"He's the most energetic and effective chaplain here," Watties' boss at the academy, Col. Steven Sill, said last year in an interview about the award.

Watties has said he was called to the ministry while serving in the Marine Corps in 1978. He went into the Air Force Reserve in 1990 while a principal at a Christian school.

Watties went to full-time duty in 1993, serving at bases from Saudi Arabia to Colorado Springs, including a stint in Baghdad, where he baptized four troops in one of Saddam Hussein's swimming pools.

The controversy over religious intolerance arose after fliers promoting "The Passion of the Christ" movie were scattered on campus last year, and an August survey showed that more than half of cadets reported hearing religious slurs, comments and jokes.