The demands placed on our military in the past fifteen years have been daunting. Most of our soldiers have made at least one trip to Afghanistan or Iraq (or both), and many have come home deeply affected by what they have seen there. A large percentage of these soldiers suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and the suicide rate among military war veterans is higher than the civilian population. You would think that the military would be encouraging its Chaplains to be a major force in the healing of these men. Think again.

CBN News is reporting today that Navy Chaplain Lt. Cmdr. Wes Modder will not be discharged from the Navy because of his religious views.

The article reports:

His commander, Capt. Jon Fahs, had been pushing for Modder’s ouster, citing comments Modder allegedly made in counseling sessions critical of premarital sex and homosexual relations.

In a letter, the Navy Personnel Command said the evidence doesn’t meet the standard of gross negligence or complete disregard for duty needed to boot out an officer. It also cited a lack of documentation in his personal record backing charges of poor performance.

“There was no record of counseling. There was no letter of instruction given to Chaplain Modder by the command and non-judicial punishment was not conducted,” one official told Military Times.

The Chaplain espoused the Biblical view of sex and marriage. As a Christian Chaplain, that is what I would expect him to do. Oddly enough, Jewish teaching and Islamic teaching also support his views on marriage, homosexuality, and premarital sex. Military Chaplains have been a tradition in America since America has had a military. They provide a necessary outlet for soldiers in difficult situations–either at home or away from home. It is a shame that the military wasted their time on this matter. The problem is not the Chaplain–it is his commander.