{"id":573532,"date":"2021-06-24T23:21:50","date_gmt":"2021-06-25T03:21:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=573532"},"modified":"2021-06-24T23:21:53","modified_gmt":"2021-06-25T03:21:53","slug":"army-backs-off-chaplain-threatened-with-reprimand-after-questioning-mental-fitness-of-trans-troops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/army-backs-off-chaplain-threatened-with-reprimand-after-questioning-mental-fitness-of-trans-troops\/","title":{"rendered":"Army Backs Off Chaplain Threatened With Reprimand After Questioning Mental Fitness Of Trans Troops"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Farmy-backs-off-chaplain-threatened-with-reprimand-after-questioning-mental-fitness-of-trans-troops%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=573532&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-471159121-1200x800-1.jpg\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\"  style=\"display:none\"><\/div>\n<p>The U.S. Army backed off from punishing a chaplain who faced a potentially career-ending rebuke following a Facebook post in which he questioned whether transgender people possess the mental fitness to serve in the military.<\/p>\n<p>The First Liberty Institute, which legally represented Chaplain Maj. Andrew Calvert, announced Thursday that the Army will not be issuing a formal reprimand against Calvert, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.christianpost.com\/news\/army-chaplain-who-opposes-trans-troops.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Christian Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCalvert recently contested a reprimand he received after posting from his Facebook page his opposition to the Biden administration\u2019s intention of dropping a Trump-era ban on trans-identified troops serving in the armed forces,\u201d The Christian Post reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Army issued Calvert a General Officer Memorandum of Reprimand on April 22 after screenshots were sent to the 3rd Forces Assistance Brigade\u2019s Facebook account of Calvert\u2019s Jan. 25 comment on a news article reporting on the plan to reverse the transgender military ban. An investigator determined that the chaplain had violated a Defense Department directive and suspended him from his duties,\u201d the outlet added.<\/p>\n<p>According to First Liberty,\u00a0Calvert\u2019s record will be cleared and he will remain eligible for future promotions and assignments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re very happy for Chaplain Calvert and we commend the Army for making the right decision,\u201d First Liberty General Counsel Mike Berry said in a statement. \u201cNo service member should ever be punished because of their religious beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As The Daily Wire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/army-investigating-chaplain-who-said-transgender-people-unqualified-to-serve\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reported<\/a>, Calvert stoked controversy in January when he wrote on a military newspaper\u2019s Facebook page:\u00a0\u201cHow is rejecting reality (biology) not evidence that a person is mentally unfit (ill), and thus making that person unqualified to serve?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is little difference [in] this than over those who believe and argue for a \u2018flat earth\u2019 despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary,\u201d Calvert, who is a chaplain with the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade in Fort Hood, continued. \u201cThe motivation is different, but the argument is the same. This person is a MedBoard for Mental Wellness waiting to happen. What a waste of military resources and funding!\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\" readability=\"8.8375451263538\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">So Andrew Calvert is a chaplain on active duty in the <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/3rdSFAB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@3rdSFAB<\/a> and he equates trans troops to flat-earthers. <\/p>\n<p>He cannot be trusted to support soldiers for another minute <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecArmy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@SecArmy<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/TransBanRepeal?src=hash&#038;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#TransBanRepeal<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/OwDqKFPerf\">pic.twitter.com\/OwDqKFPerf<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Naveed Shah \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@ArmyofNaveed) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ArmyofNaveed\/status\/1353881783377551363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 26, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>After backlash, the Army\u2019s Security Force Assistance Command released a statement condemning Calvert\u2019s comments and claiming they were \u201cunder investigation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>An advocacy group came to Calvert\u2019s defense, as The Daily Wire <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/chaplain-advocacy-group-urges-army-leadership-to-back-off-chaplain-who-opposes-trans-people-in-military\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reported<\/a>:<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"21.788687299893\">\n<p><em>The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, which according to their website has \u201cled the effort to secure the religious liberties of chaplains and those whom they serve\u201d since 2011, released a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chaplainalliance.org\/news\/17-may-2021\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">statement<\/a> Monday urging senior Army leadership to dismiss their charges against Chaplain Major Andrew Calvert.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Explaining they were \u201cgravely concerned\u201d about Calvert\u2019s punishment, the group wrote in part:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWhile at the time of his post, Chaplain Calvert\u2019s statements were fully consistent with and supportive of existing DOD policy, it is far more concerning to note that his post was also consistent with his sincerely held religious beliefs \u2013 the same beliefs held by the overwhelmingly vast majority of faith groups in the United States who believe transgenderism to be immoral.\u00a0Chaplain Calvert represents a Christian faith tradition, is a highly decorated soldier, and expressed views within his legal right to express.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cChaplain Calvert is a decorated soldier with an exemplary record. He faces having his career ruined simply because he expressed his religious views on his personal Facebook page,\u201d said Mike Berry, general counsel at First Liberty Institute, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globenewswire.com\/news-release\/2021\/05\/12\/2228433\/0\/en\/Highly-Decorated-Army-Chaplain-Appeals-Career-Ending-Punishment-for-Expressing-His-Religious-Beliefs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in a press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThroughout Chaplain Calvert\u2019s military career, he has personified selfless service and sacrifice, and a desire to provide for the spiritual needs of those under his care. Punishing a chaplain because of their expressed religious belief is illegal and wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related<\/strong>: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/highest-ranking-u-s-military-official-defends-teaching-crt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WATCH: \u2018I\u2019ve Read Mao Tse-Tung. I\u2019ve Read Karl Marx. I\u2019ve Read Lenin. That Doesn\u2019t Make Me A Communist\u2019: Top-Ranking U.S. Military Official Defends Teaching Critical Race Theory<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a<\/i>\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\">member<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The U.S. Army backed off from punishing a chaplain who faced a potentially career-ending rebuke following a Facebook post in which he questioned whether transgender people possess the mental fitness &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2281304,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-471159121-1200x800-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Army Backs Off Chaplain Threatened With Reprimand After Questioning Mental Fitness Of Trans Troops","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-573532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/GettyImages-471159121-1200x800-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"Army Backs Off Chaplain Threatened With Reprimand After Questioning Mental Fitness Of Trans Troops","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=573532"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/573532\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2281304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=573532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=573532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=573532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}