A U.S. Army chaplain no longer faces a reprimand after being told that speaking his religious beliefs on Facebook was a violation of military policy.
“We’re very happy for Chaplain Calvert, and we commend the Army for making the right decision,” said General Counsel for First Liberty Institute Mike Berry, the attorney who represented chaplain Maj. Andrew Calvert on this issue. “No service member should ever be punished because of their religious beliefs.”
Army officials had threatened Calvert with a reprimand after they became aware of comments he made that reflected his religious beliefs and thoughts on President Joe Biden’s decision to drop former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military.
“How is rejecting reality (biology) not evidence that a person is mentally unfit (ill), and thus making that person unqualified to serve,” Calvert wrote in a Facebook comment in January. “There is little difference in this than over those who believe and argue for a ‘flat earth,’ despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.”
In an April 22 memo, Army officials accused Calvert of “violating military equal opportunity policy and violating Department of Defense policy on political activities” and using his “personal Facebook account to engage in partisan political activities.”
First Liberty attorneys intervened on behalf of Calvert’s First Amendment rights, and Army officials changed their tune.
Calvert’s record should be cleared following this dust-up. He has served in the Army for 16 years and deployed to multiple combat zones; he is also the recipient of a Bronze Star and three Meritorious Service Medals.
The line distinguishing between public and private behavior, violations of important military code, and First Amendment rights is tricky when it comes to military personnel. The military has a narrow focus and should retain authority over its service members in order to keep the purpose and strength of the military sharp and strong. Working for the military is not like working for the private sector, yet citizens are guaranteed their First Amendment rights.
While people of faith are undoubtedly blamed when issues like this arise, it is often wholly unfair. This issue ended well for Calvert, but it will surface again for someone else.
The Obama administration instigated a wave of controversy, pitting religious beliefs against gay and transgender rights and the military’s true purpose when he lifted the transgender military ban in 2016. Doing so prompted inevitable First Amendment conflicts as it thrust the military into a space that should have remained immune to political controversy, dedicated solely to our nation’s defense.
Obama and now Biden have demanded the military embrace a difficult issue for political gain; people of orthodox beliefs and our nation’s ultimate security will bear the brunt.
Nicole Russell (@russell_nm) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. She is a journalist who previously worked in Republican politics in Minnesota.
