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Religion See other Religion Articles Title: Pentagon Seeks Promotion for Academy Commander as Inquiry Set to Start Into Religious Intolerance Complaints Pentagon Seeks Promotion for Academy Commander By Robert Weller Associated Press Writer AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) - The Pentagon said Monday it wants to promote a top commander at the Air Force Academy - a born-again Christian who has been the subject of complaints that he improperly mixes religion with education. The announcement about Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida came one day before the scheduled arrival of a task force investigating allegations that cadets were pressured to attend religious services, public prayers were held before official events and Jewish cadets were harassed and insulted at the Colorado Springs school. Cadets, faculty and staff were sent e-mails Monday announcing the task force's visit and encouraging meetings with officials investigating complaints of religious intolerance. Investigators were expected to conduct interviews and focus groups starting Wednesday and to return to Washington at the end of the week. Acting Air Force Secretary Michael Dominguez established the task force last week after an internal survey and outside groups turned up the complaints. The task force is scheduled to give a preliminary report by May 23. The news about Weida's proposed promotion has only increased criticism. In an e-mail in May 2003, Weida urged cadets to "ask the Lord to give us the wisdom to discover the right. ... The Lord is in control. He has a plan." Later he issued a memo stating that cadets are accountable first to their God. Through a spokesman, Weida declined to comment Monday on either the religious tolerance issue or his pending promotion. Academy officials earlier said Weida now runs his messages by several other commanders before sending them. Pentagon spokesman Col. Gary Keck said he could not comment on whether the board that recommended Weida's promotion knew of the religious-tolerance inquiry. Keck said the board recommends promotions based on an officer's record and potential. "I am absolutely shocked that anyone would get a promotion in the middle of an investigation in which he is a central figure," said the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. His organization conducted a two-month investigation of religious intolerance at the academy and has threatened a lawsuit if corrective action isn't taken. --- On the Net: Air Force Academy: http://www.usafa.af.mil
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