A member of the US Airforce was told that he could not reenlist unless he added phrase “so help me God” to his contract. The airman was “told by his superiors that he must swear to God or leave the Air Force,” according to a complaint filed by the American Humanist Association. The AHA threatened to sue commanding officers if the Air Force fails to permit members to reenlist with secular affirmations.
For its part the U.S. Air Force claims that “reciting ‘So help me God’ in the reenlistment and commissioning oaths is a statutory requirement.” They also refused to discipline the civilian trainer who posted this billboard near the Air Force Academy. The US Air Force Academy was intentionally located in a far right fundamentalist Christian neighborhood, resulting in a great pressure on the cadets similar to this billboard. That is legal but the Academy itself has had numerous problems with Christians enforcing their religion as part of the Academy training.
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Yep, it’s in the statute, and you have to take the oath prescribed by law. So, if the statute says, “So help me flying green pigs,” that’s what you have to swear or affirm. At least Congress gives you a choice between swearing or affirming.
So, in a nation with separation of Church and State, how can this past muster?
Also, why can’t a soldier annotate this oath .. e.g “Understanding that I do not believe there is a God?”