Yeshiva Pirchei Shoshanim based in Lakewood, N.J. an official “endorsing agency” for Torah Observant Jewish chaplains has come out strongly in support of legal efforts to defend a Christian chaplain punished by the U.S. Army for incorporating his faith into a suicide prevention training session. The controversy is mushrooming in the media and throughout the Army.

“We are outraged at the recent incident involving United States Army Chaplain (Captain) Joseph Lawhorn,” stated Rabbi Dovid Becker, Director of Chaplain Services for Yeshiva Pirchei Shoshanim (YPS). “We support the right of all Army chaplains, regardless of their faith background, to incorporate faith and spiritual health into suicide prevention training.”

More service members’ lives are lost each year to suicide than in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. As a result, the military has devoted unprecedented resources to promote service member mental and emotional health.

As part of that effort, on November 20, 2014, United States Army Chaplain Joe Lawhorn participated in suicide prevention training for the soldiers in his unit, the 5th Ranger Training Battalion. During the training, Chaplain Lawhorn, who himself earned the prestigious Army Ranger tab, discussed his own personal struggles and how he used the Bible to successfully combat his depression.

He provided an optional handout for those in attendance. On one side of the handout, Chaplain Lawhorn described the experiences of King David. Chaplain Lawhorn described King David as a warrior king whose story provides a historical example of how to cope with combat-related stress. On the other side of the handout, Chaplain Lawhorn provided references to four local counseling service providers. Two of the four were secular, the other two were faith-based.

Lawhorn received an ovation from the grateful troops—yet ended up in hot water with his commander.

One of the soldiers in attendance complained to the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, an atheist advocacy group. The soldier’s complaint was soon publicized in the media. In response, Army Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade Commander, Colonel David G. Fivecoat, issued Chaplain Lawhorn a Letter of Concern—potentially a career-hampering, or career-ending, consequence. The Letter alleged that Chaplain Lawhorn “advocated for . . . Christianity and used Christian scripture and solutions” during his suicide prevention class.

Rabbi Becker warns, “We believe the Letter of Concern is inappropriate and will have negative consequences for all military chaplains.”

Liberty Institute is defending Chaplain Lawhorn, and they say that the law—including military law—is on the chaplain’s side. Mike Berry, a former Marine JAG officer and now Senior Counsel and Director of Military Affairs for Liberty Institute, says that Lawhorn was actually following, not violating, military policy.

Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization exclusively dedicated to defending religious liberty in America. Berry successfully represented Air Force veteran Phillip Monk when he complained of religious discrimination that could have ended his career. Instead, Monk is retiring with honors. Berry also represented Army Lieutenant Colonel Charles Pudil in a religious discrimination dispute, Pudil’s reprimand was torn up and he was actually given the opportunity to help the Army better handle religious conflicts. Now Liberty Institute has formally requested that the Army remove the Letter of Concern for Chaplain Lawhorn.

Army regulations and policy, Berry claims, not only permit chaplains to discuss spiritual matters during suicide prevention training, but officially encourage such use of spiritual content.

“It is outrageous that an Army chaplain would have his career threatened because he cared so much about his soldiers that he opened up to them about his personal struggles, and what worked for him,” said Berry.
“That is the very definition of looking out for your soldiers. At a time when military suicides are increasing, one would assume the last thing the Army should do is punish a soldier who is trying to prevent them.”

Liberty Institute’s letter also states that punishing Chaplain Lawhorn because of his religious expression violates the Constitution, federal and state law, and military regulations that protect chaplains’ religious expression.

“This sets a very dangerous precedent,” said Berry. “If the Army can punish a chaplain for providing religious and secular resources, it’s going to have a chilling effect on all chaplains and service members.”

Liberty Institute has a confidential toll-free military religious liberty hotline at 800-259-9109, or can be reached at LibertyInstitute.org.

Berry agrees with Rabbi Becker about the danger of not standing up for lawful rights. “This issue should alarm all who value religious freedom,” he says. “Hostility towards one chaplain’s religious freedom is an affront to the religious freedom of all chaplains, regardless of their faith background.”

Yeshiva Pirchei Shoshanim through its Chaplains have opened a new level of Dialogue amongst the hundreds of Endorsers sanctioned by the Department of Defense. YPS seeks to disseminate the knowledge of the legal rights of both the Chaplains and all those in the active Military component. With a suicide occurring on the average of every 25 hours in the Military along with that of Veterans who also take their own lives at the rate of 22 daily Pirchei Shoshanim is making it known to the American Public just how much a necessary component and backbone the Chaplaincyis to the entire United States Military effort.

Those seeking to join the U.S. Military Chaplaincy can call 732-370-3344, or write to [email protected] or go to the www.shemayisrael.com website. There is such a tremendous need for qualified individuals in all branches of the service. Yeshiva Pirchei Shoshanim is privileged now to partner with the Liberty Institute in seeking to represent those in the Military regardless of religious affiliation who now will know they have a voice and rights that were very rarely heard.

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