Religious Objector Quits Academy: Army Wants Recoupment

I salute him for that and personally I think he is completely sincere but that doesn't give him a free pass.

While dealing with the bureaucracy of the academy I have had my complaints ignored by several members of my direct military chain of command. The ranking chaplain here responded to some of these instances of clear prejudice with the useless statement that he will "do what [he] can in good conscience" (which was nothing) instead of fulfilling his legal obligations. In dealing with the Directorate of Cadet Activities I have seen the Secular Student Alliance denied recognition for two years because the former director of the organization did not see a reason to recognize an organization for support of nonreligious West Point cadets. Even after finally receiving hard-fought recognition this year, that same organization continues to work with us only half-heartedly. They have only begrudgingly given us a pitifully inadequate budget, continue to refuse to list us on their website, and one of their staff has openly laughed at the idea that we could organize a conference or even produce club t-shirts for our members.

In response to this utter nonsense, and much more, I initiated an Equal Opportunity investigation earlier this semester. I have received nothing but positive responses from the chain of command since then. The Commandant of Cadets himself, Brigadier General Theodore Martin, expressed what I perceived to be a sincere desire to see to it that these issues are dealt with quickly and severely. As happy as I was to hear his words and see his genuine concern expressed, his influence alone will not be enough to change the confidently bigoted culture of this sad place.

What about the oath of secrecy I signed when I joined the CIA in 1964? I cannot be bound by it for four reasons: First, my oath was illegally, fraudulently obtained. My CIA recruiters lied to me about the clandestine services as they swore me in. They insisted the CIA functioned to gather intelligence. It did not kill, use drugs, or damage people's lives, they assured me. These lies were perpetuated in the following year of training courses. It was not until the disclosures of the Church and Pike Committees in 1975 that I learned the full, shocking truth about my employers.

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Stockwell/In_Search_Enemies.html

There is hardly a more tightly engaged group of humans than West Point graduates.

He wouldn't get six feet before some Westie would say "Hey, aren't you the one who made us all look like a bunch of holy roller fundamentalists??"

Subjecting the cadet to religious proselytizing is illegal under the first amendment.

A contract is valid when both parties fulfill what was set out at the beginning. This was a serious breach of contract and I doubt whether the US military could stand or would want the exposure they would receive in a lawsuit.

A contract is valid when both parties fulfill what was set out at the beginning. This was a serious breach of contract and I doubt whether the US military could stand or would want the exposure they would receive in a lawsuit.

Exactly what I said on the previous page.

Where did the government fail to hold up their end here?

They breached and continue to breach the fundamental law of the US concerning freedom of religion which entails freedom from religion, Engineer.

They breached and continue to breach the fundamental law of the US concerning freedom of religion which entails freedom from religion

You can't stop people from expressing their religious beliefs.

You don't get to just up and leave a contract because you don't like something.

Leaving a $200,000 contract based on nothing but your unsupported (and radical) opinion is stupid.

According to Page, shortly after his resignation, an Army captain told him that the U.S. Military Academy would not seek recoupment from him, either through enlisted service or financial reimbursement. In a letter provided to The Huffington Post dated Dec. 12, Superintendent Lt. Gen. David H. Huntoon did, in fact, recommend to the Army that Page be honorably discharged and that his educational expenses at West Point be waived.

Approximately one week after Page left West Point -- and after he went public with his story -- he said he received a call from an official telling him that a mistake had been made and the superintendent’s decision was not final. The official added that Blake should “keep his head down” until a final decision on recoupment had been made -- a process that could take up to six months.

Quote:

You don't get to just up and leave a contract because you don't like something.

People do that all the time, Max. When there is substantial breach of contract, you'd be an idiot to continue in that contract. There was substantial breach of contract. He wasn't treated as he was led to believe, by the fundamental law of the land, The US Constitution, not to mention what must be voluminous federal statutes, he would be treated.

The contract he was on allowed him to drop after the first year without penalty. Once he saw the lay of the land and continued, the excuse that he didn't know what he was getting into wears thin.

The Courageous Sacrifice Scholarship for Constitutional Defense is meant to honor those servicemembers who have displayed academic excellence and bravery in fighting to safeguard the foundational American values which every servicemember has sworn an oath to defend. The recipient of this $2000 scholarship is Blake Page, a former West Point cadet (and Director of MRFF Affairs at West Point) who was compelled to resign from the United States Military Academy by the pervasive Christian fundamentalist presence at the Academy. Despite having led the charge in fighting for (and winning) secular, non-religious alternatives to previously compulsory prayer ceremonies, Page could no longer tolerate the open disrespect and abuse of non-religious cadets at West Point. Disgusted by the clear favoritism shown by faculty and administration towards this unconstitutional milieu, Page left the Academy – but not before blowing the lid off of the Christian fundamentalist regime at West Point.

In a nationally featured Op-Ed, Page wrote, “We are all affected by the intrusion of religious authority into the government. There is no place for establishing the supremacy of one religion over all others in our country. Many American service members have had their fill of being told that the religious preference of the majority is superior to their personally held philosophical beliefs.”

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/2013/01/11513-military-religious-freedom-foundation-honors-constitutional-defenders-with-scholarship-research-grant/

Young people are notoriously easy to buffalo.

As a legal argument as to why a man can void a contract, it doesn't.