HARASSMENT OF PAGANS IN THE MILITARY
By Christopher Blackwell

For information on Pagans and harassment in the military and what can be done about it, I contacted the Military Pagan Network. I interviewed Rona Russell, member of the MPN Board of Directors.

Editor: It is legal for Pagans, Wiccan, Heathens and so forth to practice their religions in the military.

Russell : Absolutely. The Department of Defense states in its documents that it puts a high regard on personal expression of faith. All of the branches have adopted regulations to support free expression. There are no mandates against it.

Editor: Why and where are the harassment and discrimination coming from?

Russell: It has been my experience that harassment and discrimination usually comes from individuals. These folks tend to be non- commissioned officers or commissioned officers who have authority over others and they abuse thier position of power. Sometimes,
several persons in authority gang up together and do the harassing.
They feel that there is strength in numbers.

Editor: How bad does the harassment get?

Russell: It can get very bad. I have seen cases where soldiers are insulted to thier face in a public setting and those who heard it will not stand up out of fear. Most times, once a Pagan soldier is identified, they are harassed on all levels, from thier immediate supervisor to the commanding officer.

Editor: How difficult is it to get anything done about harassment and to get it stopped?

Russell: It can be very difficult, but if a person pays attention to the regulations and documents everything, it goes much better. I suggest that military members read everything they can about Equal Opportunity and how to fill out complaints. There are two types of complaints, a formal and a non-formal. The non-formal is verbal, while the formal involves letter writing and signing documents.

Editor: What risks are there to Pagan military personnel in bringing up complaints about religious harassment or prejudice

Russell: The military has a whistleblower protection act, but that does not mean that it will be enforced. If the soldier in question only did a non-formal complaint, and then they find themselves being chaptered out, they have little or no evidence that these actions began with religious harassment and discrimination. It is so incredibly important to document everything along the way and have multiple copies with witness signatures. These documents can be incredibly important to saving one's career.

Editor: What can Military Pagan Network do for military personnel facing problems due to their religion and what can they not do?

Russell: First off, Military Pagan Network is not the same as an attorney. We can give you helpful suggestions about filling out forms and tell you what are the applicable regulations are. We can try to find others in your area who can help you, or put you in contact with folks who specialize in Equal Opportunity cases. We can be a sympathetic ear during a very stressful time when you feel you are getting no assistance, but we cannot file the papers for you on your behalf. Formal complaints require the signatures of the parties involved.

Editor: How have things improved for Pagans in the last few years?

Russell: Overall, we are getting more and more accommodations.
During the last 10 years we have seen a rise in study groups, meetings and open circles on bases, which is very important to those who are serving overseas and do not have civilian housing, bookstores or meeting places to fall back on. There has been an increase in internet communications so that military Pagans are more informed than ever about thier rights and responsibilities. Networking has boomed dramatically and now it is much easier to find a community of like-minded people.

Editor: Has anything become worse for Pagans over the last few years?

Russell: On the flip side, there is a growing cultural war. As Pagans become more open and public, there are those who wish they would go back in the broom closet and hide. Those who share a "my way is the only way" type of faith system put pressure on the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs to halt Pagan services. Right now Wiccan families cannot get government-provided headstones for thier deceased veterans and it is suspected that the VA is being pressured by non-Pagans. Meanwhile, all kinds of mainstream faiths, and a select few non-mainstream faiths can have whatever religious symbol they want.

There are no Pagan chaplains, so when Pagan service members need spiritual services (like during times of war) they can get none. They must depend on volunteers to provide services for them. This can be really problematical in the field. Should a Pagan soldier be severely injured, there is no one there to assist them. Non-Pagan chaplains are not forced to perform services outside thier religion, so basically our soldiers are at the mercies of Christian chaplains for care.

There are also no VA chaplains, so our aging Pagan community is getting unequal treatment too. Veteran Pagans cannot get spiritual care within the hospitals, clinics and nursing homes unless volunteers come in from outside.

Editor: What help can the rest of the Pagan community give and what do they need to understand most about problems of being Pagan in military?

Russell: The biggest thing they can give is understanding and support. When a Pagan issue comes forth to the mainstream, such as the headstone issue, civilians should write thier congressperson if that is requested. We serve our country and protect the constitution, the very Constitution that protects Pagans nationwide.

Editor’s Note:

Military Pagan Network has been serving Pagans for a decade with web sites, newsletters and networking. The web site is at www.milpagan.org and our staff can be contacted from there. Those suffering from harassment and discrimination from within the military can contact the Harassment Affairs department MPNAA@milpagan.org