Army Agrees to Host Concert for Atheists on N.C. Base

(RNS) A group of military atheists have won the backing of U.S. Army officials to hold a “Rock Beyond Belief” concert for nonbelievers at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg next year. The victory came after several church-state separation watchdog groups complained last...

Church-state Groups Seek Equal Play for Atheist Concert

WASHINGTON (RNS) Three church-state activist groups criticized the Army for allowing an evangelical concert at North Carolina’s Fort Bragg but not making similar provisions for a “Rock Beyond Belief” concert for nonbelievers. The three groups—Americans United for...

Army Faces Questions over Spiritual Fitness Test

WASHINGTON (RNS) The Army is facing questions over a “spiritual fitness” portion of a mandatory questionnaire, with some atheists calling it “invidious and not inclusive” of soldiers who are nonbelievers. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation learned in...

Military Pregnancy Ban Includes Married Couples

The Stars and Stripes recently reported that seven soldiers – three men and four women – were being reprimanded for violating the pregnancy ban in northern Iraq. In early November, the ban was added to General Order No. 1 by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo III, commander of...