[Philmont]: DoD Edict - Military Bases Cannot Sponsor Scout Units

This came out yesterday. It's of possible concern to some folks on the
list. Does not affect (yet) our ability to stay at military
installations on the way to Philmont.

- Dr. Bob

Pentagon to Cut Off Boy Scouts From Bases

By MIKE ROBINSON, Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO - The Pentagon has agreed to warn military bases worldwide not
to directly sponsor Boy Scout troops, partially resolving claims that
the government has engaged in religious discrimination by supporting a
group that requires members to believe in God.

The settlement announced Monday is part of a series of legal challenges
in recent years over how closely the government should be aligned with
the Boy Scouts of America, a venerable organization that boasts a
membership of more than 3.2 million members.

Civil liberties advocates have set their sights on the organization's
policies because the group bans openly gay scout leaders and compels
members to swear an oath of duty to God. The ACLU believes that direct
government sponsorship of such a program amounts to discrimination.

"If our Constitution's promise of religious liberty is to be a reality,
the government should not be administering religious oaths or
discriminating based on religious beliefs," said ACLU attorney Adam
Schwartz.

The Pentagon said it has long had a rule against sponsorship of
non-federal organizations and denied the rule had been violated. But it
agreed to send a message to posts worldwide warning them not to sponsor
Boy Scout troops or other such groups.

The rule does not prevent service members from leading Scout troops
unofficially on their own time, and Scouts will still be able to hold
meetings on areas of military bases where civilian organizations are
allowed to hold events.

The settlement does not resolve other ACLU claims involving government
spending that benefits the Boy Scouts, such as money used to prepare a
Virginia military base for the Boy Scout Jamboree and grants used by
state and local governments to benefit the Boy Scouts, Schwartz said.

He said the Pentagon spends $2 million every year to prepare the
Virginia base for the jamboree, held once every four years. He said the
Defense Department also makes annual allocations of $100,000 to support
Boy Scout units on military bases overseas and $100,000 to improve Boy
Scout properties, such as summer camps.

Attorney Marcia Berman, who represented the Defense Department, declined
to comment on the settlement Monday. But Justice Department spokesman
Charles Miller said the message that will be sent to bases represents "a
clarification of an existing rule that DOD personnel cannot be involved
in an official capacity."

The original ACLU lawsuit named as defendants the Department of Defense,
the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Chicago Board
of Education. The schools settled, agreeing not to engage in official
sponsorship of scouting activities.

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Received on Tue Nov 16 05:52:00 2004