The soldier named in the story is a Pfc, or E-3, meaning he's been in the army at least a year. He is not a new recruit.
If a soldier has some college, they can come into the military as an E-3 - they can be in basic training and be an E-3.
But the Associated Press stories I've read list the named soldier as PVT Smith. This is not an e-3 - this is an e-1 or e-2. An E-3 is a Private First Class - or PFC.
It's not really all that important a distinction, but I haven't read any articles that name him as a PFC. If you have a source, feel free to share it.
Fort Eustis troops: Skipping Christian concert got us punished | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com
The Army said Friday it was investigating a claim that dozens of soldiers who refused to attend a Christian band's concert at a Virginia military base were banished to their barracks and told to clean them up.
(Notice that it is not dozens of soldiers claiming this - it is TWO soldiers claiming that dozens of soldiers were punished.)
(Also notice the term "banished to their barracks." Dramatic. It could also mean that they were given a simple choice - go to the event or go to the barracks. Most trainees are "banished to their barracks" every evening.)
(Also note - the Army IS investigating this, and why? Because if it DID happen as the two soldiers are claiming, then it is a clear violation of military policy, and someone will be in definite trouble.)
Fort Eustis spokesman Rick Haverinen told The Associated Press he couldn't comment on the specifics of the investigation.
At the Pentagon, Army spokesman Col. Thomas Collins said the military shouldn't impose religious views on soldiers.
"If something like that were to have happened, it would be contrary to Army policy," Collins said.
Pvt. Anthony Smith said he and other soldiers felt pressured to attend the May concert while stationed at the Newport News base, home of the Army's Transportation Corps.
(
Were they pressured, or did they simply FEEL pressured? Pressured in the sense that if they didn't go, they would have to do what they have to do nearly every other night - return to their barracks?)
"My whole issue was I don't need to be preached at," Smith said in a phone interview from Phoenix, where he is stationed with the National Guard. "That's not what I signed up for."
Smith, 21, was stationed in Virginia for nearly seven months for helicopter electrician training when the Christian rock group BarlowGirl played as part of the "Commanding General's Spiritual Fitness Concerts."
Smith said a staff sergeant told 200 men in their barracks they could either attend or remain in their barracks. Eighty to 100 decided not to attend, he said.
(OK - follow me here. They had not left the barracks according to Smith, when they were told they could either REMAIN in the barracks or go to the concert. 80 to 100 decided not to go. What's this? What's this about being forced to march TO the concert, people falling out of formation complaining, etc. that we've read in other versions of this story? When did this happen, if they were told in the barracks that they could either go or stay? Which version from these two soldiers is correct?)
"Instead of being released to our personal time, we were locked down," Smith said. "It seemed very much like a punishment."
("Locked down." You mean - stay in the barracks and don't go anywhere else, like the usual routine? What - do you think that if the other guys get to go somewhere, you should too? What if it wasn't a Christian band, but just some band you didn't like, and you didn't want to go see? Does the military installation have to orchestrate free concerts to fit every musical taste on the same night to make sure that everyone gets a free concert and gets to leave the barracks?)
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation first reported on the Christian concert. The foundation said it was approached by soldiers (
apparently, two soldiers) who were punished (
ALLEGEDLY punished) for not attending or offended by the religious theme of the event.
The group's president
(certainly not a neutral source), Mikey Weinstein, claims Christian-themed events are "ubiquitous" throughout the military, and he credited the soldiers for stepping forward. (
Well, of course he would.)
"Whenever we see this egregious, unconstitutional religious tyranny our job is to fight it," he said.
Smith said he and the other soldiers were told not to use their cell phones or personal computers and ordered to clean up the barracks.
(OH, the TYRANNY! OH, the HORROR! Listen, this sort of evening activity is perfectly normal and not even necessarily a form of punishment in the military - we have no way of knowing, based on these flimsy reports, whether or not this was a punishment, or WHY this particular group may have been being punished. The military often punishes a group for the actions of one or two - could it be that someone in the group was mouthing off, or insubordinate?)
About 20 of the men, including several Muslims, refused to attend the concert based on their religious beliefs, he said.
(
OK - and they were not forced to attend.)
Smith said he went up the chain of command and traced the concert edict to a captain, who said he simply wanted to "show support for those kind of events that bring soldiers together."
While not accepting blame,
the officer apologized to the soldiers who refused to attend the concert and said it was not his intent to proselytize, he said.
"But once you get in there, you realize it's evangelization," Smith said.
(So - PVT Smith used the chain of command and the system for filing a complaint, and in response to his proper utilization of this chain of command, a Captain issued a formal apology to the soldiers in his command. Seems fair enough, especially since no one was forced to attend, and no one was severely punished (if at all) or mistreated for NOT attending. People, people - two hours of barracks clean up at a training school is at least a WEEKLY event. Cell phones, video games, etc are ALWAYS restricted in these settings, and their use is limited even when there is no punishment involved.
We do not have "the rest of the story." It may turn out that these soldiers truly were mistreated, but so far all we've heard is allegations by two out of two hundred soldiers. If their story is true, surely more evidence will manifest over the course of the investigation. But right now, it's looking pretty flimsy.)