Armed Forces News

A pre-game prayer gathering by a group of Air Force Academy football players at midfield before the Oct. 4 game against the Naval Academy again has drawn attention to the school. Mikey Weinstein, the former Air Force officer and academy instructor who founded the Military Religious Freedom Foundation after raising concerns about the academy’s appearance of favoring Christianity over other religions several years ago, was described as “astonished” by the prayer circle. “The academy’s unfettered endorsement of mass pre-game football team prayers … is clearly violative of Air Force of Air Force Regulations,” Weinstein said, according to the Colorado Springs Independent. Brian Hill, the school’s vice director of athletics, advised Weinstein to pursue his complaint with the academy’s inspector general.