August 23, 2018 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Phil Wright at pwright@chaplainalliance.orgor (612) 250-2072, or Craig Muehler at (314) 996-1346
Chaplains request Army Secretary’s immediate intervention in CH Scott Squires’ case
WASHINGTON— On Tuesday, Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty sent a letter to Army Secretary Mark Esper, respectfully requesting he put an immediate halt to proceedings against Army Chaplain (MAJ) Scott Squires and restore the chaplain’s good name and service record. Chaplain Alliance believes the investigation against CH Squires is “a direct attack on the conscience and faith of CH Squires, his endorsing agency, and on the soldiers who seek out his ministry.” An Army investigator charged CH Squires with willfully discriminating aganist the couple by following procedure when he faced a situation where he could not provide the requested training due to the clear prohibition of his endorser.
“The Army’s threat to charge CH Squires with dereliction of duty only adds to our concern that this investigation is an attack on a particular brand of faith,” said Chaplain (COL) Phil Wright, USA retired, executive director of Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty. “Such hostility is at odds with the constitutional freedoms that our military defends on a daily basis. Both CH Squires and the soldier in question could have had their concerns met without the firestorm that is now jeopardizing CH Squires’ career. We believe this controversy is unnecessary and urge you to review and reverse the charges leveled against CH Squires.”
The letter respectfully requests a response from the Army Secretary, detailing his actions taken on CH Squires’ behalf, by September 17, 2018.
Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty is an organization of chaplain endorsers, the religious faith groups that provide chaplains for the U.S. military, and other agencies needing chaplains. The endorsers in the Chaplain Alliance collectively endorse more than two-thirds of the 5,500 military chaplains serving in the Armed Forces.
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