Controversy over Religious Rights of Pagans in the Military

June 8, 1999

Source: The Washington Post

On June 8, 1999, The Washington Post published an article on the current situation of Wiccans in the military. The first Wiccan group to be recognized by the military was the Fort Hood Open Circle, which was formed two years ago at the largest military post in the nation, Fort Hood, Texas. Since then, groups have formed on military bases in Louisiana, Alaska, Okinawa, and Florida. The group in Fort Hood drew public attention in March 1999, when they invited a photographer to witness their spring ceremony and photos were printed in the Austin American Statesman. The photos drew the ire of politicians, especially Representative Robert Barr of Georgia, who wrote, "Please stop this nonsense now," to the commanding officer of at Fort Hood. Many are disturbed by tolerance of minority religions in the military, specifically "off-beat" religions like Wicca. Marcy Palmer, the Fort Hood high priestess, stated that the military has not been as bad as the outside world "Most people think of (soldiers) as mindless robots who kill babies. But we see more discrimination in the civilian world. The military is actually more sensitive." The Wiccans in Fort Hood have been granted a campsite to use as their sacred space, which has helped a great deal in allowing Wiccans to be more open about their religion. Sgt. Campanaro, a Fort Hood Wiccan, stated: "I keep meeting people I never knew were Wiccans. I've never seen so many out in one place."

See also: Paganism, Military