Air Force Withdraws Paper for Chaplains

Document Permitted Proselytizing

By Alan Cooperman

Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 11, 2005; Page A03

The Air Force, facing a lawsuit over alleged proselytizing, has withdrawn a document that permitted chaplains to evangelize military personnel who were not affiliated with any faith, Pentagon officials said yesterday.

The document was circulated at the Air Force Chaplain School until eight weeks ago. It was a "code of ethics" for chaplains that included the statement "I will not proselytize from other religious bodies, but I retain the right to evangelize those who are not affiliated."