The Religious Rights of Those in Uniform

As both a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and a Christian, have you ever wondered, “just what exactly are my rights to freely express my faith in Jesus Christ-even while in uniform?”

By Robert Weston Ash

Published in COMMAND magazine from December 2009 through April 2011, the six-part Religious Rights of Those in Uniform series discussed the rights guaranteed to, and enjoyed by, members of the U.S. Armed Forces under the Constitution and laws of the United States with respect to free exercise of religion and free expression of religious sentiments. The articles examined the importance of religion to establishing and maintaining the Warrior Ethos, applicable legal principles, and the specific rights and responsibilities of military commanders, chaplains, and individuals.

Robert Weston Ash is the senior litigation counsel for national security law at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) in Virginia. He is also an assistant professor of law at Regent University School of Law in Virginia, from where he received his Juris Doctor degree. Robert served twenty-two years active duty in the Army after graduating from West Point.

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