Air Force Academy Religion Probe

Task Force To Investigate Reports Of Anti-Semitism

(AP)  "It sounds as though the Pentagon is talking the talk, and that is step one," he said. "Step two is whether they can walk the walk. There are too many afflicted by the unconstitutional evangelical control of the Air Force Academy at this point to offer any premature optimism until we see some positive, comprehensive action."

The academy said it first learned of reports of religious intolerance in a survey of cadets that included 55 complaints. Some cadets accused evangelical Christians of harassing both Christians and Jews; some of the Jewish cadets said they were blamed for the death of Jesus Christ.

The Air Force said "considerable efforts" have been made over the past several months to address issues of religious tolerance, including a new training program called Respecting the Spiritual Values of all People, or RSVP.

"This program encourages people to confidently and authentically live out their own faith and belief commitments and deeply respect others whose spiritual strength comes from a faith or source different from their own," Dominguez said. "Such mutual respect is essential to the culture of the airmen."

This is the second time the academy near Colorado Springs has been under a high-profile investigation in the past two years. Nearly 150 women came forward in 2003 to say they had been assaulted by fellow cadets in the previous decade, with many alleging that they were punished, ignored or ostracized by commanders when they spoke out.

The academy responded by overhauling the chain of command and policies involving reports of assault.