Army Chaplain Faces 6 Months in Prison After Not Affirming Same-Sex Couple

A U.S. Army chaplain is facing a dereliction of duty charge and potentially six months in a military prison after not accepting a same-sex couple in a marriage retreat, even though he ensured the two women they could take part in the next scheduled retreat with a different chaplain, according to his attorney.

U.S. Army Chaplain Maj. Scott Squires – who is Southern Baptist – faces the charge on a technicality. The Army report says the lesbian soldier who requested attendance at the Strong Bonds marriage retreat was “denied a service due to her sexual orientation.” But the same Army report says the charge is not for denying her a service but instead for not following Army policy in accommodating her until after a complaint was filed.

Squires, though, said he followed Army policy. As a chaplain endorsed by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, he is prohibited from endorsing same-sex relationships. His chaplain assistant, SSG Kacie Griffin, faces a similar charge by the Army.

First Liberty is representing Squires.

“The United States Army, acting under the command of Major General Sonntag, is threatening to punish one of its chaplains because he followed the rules,” said Mike Berry of First Liberty. “The Army, or Congress, must hold Major General Sonntag accountable for allowing this aggressive anti-religious hostility…