I went to OSUT (boot camp/AIT) at Fort Benning in 2004; On Sundays we had the choice to go to a service (any spiritual service - even wicca - whatever) or stay back and clean the barracks. I think the Drill Sergeants just wanted us to get out of the Barracks - as that was usually our only opportunity to do anything not Army related. I think nothing is fair in the Army and that's how it should be. You don't have many individual rights in the Army - play it their way or don't play. And it s*cks going through it - but it truly is the right way. I think these guys just want to whine and b*tch (and found a reporter to listen to them). The Army ain't about being fair and shouldn't have to try to be. If the company commander wants you to go to a Muslim Rock Concert and you don't want to go - fine - Stay back and clean the barracks. Nobody is getting hurt here. In this incident they didn't force anybody either way. Spiritually raped - hah! Poor soldiers had to clean the barracks - awww - really? Big yawn on my part. Army life ain't fair - awww -really? Another big yawn.
[we had the choice to go to a service (any spiritual service - even wicca - whatever) or stay back and clean the barracks.]
That's the way it was back in 1986 as well.
Clean the barracks... fine - been there did that - but get "probed"? No.
The idea of being "probed" for skipping a "Christian" concert wasn't even on the radar.
The Soviets were the ones who did the dogmatic indoctrination back then - not us.