Air Force clears general accused of proselytizing non-Christian cadets at Academy

(RNS) The Air Force has cleared a brigadier general accused of violating the Constitution by proselytizing non-Christian cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The military service determined that the allegation against Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida, the commandant of cadets at the academy, "was not substantiated," said Jennifer Stephens, an Air Force spokeswoman, Sept. 7.

The Air Force Inspector General's office investigated whether Weida violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause by "using a religious communicative code to facilitate the proselytizing of non-Christian cadets." Weida, an evangelical Christian, was investigated for his outspoken promotion of faith and had been criticized for promoting the National Day of Prayer in an email message.

On Aug. 29, the Air Force service issued new interim guidelines urging its military members and civilian employees to protect the free exercise of religion. Those guidelines were called for in a June report that investigated the religious climate at the academy.