Pornography on military bases – a former Marine Exchange Director responds…

By: American Decency Staff

Below is a letter written directly to readers of our daily email updates from Brian Joseph – retired from the Marine Corps, a former Exchange Director and former Staff Officer for General Pace. His powerful letter is in response to communications regarding pornography at military exchanges.

To Fellow Friends and Readers of ADA, Thank you for your well-founded concern over pornography being sold in our Military Exchanges. As you know this is a significant issue, and especially needs to be addressed to the upper echelons of the Exchange system — specifically to the commanders. Contacting by e-mail can be effective, but when you contact them make sure you ask for a reply. If you do not receive one ask again. Perseverance is key here. If outside of the military, please consider contacting not only Commander@aafes.com for the Army and Air Force Exchange System, but also customerservice@nexweb.org for the Navy Exchange System, and www.defenselink.mil/faq/questions.aspx for the Department of Defense (DOD). Military exchanges do need to adhere to the federal Military Honor and Decency Act, (10 U.S.C. § 2489) regarding the prohibition of the sale of sexually explicit publications in military exchanges. Yet the sale of these publications not only negatively impacts the military person and their units and families, but also the nonmilitary. When a single military person is caught up into viewing these publications it causes them to devalue the dignity and respect due the opposite sex. It also distracts them and lessens their potential as a leader. When the cohesiveness of a military family is fractured by the impact of these publications it distracts and undermines the military person of that family. When the military person (married or single) is distracted it hurts their effectiveness and therefore their unit’s effectiveness and cohesion. When their unit is negatively impacted it lessens their overall effectiveness in the defense of our country. Pornography is therefore a national security risk and negatively impacts all of us. Please understand that local Exchange Directors are faced with the same challenges as those who run your local department stores. In the military they can be a civil service or military person and are ultimately responsible for the running of their Exchanges. Yet merchandise placed in these Exchanges is often centrally purchased and common throughout regions, with some variation depending on local trends. Based on my experience they can still remove or add some merchandise, often prompted by the number of requests or complaints received. And I believe pornographic material qualifies for that type of merchandise. If the upper echelon of the Exchange system (i.e. commanders) is unresponsive to you, then local Exchanges in your region can also be contacted. But either way, the removing of pornographic material is a leadership decision, and should not be considered a business/management decision. Military Exchange Commanders and Directors are in leadership positions and therefore should be held accountable as such. If I may I would also like to offer the following military/spiritual perspective. These Exchange system Commanders and Directors especially need our prayers and encouragement on this issue of not selling sexually-explicit publications since this is ultimately a spiritual battle. Many of them and so many others lack godliness in their lives even though they belong to the military, an institution still worthy of respect. As a national institution our military still represents much of what was good about America, but any institution represents a group of individuals. And each individual must first and foremost be repentant and surrendered to God, without which we are doomed. Keeping in mind the process of reverse planning, we dearly want to see the America restored to what it was during its first 175 years or so of existence. Lord willing, and repeating the wisdom of many, if that is to happen we must first start from the inside out by looking to our own hearts. Our prayers will not even be heard if we lack in obedience, in holiness. I have personally found Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron’s (Growing Pains) (WayoftheMaster.com) 16-CD Message Set (LivingWaters.com(www.livingwaters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=WOTM-AUDIO)) on Biblical law, repentance, restoration, and evangelism to be critically important and helpful in having a right relationship with God. Concerning our nation we do have a problem, a huge problem of corruption, and we need to understand why. Pornography is rampant, and integrity, moral courage, and self-discipline are scarce. As a country we are dying, and as individuals we are self-destructing. We have forgotten our founding roots and not learned to fear God. We have been deceived and corrupted, and despair is in many faces. Truth is being suppressed, and our media and educational institutions are highly culpable in this. I recommend the book, “The Marketing of Evil” by David Kupelian toward better understanding why this has and is happening. To help turn this around we desperately need to find and encourage more men and women who display godly leadership to enter politics. …men and women who have not bent or have unbent the knee to Baal, and who have the integrity, moral courage, self-discipline, love of country, and fear and love of God to do what is right no matter. Honor, courage, and commitment need to be their core, yet tested values that will help them standup to the vicious attacks they will experience from those who hate God and country. Our military as a national institution still teaches and tests such values. It still has some semblance of what America was in its character. It still draws people who cherish our founding freedoms and observe our traditional values. As our national institution formed upon our founding and entrusted with our defense, our military accepts people who often reflect the ills of society yet depart as veterans reflecting great maturity, discipline, and leadership. One of the greatest leaders our country has seen in modern times is now departing the military. General Peter Pace, departing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the epitome of the level of integrity, self-discipline, and moral courage we desperately need in our political leaders. He is the consummate leader by his character and example. He loved his people to the point that they wanted to serve no one else. He stood for morality in the military to the point of being deeply hated by the immoral. He loved his country and feared his God to the point that he is now being forced from office by the godless. He was and is the Peoples’ General. And though he does not seek it, such a man would be such a U.S. President. For ourselves, our children, and our country may we yet become what we should be and once were as a people and nation. May we yet wake up to the truth and humble ourselves, turning from evil and fleeing to Jesus Christ, and in His strength rip this shameful page of corruption out of our hearts, our institutions, and our memories. May we yet. Prayerfully and Respectfully, Brian Joseph Marine Corps, Retired Former Marine Corps Exchange Director Former Staff Officer for General Pace In review: Express your concern: Commander@aafes.com (Army and Air Force Exchange) customerservice@nexweb.org (Navy Exchange) www.defenselink.mil/faq/questions.aspx (Department of Defense [DOD].) In review: Army and Air Force Exchange Service selling p**n https://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/September/9.14.07 Army and Air Force Exchange Service selling p**n – (continued) https://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/September/9.26.07 … when p**n is allowed/endorsed in our military https://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/September/9.27.07 Making available pornography to American military https://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/September/9.28.07 Pornography on military bases – a former Marine Exchange Director responds https://americandecency.org/main.php?f=updates_new/2007/October/10.04.07 ———————– Match Grant challenge. We received this gracious offer from an anonymous donor. “… I would like to again offer a $15,000 matching grant to anyone who hasn’t given since 12/31/05 or to anyone who gives more than what they gave in 2006 (e.g. if they gave $1,000 in ’06 and gave $1500 in ’07, we will match the $500 increase as long as it was given between 9/10/07-12/31/07). We will match these gifts received from 9/10/07 through 12/31/07.” Help us meet this challenge early. Thanks – https://secure4.afo.net/ada/main.php?f=donate/display9 American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 PH: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org

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