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Question 4

The old 'no atheists in foxholes' bit is bound to come up again. How many of you went into the service as atheists, were involved in deadly combat and came out STILL an atheist?

• I recently left the U.S. Army after twelve years of service. I participated in both Just Cause and Desert Shield/Storm. Among other assignments, I have worked in El Salvador during the war there in the early Eighties and Colombia dealing with counter drug operations. During a situation in El Sal, I was face to face with an insurgent pointing an M-16 directly at my head before he was shot by a security guard. During Saudi, aside from being shot at, I watched the main bulk of a "destroyed" SCUD fall right next to the building I was visiting in Riyhad (we were on the roof watching the fireworks!). I tell you what, I was sure it was going to fall directly on us!

  In none of these, or any other situation, did I ever become "reborn," pray for forgivness, or otherwise profess my devotion to any deity. The only things that consitantly went through my mind was.... "Oh Shit..." (New World Scribe)

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• Code of Conduct VI

  I will never forget that I am an American fighting for freedom, responsible of my actions, and dedicated to the principle wich made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America. ...................................................................... One of the ideas they told us in training, is that if you become a POW you should hold firmly to your religious beliefs. They gave us examples of how the POWs in Vietnam maintained their sanity by believing in god. This all sounded like a crutch to me, but if it helps you survive a bad situation very well. I would have spent more of my time trying to escape. (Howard E. Nelson #726)