KNOXVILLE, Tennessee, U.S.A., July 9, 2004 — In a decision-making process reminiscent of marching drills, the U.S. Army halted support of a medallion bearing a Bible reference, and then did an about face.
Since 1996, Fallen Friend, a non-profit organization has been sending the Fallen Friend Medallion to the families of military, law enforcement and firefighting personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty, doing this as a gesture of appreciation and sympathy on behalf of the American people. Almost 2,000 of the special medals have been sent to date. Military officials from all branches of the Armed Forces provided Fallen Friend with the names, ranks and addresses of personnel so that the medals could be sent.
In May, however, Bob Parker, president of the organization, was informed that the Army would no longer support the program because of the Bible reference on the back of the medal. "John 15:13" is inscribed above the name of the person who was killed and the phrase "a fallen friend". Apparently it was felt that the Scripture reference might offend some families and was thus deemed inappropriate, though Parker had never received any complaints. The Navy, Air Force and Marines continued to cooperate, asking families first if they wished to receive the remembrances.
Parker's initial appeals to the Army were unsuccessful, and sixteen medallions were returned to him.
"I break down and cry when I know that (the honorary medallions) have had a positive effect on speeding up the healing process of these families," Parker told WBIR-TV in Knoxville, TN, "being able to bring some comfort from the rest of the people of the United States to them for their great loss."
On July 1st, Lt. Col. Kevin Logan contacted Parker to inform him that the Army had changed its decision.
"Upon further evaluation," he wrote in an e-mail, "it has been determined that while there is a Biblical reference on the medallion, the reference is not of such a nature that it is likely to be offensive to most next of kin. I am sincerely sorry for any inconvenience our earlier decision made on you and your organization."
The Army's revised verdict reflects what Parker felt all along: that the Bible reference is entirely appropriate. "That is Jesus' Word," Parker says referring to the verse which reads "The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them" (GNT).
The Army's decision to cooperate with the program again paves the way for Fallen Friend to send out the medallions that had previously been returned.
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