church attendance

AFA information says that cadets are permitted to attend a church of their choice in the community and that after BCT sponsor families can host 1 or more cadets for r&r. Can anyone tell me how often sponsor families can host a 4C cadet in good standing and if cadets are allowed to be picked up for church services every week?

Unless things have changed, there is a sponsor pass, good for use on Sundays to go to a cadet's sponsor's house. I believe it is also okay to use this to go to church somewhere off base with a sponsor and is a non-chargeable (unlimited) pass, so a fourth class cadet in good standing could go every week. Someone else please chime in if this has changed because I know there was some controversy about sponsor passes when I was a firstie.

USAFA10s said:

Unless things have changed, there is a sponsor pass, good for use on Sundays to go to a cadet's sponsor's house. I believe it is also okay to use this to go to church somewhere off base with a sponsor and is a non-chargeable (unlimited) pass, so a fourth class cadet in good standing could go every week. Someone else please chime in if this has changed because I know there was some controversy about sponsor passes when I was a firstie.

Click to expand...

Yeah, sponsor passes were more or less untouchable this year.

Saturday

Would this still apply if church services were on Saturday? I appreciate the info. Thanks!

NavyMama, sent you a PM

If those services were offered only on Saturday, or Fridays even, USAFA does try to make some accommodation. I don't know that you can be excused from such "required fun" as football games for religious services, but I could be wrong there.

Services for all the major western religions are available on campus, or very close by - Catholic masses, Protestant services (traditional and contemporary), Jewish and Muslim services, etc. I know there are a number of LDS cadets and I believe they go off-base for their services, but I am not positive about that. There is a wican circle that was built a few years ago to accommodate those folks too.

For anyone reading this thread, short answer is that even on Saturdays and Fridays it can be done (I only went to a couple football games each year), it is just a whole lot harder and will be different for every religion. I can PM more details if anyone needs them.

I believe you can request a sponsor family who practices the same religion as the cadet to facilitate just this issue. My kids' sponsor was indeed of the same faith which was great for major holidays which they didn't get to spend at home. (Sponsor families are just the greatest thing, and I strongly recommend you develop a good relationship with yours!)