NFTF: Religious Affairs in the Horn of Africa

U.S. Armed Forces chaplaincies support various joint operations in order to accommodate religious needs, provide religious and pastoral care, and also advise commanders on the complexities of religion with regard to personnel and mission, as appropriate. Religious affairs in joint military operations play a vital role in supporting commanders throughout the operational area, in alignment with the commander's overall theater security program. Religious affairs is not often used by commanders as a "first choice multiplier" during military engagements with our friends and allies; however, it can be effective in building relationships for the long term. This news from the front (NFTF) article discusses a program known as Voices of Religious Tolerance (VORT) which was employed in Afghanistan, Jordan, and Somalia, and provides a way to involve religious affairs to support countering extremist ideas. This NFTF should be useful to religious affairs teams attempting to use this program or build a similar one.