Five service members ask Navy for reprieve from order banning off-base church attendance

[Tony]

At least five service members have hired a lawyer to fight a Navy order that bars them from attending indoor worship services to prevent the spread of the coronavirus because they believe it violates their constitutional right of religious freedom.

First Liberty Institute, a Texas-based legal office focused on defending religious freedoms, sent letters beginning Monday to five commanders, asking them to grant the service members an accommodation and to encourage the Navy to rescind the “unlawful order.” https://www.stripes.com/news/us/five-service-members-ask-navy-for-reprieve-from-order-banning-off-base-church-attendance-1.635920

Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See other free reports here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription.