Panel Urges Discharge For Navy Copter Pilot Officer Says Religion Keeps Him From Leading Women Into Battle

A Navy board voted unanimously Thursday to recommend an honorable discharge for a helicopter pilot who says his religious beliefs would keep him from leading women into combat.

The recommendation by the three Navy captains to dismiss Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth A. Carkhuff, based with an anti-submarine unit, now goes to the Secretary of the Navy.

The 13-year Navy veteran and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy was accused of failure to support and carry out Pentagon policy.

“I think the Bible clearly teaches that we should not subject women to violence,” the 35-year-old Carkhuff, who attends an Episcopal church, said in an interview.

If Navy Secretary John Dalton approves the board’s recommendation, Carkhuff can appeal, said his lawyer, Stephen Gallagher.

Cmdr. Douglas Beeks, Carkhuff’s squadron leader, testified that in August, Carkhuff told him that after months of consideration and prayer, he had decided he opposed the policy allowing women in combat.

At the time, Carkhuff’s helicopter detachment, which had two women pilots, was preparing for possible assignment in the military operation in Haiti.

Carkhuff was replaced as leader of the detachment. The unit was never sent to Haiti.

Beeks and Capt. Michael Orfini, who succeeded Beeks as commander, said they never considered letting Carkhuff lead the detachment after his views were known. They feared he might put himself or others in danger to protect the women.

Under questioning, Orfini said Carkhuff’s refusal to lead the detachment was “clear as anything.”

However, Carkhuff testified that he had been misunderstood; he said he would have taken the detachment if he had been ordered to do so.

Carkhuff submitted a letter of resignation in September but later withdrew it.

“He said, ‘I’m not going out the back door of the Navy. If all the homosexuals are back in the Navy, they are letting me back in,”’ Orfini said.