During their sessions Modder was continually pressed for his personal opinions regarding homosexuality. After sharing his beliefs he was charged with discrimination. Additional charges cited were having "berated" a female sailor for being pregnant out of wedlock and criticizing another for immodesty of dress.

Chaplain Modder had served with distinction throughout his career having previously been assigned to the elite Navy Seals. He was given the Navy's highest rating and described as the best of the best. Prior to his being charged with gross negligence and dereliction of duty he had received recommendation for accelerated promotion from the very man who ordered him relieved of duty.

We were asked to believe that a chaplain with an exemplary record, and recent recipient of the highest evaluations, had suddenly and radically changed. Apparently the Navy Brass agreed finding the accusations unsubstantiated. It is a good start, but only a beginning.

For the last thirty years the American military has been regularly subjected to attacks by predatory opportunist. Political correctness has become the fast track for career enhancement and advancement. It is unfortunate if innocent lives are ruined or the security of the nation is endangered.

In the late 1980's the submarine tender USSSimon Lake was based in Holy Loch, Scotland. As a result of frequent male-female fraternization and the high number of out-of-wedlock pregnancies it was jokingly referred to as the "The Love Boat" by crew members.

Bringing this problem to light would invite charges of chauvinism, but it reflects more than self-righteousness. Ships are manned for specific missions and single pregnancies negatively effect operational readiness. Pregnant females were prohibited from going to sea. Medical complications further reduced their ability to perform required duties. Single pregnancies were regarded as an intentional means of avoiding deployments forcing other crew members to pick up the slack. To point this out would have quickly assured a loss of career.

In the midst of this emerging climate, the annual convention of the Naval Aviation Fraternity Tailhook took place in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1991. The meeting would later be described in terms reminiscent of the 1970s movie Animal House.

Attending the September 1991 convention a female admiral's aide Lieutenant Paula Coughlin claimed to have been inappropriately groped as she walked down a hallway en route to the convention's hospitality suite. Her accusations led to a widespread probe of inappropriate behavior during the convention. In the words of Kingsley Brown, her accusations made Tailhook the granddaddy of all military scandals. The ensuing investigations deteriorated into what is now regarded as the intentional ignoring of inconvenient evidence and due process for the accused.

Concerns regarding Coughlin's veracity arose immediately upon examination of her accusations. Ample evidence supported her role as a willing and enthusiastic participant in the party-like atmosphere despite her later claims to be a victim. Two other female pilots testified they saw Coughlin with her dress white uniform skirt provocatively raised while she participated in a ritual leg-shaving contest. The leg-shaving pilot dubbed "the Barber of Seville" received an encouraging written message from her saying, You made me see God . . . The Paulster. According to these women when their evidence was given to investigators, it was made clear any negative information concerning Coughlin was not being sought.

Although, Paula Coughlin became the public face of Tailhook, many cite the case of Lt. Elizabeth Warnick as definitive evidence of the emerging witch hunt culture. Warnick
originally charged that she had been sexually assaulted multiple times during the convention and later received threats upon returning home. She confessed to making up all of the accusations in order to hide from her fiance her participation in consensual sex. Warnick was never charged for her false accusations.

When Coughlin attempted to take her case into the civilian courts, the judge threw out the attempt to present the Navy's investigation as evidence. The judge ruled it unacceptable as being based on hearsay and double hearsay indicating a lack of trustworthiness.

The Navy probe, however, ended numerous careers including the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Frank Kelso; and his deputy, Rear Admiral William Dunleavy; along with the Secretary of the Navy, Lawrence Garrett. The resignation of Garrett seemed especially unnecessary as noted in a June 1992 New York Times article. Garrett was highly regarded and respected as one who was quick to investigate and correct problems brought to his attention. Even his exemplary record did not protect him from those seeking notoriety and career enhancement by engaging in predatory opportunism.

When the Tailhook investigations were completed, 83 women and 9 men were identified as having been inappropriately groped during the convention. All complaints made by men were disregarded and completely disappeared from the record. Many women admitted to being willing participants in the carnival-like party atmosphere, but all were treated as victims. Paula Coughlin received an invitation to have tea at the White House with President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush.

Of the approximately 100 male officers investigated, more than half received a type of discipline marking the end of their careers. The entire military now had its cue from the highest authority in the land, the Commander- in- Chief that military females were not to be treated as equals but as special.

Compounding this mindset faced by Chaplain Modder was the unrestrained prejudice from some local Charleston press. Post and Courier columnist Brian Hicks skewered Modder in a April 3, 2015 column titled Fundamentalist try to use political correctness as an excuse-again The title may contain the only accuracy in the column.

Having served over thirty years in the active and reserve forces (twenty-two as a Navy Chaplain) I was shocked by his assertion the chaplain's role is ...to help them feel better about themselves and the Navy has the authority to fire anyone who doesn't follow orders or the military's regulation.

During my career I was called to provide pastoral support to a Catholic Chaplain convicted of pedophilia. I dealt with a young Coast Guardsman who as the result of underage DWI caused a head on collision. The other driver was a pregnant female, and lost her unborn child several weeks prior to the delivery date. Situations like these present many redemptive opportunities but to help them feel better would be a stretch by any reasonable standard.

The Navy Chaplain Corps seal contains the motto Cooperation without Compromise.A military officer's oath of allegiance is to the Constitution of the United States not to any individual or organization. It is incumbent upon any military member to challenge higher authority if the orders or regulations are believed to be illegal.

The Navy made a good start in reversing a destructive thirty year trend. It is critical all facts concerning the conspiracy be made public. It is imperative to know how Modder was targeted and persecuted for his Christian beliefs.

Those behind the accusations must be held to full account. Homosexuality should not be a license to target those with whom there is disagreement. Such behavior can never be rewarded with command of a Nuclear Submarine carrying enough weapons to destroy a significant part the world.

For over thirty years predatory opportunist operated in the military with impunity. It seems their time may be passing.

So here's to you, Chaplain Modder. You are owed a debt of gratitude.

Ladson F. Mills III is a retired priest with over thirty years pastoral experience. He served as a Marine Corps Line Officer and upon his ordination transferred to the Navy Chaplain Corps. He retired from the Navy Reserves with the rank of Captain. He is a regular contributor to 'Virtueonline."