An Atheist in the Army
by Roy Arnott
Roy Arnott is the Treasurer of Australian Skeptics Victorian Branch.(Vic)
Roy enlisted in the CMF (later the Australian Army Reserve) in 1959 retiring as a Warrant Officer Class 2 in 1996.
His civilian career was in the Australian Public Service, mainly in Defence related departments. In the latter years Roy transferred from Defence and his terminal posting with the APS was a six year term with the Australian National Audit Office.
No Religion
It started on Day 1. When I enlisted back in 1959, we got to the question on the form about religion. I said that I did not have any. The Attestation Officer said, “You have to be something, I will put down Church of England”. Later, when I knew a bit more about things than the average recruit, I had my file corrected to read “No Religion”.
The Army personnel system does not have a classification of “Atheist”.
I think the descriptor “No Religion” is fair enough. We do not need to coin a word for other non believers – in, for example, fairies, ghosts, or Easter Bunnies View More An Atheist in the Army