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The answer is here:America’s Most Biblically-Hostile U. S. President.Copying and pasting in full.America’s Most Biblically-Hostile U. S. PresidentWhen one observes President Obama’s unwillingness to accommodate America’s four-century long religious conscience protection through his attempts to require Catholics to go against their own doctrines and beliefs, one is tempted to say that he is anti-Catholic. But that characterization would not be correct. Although he has recently singled out Catholics, he has equally targeted traditional Protestant beliefs over the past four years. So since he has attacked Catholics and Protestants, one is tempted to say that he is anti-Christian. But that, too, would be inaccurate. He has been equally disrespectful in his appalling treatment of religious Jews in general and Israel in particular. So perhaps the most accurate description of his antipathy toward Catholics, Protestants, religious Jews, and the Jewish nation would be to characterize him as anti-Biblical. And then when his hostility toward Biblical people of faith is contrasted with his preferential treatment of Muslims and Muslim nations, it further strengthens the accuracy of the anti-Biblical descriptor. In fact, there have been numerous clearly documented times when his pro-Islam positions have been the cause of his anti-Biblical actions.Listed below in chronological order are (1) numerous records of his attacks on Biblical persons or organizations; (2) examples of the hostility toward Biblical faith that have become evident in the past three years in the Obama-led military; (3) a listing of his open attacks on Biblical values; and finally (4) a listing of numerous incidents of his preferential deference for Islam’s activities and positions, including letting his Islamic advisors guide and influence his hostility toward people of Biblical faith.1. Acts of hostility toward people of Biblical faith:December 2009-Present – The annual White House Christmas cards, rather than focusing on Christmas or faith, instead highlight things such as the family dogs. And the White House Christmas tree ornaments include figures such as Mao Tse-Tung and a drag queen. [1]May 2016 – President Obama appoints a transgender to the Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships — an act of overt disdain and hostility toward traditional faith religions. [2]September 2015 – For White House and State Department dinners, the president deliberately invites guests that he knows will be offensive to the Pope and who openly opposed his message, but he and the State Department very carefully avoid inviting guests that oppose or would offended the dictators of countries such as Cuba and China. [3]June 2013 – The Obama Department of Justice defunds a Young Marines chapter in Louisiana because their oath mentioned God, and another youth program because it permits a voluntary student-led prayer. [4]February 2013 – The Obama Administration announces that the rights of religious conscience for individuals will not be protected under the Affordable Care Act. [5]January 2013 – Pastor Louie Giglio is pressured to remove himself from praying at the inauguration after it is discovered he once preached a sermon supporting the Biblical definition of marriage.[6]February 2012 – The Obama administration forgives student loans in exchange for public service, but announces it will no longer forgive student loans if the public service is related to religion. [7]January 2012 – The Obama administration argues that the First Amendment provides no protection for churches and synagogues in hiring their pastors and rabbis. [8]December 2011 – The Obama administration denigrates other countries’ religious beliefs as an obstacle to radical homosexual rights. [9]November 2011 – President Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial. [10]November 2011 – Unlike previous presidents, Obama studiously avoids any religious references in his Thanksgiving speech. [11]August 2011 – The Obama administration releases its new health care rules that override religious conscience protections for medical workers in the areas of abortion and contraception. [12]April 2011 – For the first time in American history, Obama urges passage of a non-discrimination law that does not contain hiring protections for religious groups, forcing religious organizations to hire according to federal mandates without regard to the dictates of their own faith, thus eliminating conscience protection in hiring. [13]February 2011 – Although he filled posts in the State Department, for more than two years Obama did not fill the post of religious freedom ambassador, an official that works against religious persecution across the world; he filled it only after heavy pressure from the public and from Congress. [14]January 2011 – After a federal law was passed to transfer a WWI Memorial in the Mojave Desert to private ownership, the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the cross in the memorial could continue to stand, but the Obama administration refused to allow the land to be transferred as required by law, and refused to allow the cross to be re-erected as ordered by the Court. [15]November 2010 – Obama misquotes the National Motto, saying it is “E pluribus unum” rather than “In God We Trust” as established by federal law. [16]October 19, 2010 – Obama begins deliberately omitting the phrase about “the Creator” when quoting the Declaration of Independence – an omission he has made on no less than seven occasions. [17]May 2009 – Obama declines to host services for the National Prayer Day (a day established by federal law) at the White House. [18]April 2009 – When speaking at Georgetown University, Obama orders that a monogram symbolizing Jesus’ name be covered when he is making his speech. [19]April 2009 – In a deliberate act of disrespect, Obama nominated three pro-abortion ambassadors to the Vatican; of course, the pro-life Vatican rejected all three. [20]February 2009 – Obama announces plans to revoke conscience protection for health workers who refuse to participate in medical activities that go against their beliefs, and fully implements the plan in February 2011. [21]April 2008 – Obama speaks disrespectfully of Christians, saying they “cling to guns or religion” and have an “antipathy to people who aren’t like them.” [22]2. Acts of hostility from the Obama-led military toward people of Biblical faith:October 2016 – Obama threatens to veto a defense bill over religious protections contained in it.[23]June 2016 – A military prayer breakfast whose speaker was highly decorated Delta Force Lt. General Jerry Boykin (ret) was cancelled because Boykin was a traditional value Christian who has voiced his support for natural marriage and his opposition to Islamic extremism. (The atheist critic behind the cancellation had complained that Boykin as a “homophobic, Islamophobic, fundamentalist Christian extremist.”)[24]April 2016 – At the orders of a commander, a 33-year Air Force veteran was forcibly and physically removed by four other airmen because he attempted to use the word “God” in a retirement speech.[25]February 2016 – After a complaint was received, a Bible was removed from a display inside a Veterans Clinic.[26]March 2015 – A decorated Navy chaplain was prohibited from fulfilling his duty of comforting the family (or any member of the unit) after the loss of a sailor because it was feared that he would say something about faith and God. He was even banned from the base on the day of the sailor’s memorial service. [27]March 2015 – A highly decorated Navy SEAL chaplain was relieved of duty for providing counseling that contained religious views on things such as faith, marriage, and sexuality. [28]June 2014 – Official U. S. government personnel, both civilian and military, in Bahrain (a small Arabic nation near Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran) must wear clothing that facilitates the religious observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. [29]March 2014 – Maxell Air Force Base suddenly bans Gideons from handing out Bibles to willing recruits, a practice that had been occurring for years previously. [30]December 2013 – A naval facility required that two nativity scenes — scenes depicting the event that caused Christmas to be declared a national federal holiday — be removed from the base dining hall and be confined to the base chapel, thus disallowing the open public acknowledgment of this national federal holiday. [30]December 2013 – An Air Force base that allowed various public displays ordered the removal of one simply because it contained religious content. [32]October 2013 – A counter-intelligence briefing at Fort Hood tells soldiers that evangelical Christians are a threat to Americans and that for a soldier to donate to such a group “was punishable under military regulations.” [33]October 2013 – Catholic priests hired to serve as military chaplains are prohibited from performing Mass services at base chapels during the government financial shutdown. When they offered to freely do Mass for soldiers, without regard to whether or not the chaplains were receiving pay, they are still denied permission to do so. [34]October 2013 – The Air Force Academy, in response to a complaint from Mikey Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation, makes “so help me God” optional in cadets’ honor oath. [35]August 2013 – A Department of Defense military training manual teaches soldiers that people who talk about “individual liberties, states’ rights, and how to make the world a better place” are “extremists.” It also lists the Founding Fathers — those “colonists who sought to free themselves from British rule” — as examples of those involved in “extremist ideologies and movements.” [36]August 2013 – A Senior Master Sergeant was removed from his position and reassigned because he told his openly lesbian squadron commander that she should not punish a staff sergeant who expressed his views in favor of traditional marriage. [37]August 2013 – The military does not provide heterosexual couples specific paid leave to travel to a state just for the purpose of being married, but it did extend these benefits to homosexual couples who want to marry, thus giving them preferential treatment not available to heterosexuals. [38]August 2013 – The Air Force, in the midst of having launched a series of attacks against those expressing traditional religious or moral views, invited a drag queen group to perform at a base. [39]July 2013 – When an Air Force sergeant with years of military service questioned a same-sex marriage ceremony performed at the Air Force Academy’s chapel, he received a letter of reprimand telling him that if he disagreed, he needed to get out of the military. His current six-year reenlistment was then reduced to only one-year, with the notification that he “be prepared to retire at the end of this year.” [40]July 2013 – An Air Force chaplain who posted a website article on the importance of faith and the origin of the phrase “There are no atheists in foxholes” was officially ordered to remove his post because some were offended by the use of that famous World War II phrase.[41]June 2013 – The U. S. Air Force, in consultation with the Pentagon, removed an inspirational painting that for years has been hanging at Mountain Home Air Force Base because its title was “Blessed Are The Peacemakers” — a phrase from Matthew 5:9 in the Bible. [42]June 2013 – The Obama administration “strongly objects” to a Defense Authorization amendment to protect the constitutionally-guaranteed religious rights of soldiers and chaplains, claiming that it would have an “adverse effect on good order, discipline, morale, and mission accomplishment.” [43]June 2013 – At a joint base in New Jersey, a video was made, based on a Super Bowl commercial, to honor First Sergeants. It stated: “On the eighth day, God looked down on His creation and said, ‘I need someone who will take care of the Airmen.’ So God created a First Sergeant.” Because the video mentioned the word “God,” the Air Force required that it be taken down. [44]June 2013 – An Army Master Sergeant is reprimanded, threatened with judicial action, and given a bad efficiency report, being told he was “no longer a team player,” because he voiced his support of traditional marriage at his own promotion party. [45]May 2013 – The Pentagon announces that “Air Force members are free to express their personal religious beliefs as long as it does not make others uncomfortable. “Proselytizing (inducing someone to convert to one’s faith) goes over that line,” [46] affirming if a sharing of faith makes someone feel uncomfortable that it could be a court-marital offense [47] — the military equivalent of a civil felony.May 2013 – An Air Force officer was actually made to remove a personal Bible from his own desk because it “might” appear that he was condoning the particular religion to which he belonged. [48]April 2013 – Officials briefing U.S. Army soldiers placed “Evangelical Christianity” and “Catholicism” in a list that also included Al-Qaeda, Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas as examples of “religious extremism.” [49]April 2013 – The U.S. Army directs troops to scratch off and paint over tiny Scripture verse references that for decades had been forged into weapon scopes. [50]April 2013 – The Air Force creates a “religious tolerance” policy but consults only a militant atheist group to do so — a group whose leader has described military personnel who are religious as ‘spiritual rapists’ and ‘human monsters’ [51] and who also says that soldiers who proselytize are guilty of treason and sedition and should be punished to hold back a “tidal wave of fundamentalists.” [52]January 2013 – President Obama announced his opposition to a provision in the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act protecting the rights of conscience for military chaplains. [53]June 2012 – Bibles for the American military have been printed in every conflict since the American Revolution, but the Obama Administration revokes the long-standing U. S. policy of allowing military service emblems to be placed on those military Bibles. [54]May 2012 – The Obama administration opposed legislation to protect the rights of conscience for military chaplains who do not wish to perform same-sex marriages in violation of their strongly-held religious beliefs. [55]April 2012 – A checklist for Air Force Inns will no longer include ensuring that a Bible is available in rooms for those who want to use them. [56]February 2012 – The U. S. Military Academy at West Point disinvites three star Army general and decorated war hero Lieutenant General William G. (“Jerry”) Boykin (retired) from speaking at an event because he is an outspoken Christian. [57]February 2012 – The Air Force removes “God” from the patch of Rapid Capabilities Office (the word on the patch was in Latin: Dei). [58]February 2012 – The Army ordered Catholic chaplains not to read a letter to parishioners that their archbishop asked them to read. [59]November 2011 – The Air Force Academy rescinds support for Operation Christmas Child, a program to send holiday gifts to impoverished children across the world, because the program is run by a Christian charity. [60]November 2011 – President Obama opposes inclusion of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous D-Day Prayer in the WWII Memorial. [61]November 2011 – Even while restricting and disapprobating Christian religious expressions, the Air Force Academy pays $80,000 to add a Stonehenge-like worship center for pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans at the Air Force Academy. [62]September 2011 – Air Force Chief of Staff prohibits commanders from notifying airmen of programs and services available to them from chaplains. [63]September 2011 – The Army issues guidelines for Walter Reed Medical Center stipulating that “No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading materials and/or facts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.” [64]August 2011 – The Air Force stops teaching the Just War theory to officers in California because the course is taught by chaplains and is based on a philosophy introduced by St. Augustine in the third century AD – a theory long taught by civilized nations across the world (except now, America). [65]June 2011 – The Department of Veterans Affairs forbids references to God and Jesus during burial ceremonies at Houston National Cemetery. [66]January 2010 – Because of “concerns” raised by the Department of Defense, tiny Bible verse references that had appeared for decades on scopes and gunsights were removed. [67]3. Acts of hostility toward Biblical values:October 2015 – The administration attempts to pick opponents for court cases dealing with Obamacare contraception mandate. [68]March 2014 – The Obama administration seeks funding for every type of sex-education — except that which reflects traditional moral values. [69]August 2013 – Non-profit charitable hospitals, especially faith-based ones, will face large fines or lose their tax-exempt status if they don’t comply with new strangling paperwork requirements related to giving free treatment to poor clients who do not have Obamacare insurance coverage. [70] Ironically, the first hospital in America was founded as a charitable institution in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin, and its logo was the Good Samaritan, with Luke 10:35 inscribed below him: “Take care of him, and I will repay thee,” being designed specifically to offer free medical care to the poor. [71] Benjamin Franklin’s hospital would likely be fined unless he placed more resources and funds into paperwork rather than helping the poor under the new faith-hostile policy of the Obama administration.August 2013 – USAID, a federal government agency, shut down a conference in South Korea the night before it was scheduled to take place because some of the presentations were not pro-abortion but instead presented information on abortion complications, including the problems of “preterm births, mental health issues, and maternal mortality” among women giving birth who had previous abortions. [72]June 2013 – The Obama Administration finalizes requirements that under the Obamacare insurance program, employers must make available abortion-causing drugs, regardless of the religious conscience objections of many employers and even despite the directive of several federal courts to protect the religious conscience of employers. [73]April 2013 – The United States Agency for Internal Development (USAID), an official foreign policy agency of the U.S. government, begins a program to train homosexual activists in various countries around the world to overturn traditional marriage and anti-sodomy laws, targeting first those countries with strong Catholic influences, including Ecuador, Honduras, and Guatemala. [74]December 2012 – Despite having campaigned to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, President Obama once again suspends the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 which requires the United States to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move the American Embassy there. [75]July 2012 – The Pentagon, for the first time, allows service members to wear their uniforms while marching in a parade – specifically, a gay pride parade in San Diego. [76]October 2011 – The Obama administration eliminates federal grants to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for their extensive programs that aid victims of human trafficking because the Catholic Church is anti-abortion. [77]September 2011 – The Pentagon directs that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriages at military facilities in violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. [78]July 2011 – Obama allows homosexuals to serve openly in the military, reversing a policy originally instituted by George Washington in March 1778. [79]March 2011 – The Obama administration refuses to investigate videos showing Planned Parenthood helping alleged sex traffickers get abortions for victimized underage girls. [80]February 2011 – Obama directs the Justice Department to stop defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act. [81]September 2010 – The Obama administration tells researchers to ignore a judge’s decision striking down federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. [82]August 2010 – The Obama administration Cuts funding for 176 abstinence education programs. [83]July 2010 – The Obama administration uses federal funds in violation of federal law to get Kenya to change its constitution to include abortion. [84]September 16, 2009 – The Obama administration appoints as EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum, who asserts that society should “not tolerate” any “private beliefs,” including religious beliefs, if they may negatively affect homosexual “equality.” [85]July 2009 – The Obama administration illegally extends federal benefits to same-sex partners of Foreign Service and Executive Branch employees, in direction violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act. [86]May 2009 – The White House budget eliminates all funding for abstinence-only education and replaces it with “comprehensive” sexual education, repeatedly proven to increase teen pregnancies and abortions. [87] He continues the deletion in subsequent budgets. [88]May 2009 – Obama officials assemble a terrorism dictionary calling pro-life advocates violent and charging that they use racism in their “criminal” activities. [89]March 2009 – The Obama administration shut out pro-life groups from attending a White House-sponsored health care summit. [90]March 2009 – Obama orders taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research. [91]March 2009 – Obama gave $50 million for the UNFPA, the UN population agency that promotes abortion and works closely with Chinese population control officials who use forced abortions and involuntary sterilizations. [92]January 2009 – Obama lifts restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, forcing taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. [93]January 2009 – President Obama’s nominee for deputy secretary of state asserts that American taxpayers are required to pay for abortions and that limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional. [94]4. Acts of preferentialism for Islam:April – September 2015 – The administration negotiates a deal to stop economic sanctions of Iran because of nuclear power development, despite the warnings and concern of Israel. [95]February 2012 – The Obama administration makes effulgent apologies for Korans being burned by the U. S. military, [96] but when Bibles were burned by the military, numerous reasons were offered why it was the right thing to do. [97]October 2011 – Obama’s Muslim advisers block Middle Eastern Christians’ access to the White House. [98]August 2010 – Obama speaks with great praise of Islam and condescendingly of Christianity. [99]August 2010 – Obama went to great lengths to speak out on multiple occasions on behalf of building an Islamic mosque at Ground Zero, while at the same time he was silent about a Christian church being denied permission to rebuild at that location. [100]April 2010 – Christian leader Franklin Graham is disinvited from the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer Event because of complaints from the Muslim community. [101]April 2010 – The Obama administration requires rewriting of government documents and a change in administration vocabulary to remove terms that are deemed offensive to Muslims, including jihad, jihadists, terrorists, radical Islamic, etc. [102]May 2009 – While Obama does not host any National Day of Prayer event at the White House, he does host White House Iftar dinners in honor of Ramadan. [103]2010 – While every White House traditionally issues hundreds of official proclamations and statements on numerous occasions, this White House avoids traditional Biblical holidays and events but regularly recognizes major Muslim holidays, as evidenced by its 2010 statements on Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, Hajj, and Eid-ul-Adha. [104]Many of these actions are literally unprecedented – this is the first time they have happened in four centuries of American history. The hostility of President Obama toward Biblical faith and values is without equal from any previous American president.[1] Todd Starnes, “No Christmas in White House Holiday Card,” Fox News Radio, 2011; Todd Starnes, “White House “Holiday” Card Spotlights Dog, Not Christmas,” Fox News Radio, 2012; “White House Christmas Decor Featuring Mao Zedong Comes Under Fire,” Fox News, December 24, 2009.[2] Billy Hallowell, “Obama Appoints Transgender Leader to Advisory Council on Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships,” The Blaze, May 19, 2016.[3] Jonah Goldberg, “Obama Respects Dictators More Than Popes,” National Review, September 19, 2015.[4] Todd Starnes, “DOJ Defunds At-Risk Youth Programs over “God” Reference,” Townhall, June 25, 2013.[5] Steven Ertelt, “Obama Admin’s HHS Mandate Revision Likely Excludes Hobby Lobby,” LifeNews.com, February 1, 2013; Dan Merica, “Obama proposal would let religious groups opt-out of contraception mandate,” CNN, February 1, 2013.[6] Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Minister Backs Out of Speech at Inaugural,” New York Times, January 10, 2013; Eric Marrapodi, “Giglio bows out of inauguration over sermon on gays,” CNN, January 10, 2013.[7] Audrey Hudson, “Obama administration religious service for student loan forgiveness,” Human Events, February 15, 2012.[8] Ted Olson, “Church Wins Firing Case at Supreme Court,” Christianity Today, January 11, 2012.[9] Hillary Rodham Clinton, “Remarks in Recognition of International Human Rights Day,” U.S. Department of State, December 6, 2011.[10] Todd Starns, “Obama Administration Opposes FDR Prayer at WWII Memorial,” Fox News, November 4, 2011.[11] Joel Siegel, “Obama Omits God From Thanksgiving Speech, Riles Critics,” ABC News, November 25, 2011.[12] Chuck Donovan, “HHS’s New Health Guidelines Trample on Conscience,” Heritage Foundation, August 2, 2011.[13] Chris Johnson, “ENDA passage effort renewed with Senate introduction,” Washington Blade, April 15, 2011.[14] Marrianne Medlin, “Amid criticism, President Obama moves to fill vacant religious ambassador post,” Catholic News Agency, February 9, 2011; Thomas F. Farr, “Undefender of the Faith,” Foreign Policy, April 5, 2012.[15] LadyImpactOhio, “ Feds sued by Veterans to allow stolen Mojave Desert Cross to be rebuilt,” Red State, January 14, 2011.[16] “Remarks by the President at the University of Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia,” The White House, November 10, 2010.[17] Meredith Jessup, “Obama Continues to Omit ‘Creator’ From Declaration of Independence,” The Blaze, October 19, 2010.[18] Johanna Neuman, “Obama end Bush-era National Prayer Day Service at White House,” Los Angeles Times, May 7, 2009.[19] Jim Lovino, “Jesus Missing From Obama’s Georgetown Speech,” NBC Washington, April 17, 2009.[20] Chris McGreal, “Vatican vetoes Barack Obama’s nominees for U.S. Ambassador,” The Guardian, April 14, 2009.[21] Aliza Marcus, “Obama to Lift ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers,” Bloomberg, February 27, 2009; Sarah Pulliam Baily, “Obama Admin. Changes Bush ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers,” Christianity Today, February 18, 2011.[22] Sarah Pulliam Baily, “Obama: ‘They cling to guns or religion’,” Christianity Today, April 13, 2008.[23] Roger Severino, “President Obama Threatens to Veto Defense Bill That Protects Religious Liberty,” Charisma News,October 28, 2016.[24] Todd Starnes, “Boykin bounced: Fort Riley cancels Delta Force hero’s prayer breakfast speech,” Fox News, June 2, 2016.[25] Debra Heine, “USAF Vet Forcibly Removed from Flag-Folding Ceremony for Mentioning God,” PJMedia, June 20, 2016.[26] Todd Starnes, “Bible removed from POW/MIA display inside VA clinic,” Fox News, February 29, 2016.[27]Todd Starnes, “Navy bans chaplain from ministering to family of dead soldier,” Fox News, March 24, 2015.[28]Todd Starnes, “Former SEALs chaplain could be kicked out of Navy for Christian beliefs,” Fox News, March 9, 2015.[29] Hendrick Simoes, “US personnel in Bahrain prepare for Ramadan,” Stars and Stripes, June 26, 2014.[30] Todd Starnes, “Bible controversy hits Air Force base,” Fox News, March 15, 2014.[31] “Nativity scenes removed from Guantanamo dining halls after complaints,” Fox News, December 19, 2013.[32] Todd Starnes, “Air Force removes Nativity scene,” Fox News, December 9, 2013.[33] Steven Ertelt, “Army Briefing Tells Soldiers Christians and Pro-Lifers are a “Radical” Threat,” LifeNews, October 23, 2013.[34] Todd Starnes, “Catholic priests in military face arrest for celebrating Mass,” Fox News, October 5, 2013; The Brody File, “Priest: Obama Admin. Denied Mass to Catholics,” CBN News, October 8, 2013.[35] Stephen Losey, “Academy makes ‘God’ optional in cadets’ oath,” Air Force Times, October 25, 2013.[36] Adan Salazar, “DoD Training Manual: ‘Extremist’ Founding Fathers ‘Would Not Be Welcome In Today’s Military’,” infowars.com, August 24, 2013.[37] Chad Groening, “‘I cannot answer your question:’ Air Force Sgt. says lesbian commander booted him,” One News Now, August 20, 2013.[38] “Military gives bonuses only to same-sex couples,” WND, August 20, 2013.[39] Melanie Korb, “Air Force Invites Drag Queens to Perform on ‘Diversity Day’,” Charisma News, August 19, 2013.[40] Chad Groening, “Attorney demands answers for Air National Guard sergeant punished for beliefs,” OneNewsNow, July 15, 2013.[41] Todd Starnes, “Chaplain Ordered to Remove Religious Essay From Military Website,” FoxNews Radio, July 24, 2013.[42] Hellen Cook, “Pentagon Censors Christian Art,” Christian News Wire, January 21, 2010.[43] Todd Starnes, “Obama ‘Strongly Objects’ to Religious Liberty Amendment,” Townhall, June 12, 2013.[44] Todd Starnes, “Air Force Removes Video that Mentions God,” Fox News Radio. June 7, 2013.[45] Todd Starnes, “Army Punishes Soldier who Served Chick-fil-A,” Fox News Radio, June 5, 2013.[46] “Liberty Institute Calls On U.S. Department Of Defense To Abandon Shift In Military’s Proselytizing Policy,” PR Newswire, May 7, 2013; Todd Starnes, “Air Force Officer Told to Remove Bible from Desk,” Conservative news, politics, opinion, breaking news analysis, political cartoons and commentary, May 3, 2013.[47] “Pentagon May Court Martial Soldiers Who Share Christian Faith,” Breitbart, May 1, 2013.[48] Todd Starnes, “Air Force Officer Told to Remove Bible from Desk,” Conservative news, politics, opinion, breaking news analysis, political cartoons and commentary, May 3, 2013.[49] Jack Minor, “Military Warned ‘evangelicals’ No. 1 Threat,” WND, April 5, 2013.[50] Todd Starnes, “Army Removes Bible Reference from Scopes,” Fox News Radio, April 22, 2013.[51] “Chaplain endorsers ask Air Force for equal time,” Alliance Defending Freedom, April 30, 2013.[52] Todd Starnes, “Pentagon: Religious Proselytizing is Not Permitted,” Fox News Radio, April 30, 2013.[53] Billy Hallowell, “Obama Opposes NDAA’s ‘Rights of Conscience’ for Military Chaplains & Members, Vows to Protects Rights of Gays,” The Blaze, January 4, 2013; Paul Conner, “Obama calls NDAA conscience clause for military chaplains ‘unnecessary and ill-advised’,” The Daily Caller, January 3, 2013.[54] “U.S. military insignia no longer allowed on Bibles,” CBN News, June 14, 2012.[55] Patrick Goodenough, “White House ‘Strongly Objects’ to Legislation Protecting Military Chaplains from Doing Same-Sex Weddings or Being Forced to Act Against Conscience,” Home | CNSNews, May 16, 2012.[56] Markeshia Ricks, “Bible checklist for Air Force lodges going away,” Air Force Times, April 16, 2012.[57] Ken Blackwell, “Gen. Boykin Blocked At West Point,” Home | CNSNews, February 1, 2012.[58] Geoff Herbert, ” Air Force unit removes ‘God’ from logo; lawmakers warn of ‘dangerous precedent’,” Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather, February 9, 2012.[59] Todd Starnes, “Army Silences Catholic Chaplains,” Fox News Radio, February 6, 2012.[60] “Air Force Academy Backs Away from Christmas Charity,” Fox News Radio, November 4, 2011.[61] Todd Starnes, “Obama Administration Opposes FDR Prayer at WWII Memorial,” Fox News, November 4, 2011.[62] Jenny Dean, “Air Force Academy adapts to pagans, druids, witches and Wiccans,” Los Angeles Times, November 26, 2011.[63] “Maintaining Government Neutrality Regarding Religion,” Department of the Air Force, September 1, 2011.[64] “Wounded, Ill, and Injured Partners in Care Guidelines,” Department of the Navy (accessed on February 29, 2012).[65] Jason Ukman, “Air Force suspends ethics course that used Bible passages that train missle launch officers,” Washington Post, August 2, 2011.[66] “Houston Veterans Claim Censorship of Prayers, Including Ban of ‘God’ and ‘Jesus’,” Fox News, June 29, 2011.[67] Todd Spangler, “U.S. firm to remove Bible references from gun sights,” USA Today, January 21, 2010.[68] Samuel Smith, “Nun Too Crazy? Obama Trying to Hand Pick Opponent in Birth Control Battle, Little Sisters of the Poor Attorneys Say,” The Christian Post, October 14, 2015.[69] Steven Ertelt, “President Obama’s Budget Eliminates Abstinence Education Programs,” Life News, March 5, 2014; Jennifer Liberto, “Sex abstinence program among Obama’s targeted cuts,” CNN Money, March 5, 2014.[70] Patrick Howley, “Obamacare installs new scrutiny, fines for charitable hospitals that treat uninsured people,” The Daily Caller, August 8, 2013.[71] “The Story of the Creation of the Nation’s First Hospital,” University of Pennsylvania Health System (accessed August 14, 2013).[72] Wendy Wright,” USAID Rep Shuts Down Workshop on Abortion Complications,” Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute, August 9, 2013.[73] “Obama Administration Ignores Outcries, Finalizes HHS Mandate Targeting Religious Freedom,” Liberty Counsel, July 1, 2013; Baptist Press, “Moore, others: Final mandate rules fail,” Townhall, July 1, 2013.[74] Tony Perkins, “Obama administration begins training homosexual activists around the world,” LifeSiteNews, June 6, 2013.[75] Ken Blackwell, “Guest Opinion: Take a Risk for Peace. Move our Embassy to Jerusalem!,” Catholic Online, June 5, 2013.[76] “Pentagon: Service members now allowed to wear uniforms in gay pride parades,” NY Daily News, July 19, 2012.[77] Jerry Markon, “Health, abortion issues split Obama administration and Catholic groups,” Washington Post, October 31, 2011.[78] Luis Martinez, “Will Same Sex Marriages Pose a Dilemma for Military Chaplains?,” ABC News, October 12, 2011.[79] Elisabeth Bumiller, “Obama Ends ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Policy,” New York Times, July 22, 2011; George Washington, The Writings of George Washington, John C. Fitzpatrick, editor (Washington: U. S. 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Millions of adults lack the level of education and training needed to get jobs that pay well, provide benefits, and offer opportunities for advancement. Research shows that people with postsecondary education earn more over their lifetimes and have lower-than-average unemployment rates.Increasingly, more states and localities are implementing career pathways programs to help adults navigate a path to jobs that pay well in their communities. Career pathways programs aim to improve the education and earnings of low-skilled adults by providing well-articulated training steps tailored to the local job market and accompanied by guidance and other supports. Career pathways programs focus on promising approaches to basic skills instruction and occupational training that lead to credentials for in-demand jobs. The programs also emphasize assessment, academic and non-academic supports that adults need to complete their programs, and connections to employers.The key components of a career pathways program include:Series of clearly defined and connected levels of education that build upon one other and lead to successively higher credentials and employment opportunities in growing occupations.Multiple entry and exit points.Comprehensive and intensive interventions to address the learning and life challenges facing adults.Strong connections to the local labor market and employer needs.Career pathways programs involve a range of industries and target populations. The pathway steps and associated credentials vary widely, too. Initial steps may include basic skills and training from a 6th grade level to high school. The next steps provide training geared to jobs requiring some training and education, but less than a four-year degree, such as occupational certificates and associate degrees. Higher levels incorporate bachelor’s degrees and advanced credentials. The programs are designed so students can enter and exit at multiple points along the pathway. Programs also tailor interventions and services to meet the needs of the targeted populations.Current Research and EvaluationThe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has a number of ongoing evaluations to determine the effect of career pathway programs on participant educational attainment, employment, and earnings, especially for low-income individuals, including recipients of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). Information on the ACF portfolio of career pathways projects, including the ones profiled here, can be found online.The Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) EvaluationThe Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) evaluation is the first-ever randomized trial of career pathways programs, featuring nine of the country’s innovative programs operated by community colleges, community-based organizations, and workforce agencies in 18 sites across 12 states (see map). The PACE impact study is testing whether these nine programs improve educational attainment, employment, and earnings among individuals who were assigned at random to a group that could access the program compared to a group that could not. Abt Associates, in partnership with MEF Associates, is conducting the study. Findings on the impact of the nine programs will be available starting in mid-2016.The nine programs in Pace are:Carreras en Salud, Instituto del Progreso Latino (Chicago, Ill.): Launched in 2005, Carreras en Salud (Careers in Health) is a career pathway program in nursing occupations for low-skilled and limited English proficient Latinos that leads participants from a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) degree to Pre-Licensed Practitioner Nurse (LPN) to LPN and ultimately to Registered Nurse (RN). Instituto designed Carreras en Salud to address both the academic and nonacademic needs of low-skilled Latinos. The training program provides a pre-college contextualized curriculum that moves students along an academic, career, and social ladder towards higher paying jobs.Workforce Training Academy Connect, Des Moines Area Community College (Des Moines, Iowa): DMACC’s Workforce Training Academy Connect (WTA Connect) program targets students with low skill levels who would not typically be eligible to enroll in vocational training certificate courses. The program aims to accelerate entry into vocational training by enabling students to pursue basic skills and occupational training simultaneously. The program packages vocational education in high-growth, high-demand sectors with basic skills remediation, psychosocial skills development, and advising, all at no cost to the participant. After completing the foundational components of the program, WTA Connect participants enroll in certificate courses in a variety of fields including health care and manufacturing.Patient Care Pathway Program, Madison College (Madison, Wis.): Madison College’s Patient Care Pathway Program (PCPP) provides accelerated entry into college-level programs in health for those with skill levels too low to meet entry requirements. PCPP offers two tracks depending on the student’s skill level: Patient Care Academy 1 (PCA 1) for students interested in a one-year health care diploma program or with skills too low to enter Patient Care Academy 2 (PCA 2); and, PCA 2, which allows students to meet all the prerequisite requirements in math, chemistry and communications for the two-year health degree programs in one semester. Both Patient Care Academies integrate developmental coursework with health program prerequisites and contextualize the developmental courses for the health field. All PCPP participants take classes as a cohort and had access to a dedicated advisor.Pathways to Healthcare Program, Pima Community College (Tucson, Ariz.): The Pathways to Healthcare Program trains low income Pima County residents, 18 years or older, for careers in high-demand healthcare fields. The program works closely with One Stop centers to recruit students, offering training in 16 different healthcare professions based on personal preference and test scores. The length of training can be as short as the five-week Nursing Assistant training, or up to two or three years for any of the associate degree programs (Clinical Research Coordinator, Health information Technology and Pharmacy Technology). Once enrolled in the Pathways program, students have access to a variety of supportive services including case management, remedial or developmental education if needed, a dedicated Pathways advisor, and a dedicated Pathways One-Stop Center case manager who works with them to find employment upon completion of training.Bridge to Employment in the Health Care Industry, San Diego Workforce Partnership (San Diego, Calif.): The Bridge to Employment in the Health Care Industry program assists participants in selecting a healthcare training program, provides advising and support services, and teaches job readiness skills. Participants receive individual training accounts (ITAs) to help pay for training; program navigators arrange for other financial supports, including funding for uniforms, certification fees, transportation, and child care.College Prep Academy, Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas): Serving four counties in southern Texas, Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) funds training for people pursuing an occupational certificate or an Associate’s degree in allied health, manufacturing, information technology, business, education, and specialized trades. For those assessed with skills below college level, VIDA offers an accelerated bridge program, the College Prep Academy, to build reading and math skills. The program directly provides financial support to help cover needs like tuition gaps, childcare, transportation, licensing expenses, and financial emergencies. Weekly group or individual meetings with VIDA counselors aim to assist participants in addressing academic, personal, and professional issues.Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program, Washington State Community and Technical College System (Across Washington State): The Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program operates in all 34 of Washington’s community and technical colleges. I-BEST is a multi-occupation program that concurrently provides basic skills or ESL instruction and job training in a range of credit-based, occupational training programs along with counseling and other supports. I-BEST provides contextualized classroom instruction with two instructors in specified classes -- one instructor for basic skills and one for occupational content. Students also receive academic advising, supplementary academic and non-academic skills instruction, and tuition assistance if existing financial aid is not adequate. Three colleges are participating in the PACE evaluation:Bellingham Technical College (Bellingham, Wash.) : The I-BEST programs included in PACE are nursing assistant, automotive technology, welding, and electrical foundations. Everett Community College (Everett, Wash.): The I-BEST programs included in PACE are Nursing Assistant Certified (NAC), Sustainable Office Skills (SOS), and welding. Whatcom Community College (Bellingham, Wash.): One I-BEST program is included in PACE, clerical assistant.Health Careers for All, Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (Seattle, Wash.): The Health Careers for All program offers career exploration and planning, advising, and support services from navigators provided through a community-based organization. The program offers training at three levels—foundational, entry and advanced—providing multiple entry and exit points. Participants also receive job search assistance and continue to receive advising and support when they start working to assist with needs that arise and help determine future career options. Training is funded through ITAs, and WDC also directly purchases classes from colleges for cohorts of students.Year Up (PACE sites are Atlanta, Bay Area (San Francisco and San Jose), Boston, Chicago, National Capital Region (Greater Washington, D.C.), New York City, Providence, and Puget Sound (Seattle)): This intensive, one-year program provides high school graduates and GED recipients between the ages of 18-24 with a combination of hands-on skill development and corporate internship opportunities. The first six months of the program focuses on technical and professional skill-building, while the second six months focuses on applying these skills through corporate internships. An onsite social worker helps students access supports like housing assistance, affordable dental/medical services, and child care. The program provides financial support, including weekly performance-based stipends of up to $260 throughout the year. Students can also earn college credits for their participation (typically a maximum of 18-23 credits). After graduation, students continue to receive support and build their professional networks through Year Up’s Alumni Association.Additional PACE ResourcesOverview of PACEImproving the Economic Prospects of Low-Income Individuals through Career Pathways Programs:The Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation: This policy brief from March 2014 presents a framework to describe the career pathways approach and the theory of change that guides the evaluation. It describes the nine programs in the PACE evaluation, and concludes with the study’s research questions and data sources.Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education Evaluation Design Report: This report from November 2014 documents the key research questions, structure, study components and data sources of the Pathways for Advancing Careers and Education (PACE) evaluation.Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) programAuthorized by the Affordable Care Act, the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) program provides education, training, and supportive services to TANF recipients and other low-income individuals to help them get jobs in the healthcare field.In 2010, ACF awarded 32 five-year grants to government agencies, community-based organizations, post-secondary educational institutions, and tribal-affiliated organizations to conduct these activities in 23 states. HPOG aims to meet the dual policy goals of demonstrating new ways to increase the supply of healthcare workers while creating well-paid career opportunities for low-income, low-skilled adults. As of June 2015, nontribal grantees enrolled more than 37,000 people in 49 programs.ACF is funding multiple studies to examine the HPOG Program, including ones focused on program performance reporting, implementation and effects:HPOG Implementation, Systems, and Outcome (ISO) Evaluation Design and Performance Reporting. The HPOG ISO project has two parts. The first part developed an evaluation plan for HPOG and the second part built and maintains a management information system to track grantee progress for program management and accountability and to record participant data for use in the evaluation. This project produces the HPOG Annual Reports (see below).HPOG National Implementation Evaluation (NIE). The NIE includes an in-depth examination of HPOG grantee program design and implementation, a systems analysis of networks created by HPOG programs (e.g., among grantees, employers, and other partners), and a quantitative descriptive analysis of HPOG program outputs and outcomes. All 27 nontribal grantees are included in this analysis.HPOG Impact Study. The HPOG Impact study uses an experimental design to examine the effect of the HPOG program on participants’ educational and economic outcomes. This evaluation aims to identify which components of HPOG programs (e.g., types of support services, program structure, and training areas) contribute to participant success. The 20 grantees that are not part of the tribal evaluation, the University Partnership Research Grants, or the PACE evaluation are included in the HPOG Impact Study.Evaluation of Tribal HPOG. A separate evaluation has been designed for the five tribal grantees, given the unique contexts in which these programs operate. This evaluation focuses on implementation and outcomes and will offer lessons about diverse programmatic approaches to health professions training programs serving tribal populations.The HPOG Year 4 Annual Report shows that through the end of the fourth year, in September 2014, the majority of HPOG participants were single moms whose incomes fell below $20,000 at the start of the program. Almost half of participants had incomes below $10,000. More than 80 percent participated in a healthcare training course, with one-third enrolling in courses for nursing assistant, aide, orderly or patient care attendant. Other common courses include training for licensed and vocational nurse, registered nurse, medical records and health information technician, and medical assistant.The Year 4 Annual Report also reveals that many participants experienced positive outcomes (future reports from the HPOG Impact study will analyze the extent to which HPOG caused those outcomes). Sixty-five percent of those who began a course of training completed with many others still engaged in coursework. Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of those who completed a course and exited the HPOG program were employed after leaving the program. More than 60 percent were employed in the healthcare field upon program exit. Nearly all participants (96 percent) also received some form of academic or personal support including tuition assistance, child care or transportation assistance, or employment placement support.HPOG Grantee LocationsOverview of HPOGHealth Profession Opportunity Grants: Year Four Annual Report (2013-2014): This report from June 2015 summarizes program operations and participant activity and outcomes from HPOG’s inception through the fourth year of grantee activities.Interim Outcome Study Report: National Implementation Evaluation of the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) to Serve TANF Recipients and Other Low-Income Individuals and Interim Outcomes Summary Brief : This report from September 2014 (and summary brief from August 2015) provides interim results on the key outcomes of HPOG healthcare training completion and employment, as well as on participants’ pre-training activities and receipt of support services and employment assistance. This study includes 27 HPOG grantees and the report provides information about the first 12 months of HPOG participation for 8,634 individuals.Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Impact Study Design Report: This report describes the research design of the HPOG Impact Study. The study is designed to answer questions about overall HPOG program effectiveness and explore how variations in program services affect program impacts, including identifying which elements of career pathways programs contribute most to advancing the labor market success of participants.Training TANF Recipients for Careers in Healthcare: The Experience of the Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) Program:As of April 2015, approximately 15% of HPOG participants were receiving TANF benefits at intake. This report explores two questions: How did HPOG participants receiving TANF benefits at intake differ from other low-income HPOG participants in characteristics, participation, and program outcomes? And why did TANF recipient participation levels vary across HPOG programs, and what are the implications for promising strategies to increase TANF recipient participation?

Running a Marathon in Mumbai was a life changing event for me.It is rather long so read on this blog MY long story of SCMM” Girish , You cannot run a Marathon”November 10 th , 2015, day before Diwali, Narak Chaturdashi day.one day in February 2011,” Running a marathon is not anybody’s cup of tea. It takes huge efforts, determination and commitment for a long time. Do you think you have it in you ? First run 2 km and then come to me for advice. ”Journey from February 2011 to 17th January 2016 has been a great , not only for running but about life itself. Been reading posts on SCMM, with fantastic timings, beautiful experiences . Was in two minds to posts something about completing a full marathon in not so exciting , long 6 hours and 49 minutes. And then finally thought you never know , it could be different for people.In February 2011 , when some young colleagues from my team approached a runner who had finished half marathon at SCMM for advice so that they can run the next half marathon, and was the answer they got is what is in second sentence of this post. So I said , ” How do you respond ? , by actually doing it and show him. unless you actually try , how do you know ? let us first try to run and walk and at least complete some distance. ” When more members of team were approached , we had about 15 who agreed to join and “I had to be there as boss ” i was told. So it was a day that i finally gave up the most enjoyable thing of my life , something i love most, a Sunday morning sleep. We finally had about 10 actually reporting at Friends Bakery , Nani Daman end of the Rajeev Gandhi Bridge with target to reach Jampore beach, about 5 km , on feet. And then the reality struck , while some could go for 2 or 3 km jog and jog and run, for me i just could not go further than 300 mtr on the incline of the bridge. Out of breath , exhausted , legs jammed. That was the defining moment , i rested, but started to walk, slowly, grudgingly , instead of going back and taking a car to reach Jampore, and finally reached beach to see almost all still huffing and tired but smiling and happy. None of us could even think of walking back and so returned by car. Then it started , Sunday morning Jampore beach , go by car , run on the beach. The numbers after a few weeks came down to only two reaching Jampore beach one Sunday. I thought what our runner told was probably right . Do we have it in us ? And then came Mr. D J Kim from South Korea for a business trip and we accidently spoke to him about the run. Came a surprise , this man , then 58 year old , told us he runs half Marathon ! and he said “you all can run. GP , no problem , you can run half marathon. Anyone can run half marathon. You only need to practice regularly. ” It was again destiny that in a few weeks time , Mr. Ingo Morawietz , the marketing director of Mankiewicz , Germany came for a meeting at Daman. When we were discussing , it came out that this 50 plus young man runs marathons. And our young members did not leave him before he had a impromptu standing information and guidance session for all those who were interested. The best part , he said , you do not need to start running all the distance. Start with only walk , then may be some running in between and gradually increase the running . Wow , this is what we all can do and it seemed not so difficult.However , awed with him and D J Kim , we thought they are special , so they can do it and not possible for us to reach distance of 21.1 km in half marathon. Team and I needed motivation.I declared two. First , every Sunday morning , at Jampore beach , all of those who reach , Thepla and bananas from me. And for young engineers , since they do not have a bike as yet , arrangement to bring you back after the run on beach. And a second big incentive , all of those who are first to run a half marathon , irrespective of number of persons who do it , i promised a foreign trip sponsored by me. That got higher numbers on the Jampore beach on Sunday mornings. And since i was pushing and promoting , there was no way i myself could not report. The Sunday sleep after the run and super breakfast by Shruti , became more enjoyable than the early morning sleep that i had to sacrifice.Eventually , when we realised that we could actually complete five or six kms on the beach. Sunday mornings , even today , the Jampore beach is like a private beach for the runners with tourists and locals coming not before 9 am . We also continued to have our Theplas and bananas. Some started to walk and run from the bridge itself to beach and could cover total 7 to 10 kms. By the time it was June , we thought we could with the progress , can possibly attempt a 21 km at SCMM. The registration dates were announced and came another big jolt. You need to qualify first running in some other official marathon and get the certificate , so that one can run in SCMM. Why the hell one should run one marathon to run to qualify to run another marathon ? My dream was to run once, just once in lifetime a half marathon , and then stop this madness. And may be some times go to Jampore to enjoy.By this time , three finally attempted and ran a half marathon , Shripad Kulkarni, Sachin Mulay and Shailesh Unawane. And as promised , i sponsored their trip to Thailand. This became a sensational news and when they returned , the number of participants at Jampore beach on Sunday morning doubled. So many of us now wanted to run a half marathon. And we could not run in SCMM in January 2012 because we were not qualified . So we said , Karna hai to Karna hai , what is the next event we can run ? It was at Vadodara in February 2012. In September 2011, started with “Marathon practice run” on one Sunday per month inviting and involving as many employees and their family members as possible. Even for the practice runs , from Teen Batti to Wind World Plant and back with 5 , 10 and 15 km distance, with all running with bibs , water stations , ambulance and all basic needs of a marathon. This became a success with enthusiasm of family members and children joining . Then it was in December that for the first time some of us attempted and go upto WTA ( Wind world Training Academy ) and thus 18 km successfully completed. We believed now that half marathon is possible. We were about 25 of us who ran in Vadodara Marathon , and now looking back , not a great event to have your first half marathon run with start time delayed by more than one hour to begin with. But we completed , with 100 percent success rate. All of us who started , finished it. And that was great feeling . My dream of running at least one half marathon was completed. Excited to finish , difficult to even walk even upto the auto stand and you all know how it is in the first run. We were happy that 22 of us qualified for January 2012 SCMM. As i remember , we actually made it look simple by attending a music concert by Sunidhi Chauhan and were the only group at back dancing. And then Shripad Kulkarni said ” Running a marathon is anybody’s cup of tea , you only need to decide , have the willingness to put in the practice . Anyone can run, it takes time , but anyone can run.” We had eight colleagues who ran half marathon in Goa River Marathon.It was in January 2012 that I ran with twenty other colleagues and friends in the first half marathon of SCMM. The whole experience , the support , the arrangements , was awesome and complete contrast with Vadodara , making this a very exciting and fulfilling experience. By this time the team was comfortable enough that after the run , and had the energy to capture the attention and stole the crowd from Kingfisher stall in the center of Azad Maidan , with our wild dances to the music that they were playing. Everybody turned to us joining our dance , full of joy of having run a marathon in Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. My wish and plan to run just one half marathon in life was discarded at the finish line of this Marathon itself. I continued with some more Marathon events , whatever practice possible with some hectic executive life and sometimes combining visits abroad with the weekend runs. Most memorable being one at ” Alstair Lauf” at invitation of Ingo , an enthusiastic run around lake Alstair at Hamburg. It was also an inspiring and humbling experience with so many German Grannys running with you and ahead of you. That has been my favorite destination for a run every time i am at Hamburg. Then another memorable one at Seoul when Mr. D J Kim could get me registered on a Saturday of my week long vist to South Korea. Finished the run, straight to the airport , had shower at Incheon airport ( by far the best airport in the world with only matching exception of Changi , Singapore ) , and in the long flight . That is the only time i had good sleep in any long international flight.The number of participants continued to increase , with Surat Marathon in 2013 , a night marathon, and 87 participants from Windworld , and most of us , strategically ran 10 k to qualify and with their family members also participating. This was the time my sister Vidya , did her qualification run for the Mumbai Marathon. The success rate continuing to be 100 percent.For 2013 SCMM , we invited and insisted that our inspiration comes with us for the run. Mr. Ingo Moraweitz came from Germany only to run with us a half marathon. We enjoyed with him and he enjoyed the event and our dance post run. the SCMM bug has bitten him and he comes every year since then.It was in 2013 , that we thought of having our own marathon and to give back to people of Daman from us. A marathon event , with no prequalification needed and only for run , and no intentions of commerce, no business of charity. So was the first event organised with good success. We were expecting 500 , had to stop at registrations at 1000. And then got call from the collector of Daman , saying i am getting calls from people that you are not allowing them to run. You have to continue. And again it was “Karna hai to karna hai” , we finally had close to 1500 participants in the first event itself.For 2014 , we invited our inspiration Mr. D J Kim and Mr. Ingo Moraweitz to join us for the run. And they both came , we had great run at Mumbai. It was after the run , that Mr. Kim , publicly declared , ”Girish , now you have done a few half marathons events and practice marathons. You can do it , in year 2016 , you must run a full marathon or you have to give 100 dollars to all your colleagues who have run here today. Everyone can run a full marathon , you only need to decide and practice.” i told him , there is no way i will run 42 km marathon. I have achieved more than my dream of once in a life time running a half marathon and going beyond to have hundreds of WindDirecters with family members running at Daman Wind Marathon event. Will be crossing fifty and not getting younger. However , it was other members who got hooked on to this idea of running a full marathon. And then finally ten of us decided to register and run a full marathon in 2015. And team talked me into registering and training for the full marathon. And i said , OK , let us do this once in a life just before crossing fifty years , to reassure myself with the start of golden period of life. The distance of 21 km , which was a once in a lifetime dream of achieving became a practice session run from September 2014. I was still slow and very slow runner and was comfortable and satisfied in being able to complete the distance everytime what was decided by team. We had second season of Daman Wind Marathon , with even bigger participation and much higher numbers in Half marathon. Came December end and everything was going on well. And the unexpected struck. By god’s grace , I had never been sick or hospitalised during last 15 years , and so when i had slight fever and cold , did not take it seriously. Two days passed and suddenly on 30th December , I was not able to breath and sleep in flat position. The 31 st December and early hours of new year was spent full awake for a different reason. Finally took flight to Nagpur , straight to Care Hospital , hospitalised for few days having detected with serious viral infection affecting lungs. Some heavy medication and treatment followed. It took ten days to recover and running a Marathon at SCMM was out of question. Would not have been fair to me , friends and to the organisers even to start a run. That i was disappointed , and demoralised is an understatement. However , eight from team ran full marathon , and more than 25 half marathon at SCMM. They had some good experience. As i recovered , started and continued with running , many times running on return from office and cycling to and back from office. The Sunday morning Jampore beach sessions continued. And when it was time to register , we had 15 registering for SCMM , full marathon. Everything was going on well and getting ready for the big event.It was my destiny that i started following posts from Piyushbhai on facebook. Was tempted to request him to run one of his full marathon at Daman. It was our honour that he agreed to run his 60th run at Daman. Learned many things about running , about life from him. He liked the experience at Daman and the friendship with a lagend continued. It was through his friends list and with communication on facebook , that i was introduced to many other long distance and stalwarts of running. Subsequently i started persuing him to consider Daman for his 100 th Marathon. Finally we were obliged and honoured to organise his historic 100th marathon on 28th october 2015. That was a big boost to the runners at Daman and once again , we had this occasion with some big names in running joining Piyushbhai in his 100th run.For having Diwali with parents went to Nagpur. Thought of having a complete check up specially for confirming readiness for full marathon. Treadmill test was as usual during last few years was normal. And it was only with personal concern for me that Dr. Varun Bhargava himself was present during the test. He observed aberrations during the test although it came to normal quickly. This was Dhanteras day. He told me ” Girish , you want to run marathon and if we want to be sure , we need to have a “false confirmation” test . For assurance, better to conduct Angiography. And I said , better to get it done tomorrow morning. So on second day of Diwali , Narak Chaturdashi day , the test was conducted. The doctor performing test , said ” nothing very serious , probably no operation needed” . Yes , a cardiologist is normally performing an Angio on patients with some heart problems. I told him ” i know , have run half marathons and i have run 8 km yesterday morning itself “. And then after an hour or so , having rested with lot of water intake, Dr. Varun Bhargava came in and said. There is nothing serious . Only some medicines you need to take , and” Girish , You cannot run a Marathon”You have two partial blocks in your arteries of heart and in this situation , you cannot run a marathon.That was devastating.After few minutes i said , may be after one or two years when it becomes alright.“No. You are not getting any younger , and no further stress on heart beyond a limit and so you cannot run in a marathon”My friend since we were two year olds, Yagnesh Thakar , a doctor, came in , and my wife Shruti with me. And i broke down. How can this happen , i have been running for last three to four years , no problems ever faced. With so much running , why whatever blocks in arteries have not been pushed and flushed out ? How these blocks are possible ? How come i never had any problem ? And why i cannot run now ?By afternoon , the rational me took over and started thinking. ” Karna hai to karna hai ”Wished to see the video myself and understand. Saw the constriction and partial block at two places in two arteries. Had a long discussion with Varuch Chacha ( Dr. Varun Bharagava ) .Understood , If i had not take to running during last few years , there was a very high possibility that i would have a much more serious heart problem and almost certainly needing some sort of surgery , jeopardising my quality of life. so i know i owe my life of running or at least my quality of life to running and runner friends and buddies , whom i run with , whom i know , having personally met and those who i know only through facebook. I thanked and continue to be grateful to the runner who told some of my team members that “running a half marathon is not everyone’s cup of tea ” because in last so many years , have not heard from any other runner saying anything similar.Understood , i cannot allow my heart rate to go beyond a limit of risk zone specially with partial blocks. So i can go for long distances, as long as i can , within maximum heart rate. So i virtually negotiated , i can walk briskly , run slowly as long as my heart rate does not go up beyond a limit, and cover a long distance. Since there was nothing else to be done except starting with medicine, once a day , came back home by afternoon and told mother in best possible way about the outcome of the test.Now this is like other things in life and work. Think of solutions. You have resource contrain of funds , people , time , costs , two conflicting needs , tasks to be taken up together and completed together, impossible expectations on deliverable. This is also like that. Think.Then started lot of study and research. And also attempt to prove something to myself. Next day morning , i was at VNIT , my alma matter, with friends joining in. Now with this new knowledge about myself , completed cautious 11 kms, out of which 5 km with Raghavendra Deshmukh. And on second day morning , continued with pre decided plan with Hemant Kalikar , to go upto Gorewada lake and have a jog along the trail around the lake. I told him , today will be slow and you can try this long distance with me. we finally had walk , jog , run, fun with some long talk amongst two friends in many years. And it was 17 kms by the time we returned. He said, “Girish , i never thought i could do this distance ever and your strategy of slow and long is good. Now i am confident to train for a half marathon. ” And i knew why slow and long . Had done this and longer distance many times earlier , by somehow on that day , gave me a joy of a different kind.With research , and study and thinking , i realised, the solution lies in my being able to know my heart rate continuously during all my runs. And whom to look up to for advice other than Dinesh Laguani ? I asked him , looking for a gadget which can give me a reliable heart rate with readings from wrists rather than a chest band sensor. He had this suggestion of a perfect solution , Garmin FR 225. I am grateful , he personally himself came and delivered the Garmin watch. This has meant so much for me after having known on limitation of heart rate. I vouch for this watch. Having online rather “onrun” information on heart rate , which is quite accurate , gives me confidence to run and control on my running and walk breaks. A few days of getting used to the training sessions with entire run aligned to the heart rate , i could do almost all practice sessions. Then came first official half marathon after detecting these blocks and what a better coincidence than in Nagpur ? Ran a half marathon at Nagpur on 29th November with the Garmin FR 225 virtually as a reference guiding the moves. Completed run with control. Was more happy that two of my friends , Raghavendra and Hemant Kalikar finished their first Marathon in life , in the same event. i was on a very regular basis keeping Dr. Bhargava updated with all the long and practice runs that i was doing along with the details of the distance , time , heart rates etc.Meanwhile , the third edition of Daman Wind Marathon was coming up quite well. It was only destiny and good luck that we had confirmation from some exceptional runners like Piyush Shah , Roshni Rai , Bhupendra Singh Rajpoot , Mr. Sung of Korea, Mr. Premshankar Pandya , Dr. Oke , Mr. Satish Gurjan , Mr.Lalit Periwal and with many others. It was a pleasant surprise when Kavita Raut officially registered for the event. And thanks to Mr. Chetan Gusani that we had VijayaMala Patil also running. These are the people who have done which most people think impossible. Great inspiration of possibilities. The event was quite successful. We look forward to making it even better infuture. With most of us unable to run as being occupied in organising and volunteering in the event. More than 2200 participants with restrictions on participants number was a good response specially with much increased numbers in 21 and 10 k runs. The medal became a big hit amongst the runner in addition to many other things and events appreciated.Then came crucial decision if i can run a full marathon ? 42 km is a quite long distance to cover in this known condition. Spoke to Mr. Venkatraman Pichumani and that call gave me lot of inputs and reassurance. Looked at Galloway method of run and walk as this was most suited for the run with heart rate monitoring. Decided to continue with practice and take a decision at the final time.We had planned for big family vacation with eight cousins with families being together in end of December 15 at Udaipur and Kumbhalgarh. This vacation turned out to be my best training and testing sessions as well. Second day of reaching , had runs around Fatehsagar lake , my another equally favourite lake as Alstair lake of Hamburg for the run. Had last long run of solo 24 km around the lake. next day , seven km with other members of family . next day , hill hike at back of resort , and climb of Kumchalgarh fort. Next day , visit to Parshuram temple , going down 80 floors of steps , 30 floors up and back same way. Next day , a walk on the wall of Kumbhalgarh , where only me and my cousin Sameer dared to get ready in the morning, and which turned out to be much more than a walk, all steep steps ups and downs along the wall primarily meant for horses. These sessions , all with heart rate monitoring with Garmin watch. The knees pained, leg muscles complained , but after few days it was alright . It gave me confidence that it was good strength training and finally i am ready for the long rung of full marathon even with the heart issue. ” karna hai to Karna hai”. However made three promises to myself, will keep absolute control on heart rate , will stop and take rest at any indication of pain or excess stress before i start again and difficult decision ,but if necessary , stop and not move further at any point of run if that is what body tells me. Read an exchange of posts between Raphael Igrisianu and another runner from Germany where they spoke about two words , though with a different context “discipline” and “patience” and i locked these two words in my mind for my first ever full marathon in life.” Pair or Dil Salamat to marathon hazar ” like ” Sir salamat to pagadi hazar”The 10 K run at Valsad on 10 th Januray was also another test case for running with heart blocks and HR monitoring. I actually enjoyed the run with lower speed of runs than what i could normally run , just to keep HR within limit.But as the destiny would have it and the God decided to put me through another test to know if i was really ready and give me a valid option and reason to quit. 11th Januray , Travelling back from Mumbai in train , sitting on side seat , when the back rest of opposite seat swung and fell bang on my knees with impact. The first thing that to my mind was ” My Marathon gone” and not the intense pain in the knees. Those were the most frustrating and difficult minutes . Got down at Vapi and when saw my knees after reaching home , the part where it impacted had turned blue. Then RICE, rest , ice and elevation as advised by buddies , Tiger balm and Tiger patch for few days and absolutely no walk or run till 16th morning. Fortunately i was running for last few years and so the muscles could take the impact ( the message from Sameer Gaikawad was a big confidence builder ) though it was still bluish and brownish at knees. Before the big day at SCMM , It was only a two km run on 16th morning , to meet Rauf Hajee , my friend who runs a tea kiosk at Marwad Hospital gate to get his good wishes , that i was on feet for a walk or run from 11th till 16th morning. And i felt good. ready for the run . “Karna hai to karna hai”However , the things were not over as yet. On 16th afternoon , when we were about to start , from Daman , the driver called to inform he is sick and will not be able to come to drive us to Mumbai. I was thiking of taking some rest after two hectic days at office right upto 16th morning. And now this. So it was three hours of drive. I realised that the BIB for Ingo, ( he continues to run every year now atSCMM), had to be delivered to his hotel in south Mumbai. So I was driving till late evening on 16th for total five hours , instead of taking rest on a day before the run. So the test was going to the full. By the time i reached my brother-in-law’s place, near Kanjur Marg, was thinking what could be next ? and then ” Karna hai to Karna hai”Fortunately it was only superb Aloo Parathas for the dinner. Wrote emergency contact number and mobile number of Dr. Varun Bhargava on backside of BIB , with details of medicines that i am taking . Had reasonably good sleep till 0300 am in the morning. Took my car to CST and comfortably parked . Shruti, my wife and Vidya , my sister went to Worli at start point for half marathon with my son Harsh.From the time that i started walking with runners from CST terminus towards ground and then starting point , the energy and positive vibes started engulfing me. Was already feeling good. Met all other colleagues and Wind Runners at the ground and together we walked to the holding area.When I stood in the morning of 17th at the starting point for the first ever full marathon of my life, i knew exactly why people and runners say it is a big courage and achievement even when you are standing at the start line of the Marathon run.When the run started , and the excitement in the air, i just reminded myself , patience and discipline. Still first two kms were relatively faster than what i wished and heart rate started going up. From then on , could restrain myself to run walk run with Garmin watch HR as guide reference to initiate walks and runs right upto Peddar Road. Simple , heart rate at max level , stop running and start walk , and heart rate at lower level , start running , trying to match run with flat or downward slopes and walks with upward slopes. Enjoyed the run. Walked all the way on the incline of Peddar road. And with downward slope of flyover, with mela of fast runners of half marathon in the visibility , naturally the energy and enthusiasm rubs off. Could not help running some distance and for the first time ignored the heart rate till reaching the end of downward slope. Was enjoying the speed after some months of controlled running. Then good sense prevailed. What are you doing ? you want to spoil your run ? discipline and patience. Started walking till heart rate was back to less than 120 bpm. Was deliberately walking along right side near the barrier so that i can see and meet all Windrunners and friends running half marathon. And can still remember the good feeling . So many runners energy like overflowing and enveloping me , my whole self completely filled with the positive vibes of hundreds of runners crossing. Gave shouts to so many friends , got a high fives from known and unknown runners, and so many shouts of “girishbhai” , ” girish” , “sir” , “Hi buddy” , “great going” . Out of entire 42.2 kms of run , i would say these two or three kms of distance when i crossed the half marathon runners was the most memorable, enjoyable and fulfilling part of the run. If i run another SCMM full marathon, it will be for reliving these three kms. Saw my sister vidya , a big shout for her , to bring out from her intense focus on the run and the route. Later meeting Shruti and Harsh with a high five and she told , she has changed her mind and now going to finish her entire run instead of stopping after meeting me and then waiting for me on the return. She would meet me at the finish line after completing her half marathon also. That was great news for me and big motivator. Soon was at the start of the Bandra Worli sea link. Was now going with control on the run walk run , comfortable and enojoying the run. After reaching the flat part of the bridge and covering some distance , came the bus announcing the elite runners on way. What a treat to watch the bunch of top elite runners running strong. And soon we had Indian elite , Keneyan women groups just crossing me. That is a privilege which only full marathon runners , and slow runners , get the opportunity to see these accomplished runners for a long period of the run in action from so close and cheer them on. After some time , came the elite Indian women runners. Actually running on the right hand side of the route on the same side as few of we runners , and when they crossed, recognised Kavita Raut ( She ran at Daman and broke event record by whopping 25 minutes ) and i instinctively shouted in Marathi ” Kavita Dhav ” , “shewatchya 500 meetar madhe too jinkanar ” as i tried to catch up with their running and she acknowledged with a thumbs up. And this will be the second reason if i decide the run the SCMM , full marathon again. What a special privilege ! to be able to cheer your favourite runner right on the track as you are running along side them.This was second time that on the slope at the end of the bridge , i just raced on forgetting the heart rate as the speed of the elite runners does have some affect. It was only at the toll gate that i realised , heart rate is going up , actually reprimanded myself , ” discipline and patience” , you want to complete this run without risk and creating problem for yourself and others. The bhangara just after the toll gate was great. Soon was second stage of corporate relay and the fresh person in the relay would run fast at the beginning of their 10.5 km. The slope downwards continues and so i could for some distance match with them. And then once again had to continue with run walk run. Special mention for the police persons just at the right turn at Bandra. All of them cheering the runners even for late and slow runners like me. And what made those three or four kms easy was groups of young children from the nearby huts givng high gives and ” hatachee Taali ” and feeling so happy with it , making me happy and forgeting that i am actually running an official marathon. Soon i saw board of 24 km and realised , this is already halfway crossed and beyond ! it was during the run along Shivajee Park , i opened wrap and had some ” kaajoo katli ” and exception to the normal guidance that nothing new on race day. Shruti had prepared these at home , thin and small making it suitable for taking during the run. The clue was remembering a tip from post by Lalit Periwal , Lalitbhai on his Comrades run suggesting that Kajoo katli would have been a good choice. And what an fantastic tip it was , implemented in SCMM and those bites i had three times during the run , were very very useful. During the run , i ensured that i always had at least three small bottles of fluid , one of them at least with energy drink or with salt tablet dissolved. Will consume one to have it replaced immediately in the next station. Except for a few stations, where energy drink were finished , there was excellent support with the water stations even for the slow late runners like me. The strategy of keeping these fluids ensured that i never felt need or short of water or energy fluid. Passed Sidhhi Vinayak , did Pranam thanking HIM and wishing for His blessings for balance part of the run. And God bless the family , standing on route , after the Sidhhi Vinayak temple , with four “Thalees” full of top quality dark brown/ black soft Dates with salts and cool water sprays. I wish to personally thank them if i get to know who they are, they have ” re energised” my run in all the sense of the word. Also met several runners on the route , one of them young Mr. Kela and shared with him my story of running with heart rate monitoring due to two blocks in my heart. Moved on and then on the Worli sea link. Saw and crossed many runners who were ahead of me , including Rajeev , Shailesh and Rajesh , Shripad , Sachin from Wind Runners team. And thought , well i am not so much behind after all. But then realisation, Why this part of the route has to be so long before the U turn back? It was coming close to 30 km. Mentally i thought only final 10 k to go and then it is only last two. I have never earlier covered more than 33 km distance. Had read and heard that actually full marathon starts at 30k. it was at this stage , i checked myself, energy level , ok , no problem with breath , legs paining but that was expected nothing unusual. And realised , when I run , the pain in the legs is less then pain in walking. And I can run quick even now. but when i start running the heart rate starts going up. What the hell ? i have no problems in breath, energy level is ok , and can run , it is getting quite long on the route , I don’t care , i will run. But the Garmin watch shows heart rate going upto 145 plus in 100 mtr of run itself when i run quick. So now it is different kind of fight of mind with body. Girish , having come so far , do not do anything foolish and Peddar road is just in the visibility around the turn. And the dreaded Peddar Road came up. Previous two half marathons , this incline has caused me cramps in calf muscles on both occasions. Give respect to this cruel hill on the route. So stopped for half minute for the good stretching and continued with only walk right up the entire length of the hill and no hurry up in the first incline. On the top and god bless the man with the cool water spray, ” take out your specs , take this spray and now you are good for next ten k , though now it is only eight now. ” The lady with him, god bless her also ” now it is only downward incline , you have come so far and now it is only mind game. Go for it , get your mind to direct you body. ” Oh yes mam , i know , now i am in a mind vs body dual duel. Body says tired , Mind says you can complete , and then body says , why are you not running ? you can run and mind says , no look at the heart rate , cool, have patience. Continue beyond 36 km. Can still run , but as soon as i run , the HR shows up. I think heart has been working hard quite long time ( almost six hours by that time ) and you better not stress it up. ” Patience and Discipline ” . It is getting tough , boring , tiring , temperature high , warm , traffic police announcing , “if you want to stop the race , get into the bus”. Hey shut up ! i am not going to do anything foolish including getting in the bus or now trying to run. How much difference it would make now ? five or six minutes ? Keep calm , patience and discipline. Just continue. Mahesh comes up. One click and one selfie with you Girish. some more who have completed their run returning , want to take pics. Great!Now only last two km. And god bless all of you who are still keeping the water bottles and water station live for runners like me. Turn left , and wow we still have so many people cheering and encouraging. Someone says ” GirishBhai last one km and you are doing great ” . Who is she ? does not matter , she still says i am doing great. Vishwanath Iyer comes up , Sir, last one k to go and i am going to be with you upto finish. We are talking about Daman marathon and his desire to run half marathon next time. Last 500 mtrs, and I see Vidya , my sister and she joins me. Last 200 mtrs and i can see Ingo and Shruti waiting at the finish line. Crossing the finish line, continue for another 20 mtrs further. So now finally i can believe , have done it, my heart is ok , i am ok , legs are paining , but no cramps , breath is ok , Energy still there and i am happy.Ingo meets me says a few words i do not remember.Shruti is all smiles , looking so beautiful and bright and radiant. There cannot be a better reward than this at finish line of a Marathon.I can run and successfully complete a full marathon. Even with blocks in heart. Yes, it has taken 6 hours and 49 minutes. But can be done. And on another positive perspective , I can be on my feet , active , walking or running for entire 6 hours and 49 minutes and who knows god willing , with seven hours , in future , something more is possible . Patience and discipline . Karna hai to Karna hai.This is a great day , i did my first full marathon in life, my wife Shruti does her first half marathon in life and my sister does her third SCMM half marathon. All my friends and buddies who started either a half or full marathon all completed their run to the finish with one hundred percent success.Runners are good people and running makes them good. Run to invest in yourself. Run for your life.Caution : Running with blocks in heart is not at all advisable unless you have consulted the doctor , completely understood your limitations and understanding of what can be done what is a strict strict limit beyond which you should never go. Running with such limitation is not easy. Possible but not easy. so take care.