WPR: Military officers forcing tribal soldiers to give up tobacco

Monday, June 27, 2011  

"The Ho Chunk Nation says a sacred plant is being wrongly confiscated from its members serving in the military.

For many Native Americans, ceremonial tobacco is for prayer, meditation, and in the case of soldiers – protection. Conroy Greendeer Sr. says deployed Ho Chunk soldiers take tobacco with them, but often commanding officers take it away. He says that’s what happened to his son in Afghanistan.

“They took it away from him, and made him, spill it on the ground,” Greendeer says. “He was dismayed by that.”

Ho Chunk leaders say non-Indians often mistake ceremonial tobacco for marijuana. Robert Mann, the tribe’s veteran service officer, says the Ho Chunk plans to work with the National Congress of American Indians to get legislation introduced through the House of Representatives, that would better enforce the American Indian Religious Freedom Act for native soldiers’ well-being."

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Military officials taking sacred tobacco from Native American soldiers (Wisconsin Public Radio 6/27)