Liberty University

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Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr. writes: "Liberty University is the largest private non-profit university in the nation, the largest university in Virginia, and the largest Christian university in the world. Liberty was founded in 1971 by my father, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr., with a vision to train Champions for Christ as a world class university." [1]

Liberty University School of Aeronautics - Drone Pilot Training Program

Liberty boasts about being recognized as one of "America’s Top Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities.”[2] In addition to training military chaplains, it also trains pilots, or as Liberty calls them, "Christ-centered Aviators", in its School of Aeronautics. The SOA trains traditional pilots who actually fly various types of aircraft as well as Unmanned Aerial System (or Vehicle) (UAS or UAV, also known as "drone") pilots. David Swanson, host of Talk Nation Radio, wrote an op-ed in Hunnington News in which he interviewed (via email) Dave Young, dean of the SOA. Swanson asked Young “Is that kind of drone use Christian?” He responded,“I can only offer my perspective as a Christian... UAS are like any other aerial vehicle that can be used for a variety of missions including law enforcement, aerial surveillance, search and rescue, and crop spraying as well as for military reasons. As a former military combat aviator, I believe that UAS can be employed just like a manned aircraft and that there should not be a distinction between the two.” [3]

Contact

1971 University Boulevard
Lynchburg, VA 24502
Phone: (434) 582-2000
Web: http://www.liberty.edu

Resources and articles

Related Sourcewatch

References

  1. Liberty University About, organizational web page, accessed April 17, 2012.
  2. News Archive, Liberty recognized as Top Military-Friendly University, Liberty University Online, Feburary 2, 2012.
  3. David Swanson, OP-ED: Drones for Christ: How Jerry Falwell's Liberty U.—the world's largest Christian university—became an evangelist for drone warfare, Hunnington News, June 18, 2013.