T he U.S. Army School of the Americas at Fort Benning, Ga., trains military, police and government personnel from 21 Latin American nations. Courses run from two to 49 weeks on topics ranging from helicopter repair to battle operations.
Critics say courses include terrorist tactics, torture and murder.
The Army says they don't. The 1995 ELCA Churchwide Assembly adopted a resolution to eliminate school funding. In March 1998 the ELCA Division for Global Mission board reiterated that concern. The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs in Washington, D.C., supported the assembly's resolution. The April 1999 trip by college students is the first Lutheran delegation to visit the school.