Generally, the US military has been ahead of society in general on respect for paganism. I’m glad that the VA caught up to the active services.
Mjollnir, runes, etc. are problematic because some racist pinheads use them. It was nose-bleeding hard to get the Anti-Defamation league to put a disclaimer on their Hate Symbols Database:
Users of this database should keep in mind, however, that few symbols ever represent just one idea or are used exclusively by one group. For example, the Confederate Flag is a symbol that is frequently used by white supremacists but which also has been used by people and groups that are not racist. To some it may signify pride in one’s heritage but to others it suggests slavery or white supremacy. Similarly, other symbols in this database may be significant to groups or individuals who are not extreme or racist. The descriptions here point out significant multiple meanings but may not be able to relay every single possible meaning of a particular symbol. For this reason, all of the symbols depicted here must be evaluated in the context in which they are used.
I can’t even imagine what it must be like to go to prison with Asatru/Odinist tattoos, because of their use by the Aryan Brotherhood gang.
