Dear MRFF:
At a friends graduation cookout, yesterday on May. 8, 2010, here in (city and state withheld) I met Brigadier General (name withheld). He is my friend’s (friend’s name withheld) father. I noticed the officer’s sticker on his vehicle and I thought I would ask him if he knew Mikey Weinstein. I asked General (name withheld) if he knew Mikey Weinstein and sure enough he did. He told me that he was one year behind Mikey when they were both cadets at the Air Force Academy. I told him how I knew Mikey and he was very cool with it. Gen. (name withheld) told me “It (MRFF) has helped us see the unintended consequences that can arise when, among other things, leaders attend religious study groups.” He went on to explain that when he was a new base commander, he declined to join the popular bible study group that many, many Colonel’s and other field officers were a part of. He went on to explain that if he as the man in charge were to join the group, it could make his subordinates feel obligated to attend or even fear being passed over on select assignements and promotions. It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Gen. (name withheld). His son (my friend here in city’s name withheld) definitely gets his “likeability” from his father. Mikey’s impact is positive and far reaching. Although Gen. (name withheld) said he did not agree with some of Mikey’s stances, he firmly believes that Mikey’s efforts have, nonetheless, greatly helped senior USAF leadership better prevent the problems that arise when religion is excessively entagled with the military command structure. (name withheld)
