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Brief testimonial re: prayer breakfast

Published On: April 9, 2012|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

I appreciate the assistance of Mikey Weinstein and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) in resolving a small matter at the Air Force base where I work. Recently, along with all other military, civilian and contractor personnel, I received an invitation from the base commander to a National Prayer Breakfast event to be held on base. The invitation displayed the Air Base Group stationery, and included language that the Base Commander “requested the pleasure of [my] company” at the event (see attached).

I have become increasingly aware of inappropriate and even unconstitutional command-sponsored religious events in the Air Force, and I was uncomfortable with this apparent mixing of command authority with religion. I am uneasy at the prospect of declining a request from a senior military officer. In the military, we are all taught that “requests” and “suggestions” from senior officers should be interpreted as direction, with the exception of illegal orders.

Mr. Weinstein reminded me that this invitation was in direct disobedience of a memo to commanders signed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force last September, which explicitly called for communications about chaplain events to be sent from chaplains, not commanders. So, I decided to forward that memo to the base commander, asking if there had been new guidance from the Chief of Staff since then. I received a prompt response, acknowledging the mistake and thanking me for pointing it out! I have since learned that I was not the only MRFF client to question this invitation; indeed, the matter had been brought to the attention of the Commanding General of the base’s major tenant command, who had passed his concerns on to the base commander.

Much of the publicity about MRFF is about legal cases. While that work is indisputably important, MRFF also helps with problems that never make it to court, like this one. At least some of the time, military commanders are responsive to courteous reminders about the limits of their authority when it comes to imposing religious observances on their subordinates. I encourage anyone who feels their command is exercising inappropriate military authority over religious matters to reach out to the MRFF for advice and assistance.


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