FEATURED INBOX POST – Assistance at Maxwell AFB

Published On: July 8, 2015|Categories: MRFF's Inbox|0 Comments|

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From: USAF Airman’s E_Mail Address Withheld
Subject: Re: Fwd: Assistance at Maxwell AFB
Date: July 8, 2015 at 2:21:04 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein <[email protected]>

Dear Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF,

We at the Air Force Culture and Language Center would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Mikey and his staff at MRFF for promptly coming our aid recently when faced with yet another assault on religious neutrality in the Air Force.

We welcomed a new director into our center two months ago, and many of us were worried about his educational background and work experience due to his Masters  in Theology and PhD dissertation relating to Christian conversion. He fit the mold of  white, male, evangelical Christian, retired officer which Air University cannot seem to NOT employ in leadership positions.

Even though during his first week at the job a new staff member requested that prayers no longer be conducted at AFCLC events (since this had been an issue for some time), he seemed not to take such concerns to heart– during his initial All Call briefing he not only included a slide with a quote  from the Christian Bible’s book of Romans, but he also told a story about a conversation he had with an Iraqi colleague on the importance of prayer.   Further, the very next week he held an offsite event with people from the organization he considered “leaders”.  He invited only one female to attend the event and excluded females of the same/similar rank, duties, and positions as the majority of the male attendees.

Several of us at the AFCLC were appalled at such display of male, Evangelical, chauvinistic patriarchy and met to discuss our options.  We knew going directly to the director would get us no where, so we reached out to the MRFF.  Mikey immediately took up our cause and called our director’s commanding officer, Brig Gen (name withheld), the same day we contacted him.  Brig Gen (name withheld) stepped up and ordered our director to his office the next day for an hours long discussion.  Although we are not privy to what was discussed during this encounter, we did receive confirmation from AU/JA through the MRFF that “Brig Gen (name withheld) had a long conversation with the Air Force Cultural and Language Center Director which we [AU/JA] believe will resolve your clients’ concerns about government neutrality regarding religion in the workplace.”

We at the AFCLC are a diverse group of individuals, many of whom share the same religious beliefs as our new director.   However, we know a violation of AFI 1-1 when we see one, and we insist on fostering a work  environment free of illegal religious intrusion and Evangelical Christian patriarchy.  We cannot thank Mikey Weinstein and the MRFF enough for helping those of us who had no where else to turn for fear of dismissal or retribution.  Without organizations like the MRFF willing to stand up for the constitutional rights of our Armed Forces, such illicit deeds would be allowed to fester and infect our military.

Thank you, Mikey,

Grateful AFCLC Airmen


Mr. Weinstein,

Greetings from Montgomery, Alabama.  I am the acting staff judge advocate at Air University (until next week when I PCS to the (name of school withheld) School).  I wanted to close the loop with you concerning recent correspondence with Brig Gen (name withheld), the Spaatz Center Commander.  Brig Gen (name withheld) had a long conversation with the Air Force Cultural and Language Center Director which we believe will resolve your clients’ concerns about government neutrality regarding religion in the workplace.  If you have further concerns, please do not hesitate to call the Air University Legal Office at (phone number withheld).

All the Best,
(name withheld)

(name withheld), Lt Col, USAF
Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, Air University
Comm (phone number withheld)
(email withheld)

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