The September 17th edition of Air Force Times printed MRFF board member David Antoon's submission. Excerpted is a significant sentence evidential of the lack of accountability and oversight by the DOD Inspector General. In allowing the promotions of these senior officers, he encourages the unconstitutional and unethical actions of these general officers. The Times also did not mention the officers involved in the Christian Embassy Video by name, nor the name of the DOD Inspector General, which also denies accountability. These flag officers should not be protected.

Although the accountability Mr. Antoon wished to emphasize is excluded, the “Little Blue Book” has been referenced. Again, by deleting the sentence describing the devastating consequences, the need for accountability is diminished.

The Air Force Times also failed miserably by allowing an ad hominem attack on Mikey Weinstein to follow Mr. Antoon's submission.

David Antoon's printed letter is included below. The portions of his letter that were edited out by the Air Force Times are bolded and in red. Following Mr. Antoon's letter is the other submission that includes obvious ad hominem attacks on Mikey Weinstein.

Religion in the ranks

Robert F. Dorr’s column [“Keep the faith (to oneself),” Back Talk, Aug. 20] accurately describes the “religious” cancer infecting the military. A Los Angeles Times editorial The Pentagon has a disturbing relationship with private evangelical groups http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-aslan22aug22,0,4674900.story?coll=la-opinion-center describes similar egregious behavior. This week, Thomas D. Williams and JP Briggs II, Ph.D. described how Fringe Evangelicals Distort US Policy http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/082407R.shtml. The undermining of our Constitution by senior military officers must end.

On 1 September 1997, after a series of ethics violation by senior officers, Air Force Secretary Widnall issued “The Little Blue Book.”
http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070906-003.pdf

The inconvenient truth of this document is no longer in print. About religion, it states:

“Military professionals must remember that religious choice is a matter of individual conscience. Professionals, and especially commanders, must not take it upon themselves to change or coercively influence the religious views of subordinates.”

The destructive influence of Christian-right ideology within the military has become endemic from the service academies to the Pentagon, with no accountability. Brig. Gen. Johnny Weida, former Air Force Academy commandant, was investigated and struck from the major general promotion list for pushing his religious beliefs publicly and in official correspondence to subordinates and cadets, but later was promoted with back pay. Army Lt. Gen. William Boykin’s now infamous religious speeches in uniform preceded his promotion to deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, becoming the senior military officer in charge of Gitmo, Abu Graib, and secret gulags around the globe. Maj. Gen. Jack Catton was cited for soliciting votes in official e-mails for a fellow Christian running for Congress. [The Dept of Defense Inspector General, Joe Schmitz, noted for "Christian supremacy" rhetoric in his speeches, gave these senior officers a pass for their next promotion, before he took an executive position at Blackwater known for promoting Christian right ideology. In The Christian Embassy video, Gens Sutton, Catton, Caslen, and Brooks proselytized their brand of faith.] In the Christian Embassy video, several generals proselytized their brand of faith. Maj. Gen. Catton even suggested his religious ideology had priority over his oath to the Constitution.

In the “Blue Book,” Secretary Widnall accurately states: Ethics violations “do the most damage when they are displayed by the leader. If the leader is unwilling to sacrifice individual goals for the good of the unit, it’s hard to convince other unit members to do so. [At that point, the mission suffers, and the ripple effects can be devastating.]”

These flag officers have publicly and in uniform placed their religious ideology above their oath to the Constitution. Their actions to “coercively influence the religious views of subordinates” betray the men and women they serve. They must be removed from command, demoted and discharged to restore integrity in the ranks.

Col. David Antoon (ret.)
Dayton, Ohio
[Military Religious Freedom Foundation]

Abundant evidence of original authority, our Constitution, our Supreme Court and our founding fathers have all been superceded and canceled by some unknown dictators ordaining one Mikey Weinstein as our new nation’s god, imposing his beliefs on all, as he professes religious freedoms, a big lie, as he destroys freedoms.

It is easy to understand Mikey’s problem with Jesus Christ and the New Testament, but rather difficult to understand or accept the same problems with our Air Force.

God is bigger, and this too will pass, soon I hope.

Maj. Don Bagby (ret.)
Macon, N.C.