Sincere thanks to the MRFF

> Hello Mikey:
>
> I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to you and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.
>
> Watching Pierce, Burns and Hunnicutt in M*A*S*H episodes as a young man, I was inspired to be a doctor in the Army.
> I am now a Major, in the Medical Corps, Army Reserve. I practice anesthesiology with a Combat Support Hospital. I could not be happier with my work.
>
> What makes me different from most of my colleagues, is that I no longer attend a church. Though I was raised in a church- going family, I would no longer describe myself as Christian.
>
> It has become increasingly uncomfortable to identify oneself as a nonreligous soldier in the cultish, evangelical Christian milieu of the US Army.
>
> Christianity’s influence can be seen everywhere in Army installations: ‘Jesus Loves You’ at soldier’s work stations, bible quotes in their email ‘signatures’, bible study invitations and announcements plastered on bulletin boards, and stacks of ‘donated’ New Testaments at every waiting or common area. Chaplains that are supposed to represent all faiths, never seem to get around to talking about Allah or Budda, or Zeus when they are given an opportunity to give a ‘non denominational’ address to the troops.
> This omnipresence is oppressive.
>
> Looking for like-minded individuals in the Army is difficult. On my last deployment, I was sitting at dinner with 6 other medical doctors. Our discussion turned to religion. I was shocked to find out that I was the only one of this educated group that was not a Christian, and did not believe the world was only 6000 years old.
>
> My Commander on this deployment ‘Praised God’ saying that ‘Prayer really does work!’, when I presented her with 10 Kindle e-readers donated by a secular organization I had contacted.
>
> I could go on. The point of this letter though, is to thank you for the work the MRFF does. It can be pretty lonely out there. It is nice to know that the MRFF represents thousands of soldiers like me, religious and and nonreligious, that are marginalized by the climate of Christian proselytization endemic in the US Military.
>
> I have had the occasion to contact you three times in the past regarding Church/State separation issues in the Army. Each time you have personally responded to my email in a matter of hours. You have even taken the time to talk to me personally over the phone on one occasion. You have freely offered your opinion and your advice on how to proceed.
>
> It is so clear that you take the work you do seriously. That in itself inspires me to try to get involved in the fight, and continue to support the work of MRFF.
>
> Sincere thanks.
> MAJ xxxxxx x. xxxxxxxxx
> (City and State Withheld)

Hi Doc,

Mikey let me see your message because of the M*A*S*H reference. I’m thrilled to think you’re
doing what you’re doing because we “inspired” you, but am a bit concerned that you included Old
Ferret-Face in the mention.

Thanks for the kind words about the work of the MRFF. It’s sad that it’s necessary, but as your experience suggests, it is urgently so. The whole concept of fundamentalist proselytizing in the military continues to boggle my mind, but since it exists I’m proud to be part of Mikey’s efforts to combat it.

And I must say, your description of dinner with 6 medical doctors who believe the world is 6,000 years old nearly strikes me dumb. How can people have gone through that much school and medical training and continue to hold such a view? I find that incomprehensible.

Nonetheless, thanks for being there and thanks for the good work you’re doing.

Best,

Mike Farrell
(MRFF Board of Advisors)

Hello Mr. Farrell:

I never imagined my note to Mikey Weinstein of the MRFF, would result in the kind email response from you. I hope you don’t mind me sharing a little about the inspiration I had from the work you all did in the M*A*S*H series.

It is absolutely true, that the show M*A*S*H inspired the closest thing to a ‘calling’ I have ever had in my life. There was something about the operating room scenes with all of you, that spoke to me in an inexplicable way. I just knew I had to be there.

Before even finishing Army Basic training in Texas, I volunteered for an anesthesiologist position with a forward surgical team going to Afghanistan.
I could have deployed to Germany or Hawaii, but there was something driving me to get out there in field where I could do some real good. I did not want to be doing anesthesia for generals having their gall bladders out, in Hawaii.

When people ask what it was like over there in Afghanistan, I tell them that it was very much like M*A*S*H episodes, because it really was. There was one night in Afghanistan, that was just like a specific episode. In the episode, a North Korean soldier was being operated on while the North Korean army was mortaring the 4077th.

On that night in Southern Afghanistan, we were operating on a Taliban soldier while his buddies were using the near by mosque to mortar our base and hospital. As the mortars started to fall, all of us in the OR were talking about if we should leave the OR and get our body armor, or stay with the patient. We were all reminded of that episode. As we talked about it and laughed at the irony of the situation, the attack ended and we finished the case. ‘Life imitates art’!

So thank you once again for the email.

Most of all though, sincere thanks for your involvement with the MRFF and your support of the great work Mikey Weinstein is doing.

XXXX X. XXXXXXXX, MD
(Location Withheld)