February 27, 2017 – Air Combat Command (ACC) Sheepishly Removes Religiously Based Sexist Posters Pursuant to MRFF Demand

Brock Vergakis of The Virginian-Pilot reported on February 27, 2017 that several posters that had been on display for at least six years were removed from a wall at Langley Air Force Base.  Mr. Vergakis reported that Air Combat Command spokeswoman Maj. Malinda Singleton said in an email: “With additional time to review all seven posters outside the narrower, primarily religious context of the original complaint about two of them, we concluded the gendered language used in the display interfered with intended messages about personal integrity.”  ACC spokesman Col. Edward Sholtis had previously stated the ACC decided to leave the poster display unaltered because “The posters do not officially endorse, disapprove of, or extend preferential treatment for any faith, belief or absence of belief, which is the standard established by regulation that would warrant action.”  However, based on this most recent action by the ACC, Mr. Vergakis of The Virginian-Pilot reported that MRFF President/Founder Mikey Weinstein (after not being informed by the Air Force itself about the posters’ removal) stated that “We’re obviously happy, but they’re clearly sore losers.”

One MRFF client in this matter summed up this result clearly and succinctly:

I was one of the 16 military and civilian members you represented at Langley AFB in objecting to a series of sexist and theistic posters displayed in an ACC building. I just wanted to update you that, as of today, every picture in that series has been removed (photo attached).  I wanted to pass my sincere gratitude to you and the MRFF for holding ACC leadership to regulations (AFI 1-1) and to equal representation of all Airmen and civilians regardless of sex, race, or religion (to include none).