Combat

On Dec 9, 2019, at 6:52 PM, Mike  wrote:

Dearest Mr (name withheld),

 

As an advisory board member of the MRFF, I occasionally respond to emails sent to Mikey such as yours. 

Given the tone of most emails we receive (i.e., rude, profane, and grammatically challenged), I’d first like to thank you for your brevity–it makes for fewer mistakes and four-letter words.

Now, I don’t know how many foxholes you’ve occupied (I’d guess it’s zero), but let me assure you that there are MANY Atheists serving patriotically throughout our DoD.  They even have Facebook pages where they discuss issues like unwanted proselytization by pushy Christians and religious-based bias exercised by commanders.

I’m also well-acquainted with many Atheists that have, in fact, occupied foxholes, including my own son (Marine infantry with a deployment to Iraq) and my other son (former AF R&D engineer deployed to Afghanistan). The latter may not have been in a foxhole, but he was well “down-range” and faced enemy fire.

Come to think of it, I’m an Atheist, too.  Despite that handicap, I managed to serve our great country for over 37 years on active duty, with some success, and two times under enemy fire: in the Pentagon on 9/11 and during an 8-hour Chinook Helo mission in Afghanistan (incoming mortars on the landing pad).  During neither of those events did I consider prayer. I did, however, consider my duty and commitment to defending the Constitution of the United States–part of the oath I’ve taken many times.