MRFF Quickly Ends USAF Group Commander’s Dishonest and Divisive Use of ‘Spiritual Readiness’ for Sectarian Religious Proselytizing

October 30, 2024

MRFF President/Founder Mikey Weinstein was called upon almost a decade ago as one of many subject matter experts the Department of Defense consulted during development of ‘Spiritual Resilience’ programs throughout our armed forces.  These programs were developed (in part) in response to growing concerns raised by rising rates of suicide and domestic violence among military personnel.  While Mikey fully supported these efforts, he strongly warned of the potential for some within the military structure/community to deploy ‘Spiritual Resilience’ efforts as an opportunity to dictate/proselytize specific religious faiths above and even against “the others” in direct violation of Constitutional mandates of religious neutrality.

With this background in mind, Mikey was recently approached for assistance by several USAF Squadron Commanders in responding to their Group Commander’s history of attempting to impose his evangelical Christian faith upon everyone under his command.  The following email from one of these Squadron Commander’s details this request for assistance and what transpired after contacting Mikey/MRFF:

From: (Active Duty USAF Squadron Commander’s e-mail address withheld)
Subject: Thank you for stopping our proselytizing Group Commander
Date: October 30, 2024 at 2:11:45 PM MDT
To: Information Weinstein <[email protected]>

Mr. Weinstein, I am one of the USAF Squadron Commanders with whom you have been working very recently regarding a disturbing incident where our immediate rating superior (Group Commander) has been attempting to force us to have our unit’s airmen attend a mandatory event focused on specifically spreading Christianity under the guise of increasing “Spiritual Readiness.” The mandatory event involved the watching of a particularly controversial Christian movie with which we know you and the MRFF are quite familiar.

We’re sorry but we can’t be any more specific than that for the obvious reasons. However, I did want to thank you so very much on behalf of all of us for your personal intercession with our Wing leadership to stop our Group Commander in his tracks. 

That “Spiritual Readiness” event has been cancelled and our Group Commander is apparently in the process of actually being fired. Not sure yet whether the matter we brought to your and the MRFF’s attention was the main reason or perhaps the straw that broke the camel’s back. As we all told you, sir, this is not the first time our Group Commander has attempted to impose his evangelical Christian faith upon all of us in the Group.

Lastly, and for what it’s worth, all of the Squadron Commanders who came to you and the MRFF for help here happen to be Christians ourselves. That should not matter as we all took an oath to the Constitution which in no way allows our Group Commander to have done what he did in trying to proselytize all of us with his views of our own Christian faith.

Mr. Weinstein, thank you and the MRFF again for having our 6 at all times. You guys are just awesome!

V/R

(Active Duty USAF Squadron Commander’s name, rank, unit, and installation all withheld)