Retired Air Force officer, USAFA grad, Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, writes: “MRFF is needed more than ever now, as Mikey and his team understand the challenges those in uniform face. We cannot just go to HR and file a grievance.”

From: (MRFF client’s name withheld)
Subject: Statement in support of MRFF
Date: February 13, 2026 at 2:57:24 PM MST
To: [email protected], [email protected]

I wanted to reach out and offer my thanks and appreciation to Mikey and the entirety of the MRFF for their tireless efforts in support of our women and men in uniform.  I am a (number of active duty years served withheld)-retired USAF officer, an Air Force Academy graduate, a survivor of combat tours in both Kirkuk, Iraq and Kunduz Province, Afghanistan as a civil engineer and EOD technician, and currently work as a government contractor supporting the National Guard Bureau (NGB division and specific mission all redacted) across all 54 states and territories.

I served, proudly, because I believe in the values espoused by the Constitution and that the United States strove, albeit imperfectly at times, to uphold.  One of those was freedom of, and from, religion. I have served over, with and under people of all faiths and people of none, and for the vast majority, the issue of their personal beliefs never came up in our service time. I learned of MRFF as I watched issues of extreme evangelism affecting cadets and staff at my USAF academy and was grateful to learn that there was an organization championing the rights of service members to be free from command pressure to take part in religious activities for which they had no desire.

Since that time and into the current administration, I have watched with grown frustration as blatantly unqualified lickspittles are put in positions of authority based on loyalty to the would-be king and use those positions to strong-arm subordinates into taking part in quasi-religious (mostly White Christian Nationalist, if we’re being honest) activities with the implied message that failure to comply will cost careers.  MRFF is needed more than ever now, as Mikey and his team understand the challenges those in uniform face. We cannot just go to HR and file a grievance. We cannot push back against a superior determined to cram some pre-mission prayer down our gullets. The repercussions and recriminations can have life-altering consequences, so having advocates like MRFF who are not only not afraid to call up senior leaders, but hold them accountable for keeping the ranks free of religious pressure, is crucial.

Mikey and team – thank you. Deeply, from the very core of my sense of self, thank you. Please keep watching out for those in uniform, and I know with you on their side, the pseudo-“Christian” posturing and pressure will be cleared up.

In gratitude,

(MRFF Client’s name, rank, government contractor employer, and all other current ID redacted)