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AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 1-1
18 August 2023
Air Force Culture
AIR FORCE STANDARDS
2.15. Free Exercise of Religion and Religious Accommodation. Airmen should confidently practice their own beliefs while respecting others whose viewpoints differ from their own. Every Airman is free to practice the religion of their choice or subscribe to no religious belief at all. Every Airman also has the right to individual expressions of sincerely held beliefs, to include conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs, unless those expressions would have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, good order, discipline, health and safety, or mission accomplishment.
2.15.1. Airmen’s right to practice their religious beliefs does not excuse them from complying with directives, instructions, and lawful orders; however, they may request religious accommodation in the form of deviations from directives, instructions, or lawful orders. With the exception of medical practice or immunization accommodation requests, Airmen will continue to comply with directives, instructions, and lawful orders for which the member seeks accommodation until their religious accommodation request has been approved. See DoDI 1300.17, Religious Liberty in the Military Services; AFPD 52-2, Accommodation of Religious Practices in the Air Force; DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force.
2.16. Balance of Free Exercise of Religion and Establishment Clause. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for free exercise of religion and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion. They must ensure their words and actions do not discriminate against any individual or group because of their faith, belief, or absence of belief, or extend preferential treatment for the same. Leaders must ensure that their personal expression is not reasonably associated with their government role, but may engage in such expression per DAFI 52-201, Religious Freedom in the Department of the Air Force.
Parker v. Levy: First time U.S. Supreme Court established limits of free political expression for serving United States armed forces members.
Dated: 1974
MRFF client files federal lawsuit to get Bible removed from POW/MIA table display at Manchester, New Hampshire VA Medical Center.
Dated: 5/7/19
MRFF files Amicus Curiae Brief at Supreme Court opposing Bladensburg Cross.
Dated: 1/30/19
Click here to read Amicus Curiae Brief
The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) changes its defamatory anti-MRFF petitions after MRFF’s demand that they stop calling Mikey Weinstein and MRFF atheists.
Dated: 10/8/2018
Click here to read background and demand letters
MRFF Amicus Curiae Brief Part of Appeal Court Decision in Monifa Sterling Case
Dated: 8/10/17
MRFF’s Official Position Supported by U.S. Supreme Court: SCOTUS Denies Review of Former Marine Corps Lt. Cpl. Monifa Sterling’s Case
Dated: 6/5/17
MRFF Secures Legal Victory Over US Air Force Academy – Academy agrees to pay $25,000 to settle FOIA lawsuit.
Dated: 1/30/17
MRFF’s Demand Letter Leads to Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Boykin Cancelling Fort Riley Prayer Breakfast
Dated: 6/1/16
Read media coverage on the incident:
http://militaryreligiousfreedom.org/press-releases/2016/MRFF_major_Media_6_3_16.html
http://militaryreligiousfreedom.org/press-releases/2016/Boykin_Media_Coverage_6_9_16.html
MRFF Demand Letter to Acting Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy Re: Armed Green Beret Chaplains
Dated: 2/11/16
MRFF’s Attorneys respond to bigoted and vile anti-Semitic emails and misuse of MRFF imagery in hate mails sent by “R H,” so-called president and founder of fictitious “Anti-Commie & Socialist Foundation”
Dated: 2/5/16
MRFF Petition to File Amicus Curiae Brief in Monifa Sterling Case
Dated: 2/3/16
Click here to read Motion to File Amicus Curiae Brief
Click here to read Amicus Curiae Brief
Click here for more background on the Monifa Sterling Case
MRFF Demand Letter to Department of Defense General Counsel, Director, Standards of Conduct Office, Hon. Ruth S. Vetter, Esq. & Email from MRFF’s Counsel of Record
Dated: 12/30/15
MRFF’s Attorneys respond to bigoted article published by Christian Examiner
Dated: 11/9/15
MRFF Attorneys escalate battle for transparency, religious freedom in U.S. Military with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) complaint for injunctive relief and disclosure of documents
Dated: 11/5/15
Click here to read FOIA complaint
MRFF’s Attorneys Demand Letter to Eugene Delgaudio, President of the “Public Advocate of the United States” in response to smearing of MRFF leader as “radical homosexual activist Weinstein”
Dated: 8/13/15
Click here to read demand letter
MRFF Amicus Curiae Brief In Support of Neither Party to deny petition in Marine’s court-martial case for religious postings
Dated: 6/23/15
Click here to read motion for leave to file Amicus Curiae Brief
Click here to read Amicus Curiae Brief
MRFF Attorneys Demand Letter to USAF Director Defense Logistics Agency to Investigate Hate Mail From DoD Contractor
Dated: 5/28/15
MRFF Attorneys Demand Letter to CAPT W. Douglas Pfeifle, Rear Admiral Margaret G. Kibben, and Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert
Dated: 5/18/15
Click here to read letter to CAPT W. Douglas Pfeifle
Click here to read letter toRear Admiral Margaret G. Kibben
Click here to read letter toAdmiral Jonathan W. Greenert
MRFF & AHA join forces in court vs. unconstitutional Bladensburg “Peace Cross”
Dated: 5/7/15
MRFF Attorneys’ Demand Letter to Recruit Training Command (RTC) regarding discriminatory treatment of religious minorities
Dated: 4/28/15
MRFF Invited to Submit Testimony to U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee – “Religion in the United States Military: Balancing Personal Freedom with Professional Neutrality”
Dated: 11/19/14
VIDEO – Mikey Before Congress – Religious Accommodations in the Armed Services
MRFF Senior Research Director exposes the Three Most Often Heard Lies From Members of Congress Citing the Family Research Council’s Propaganda Entitled: “A CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER: The Threat to Religious Liberty in the Military “
Dated: 6/9/14
MRFF attorneys express strong concern regarding defamatory Fox News distortions of Mikey as an “atheist”
Sent: 4/28/14:
MRFF files FOIA requests to uncover Pentagon links with fundamentalist Christian lobbyists
Sent: 10/1/13:
MRFF Demands Immediate End to Unconstitutional Religious Tests in USMC & Denigration of Atheist/Freethinking Marines
Sent: 8/12/13:
Demand letter sent to Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General James F. Amos
MRFF Founder and President demands investigation and punishment in regards to “Jew FAQ” reprehensible homophobic and misogynistic content distributed to cadets at U.S. Air Force Academy
Sent: 2/13/13:
Demand letter sent to USAF Chief of Staff Mark A. Welsh III
Can servicemembers alter or opt out of “So help me God” in the Oath of Enlistment?
Posted: 10/31/12:
Questions and Answers re: Reenlistment Oath, “So Help Me God”
MRFF Founder and President demands MRFF Superintendent cease and desist from administering religious tests
Sent: 8/23/12:
Demand letter sent to West Point Superintendent Lt. Gen. David Huntoon
MRFF Founder and President seeks FOIA clarification on relationship between Officers’ Christian Fellowship and leadership at United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA.
Sent: 7/13/12:
FOIA Request sent to Joint Base Lewis-McChord
FOIA Request sent to United States Naval Academy
MRFF Founder and President demands Glenn Beck’s “The Blaze” and The Christian Post correct their mischaracterizations of the foundation.
Sent: 6/13/12:
MIKEY WEINSTEIN’s LETTER TO GLENN BECK’s “THE BLAZE”
MIKEY WEINSTEIN’s LETTER TO THE CHRISTIAN POST
MRFF Attorney’s letter demanding FOX NEWS correct its improper, misleading, and inciting characterizations of MRFF mission and goals.
Sent: 6/12/12:
MRFF ATTORNEY’s LETTER
MRFF files FOIA request demanding that records, communications, documents, and material related to virulently anti-Muslim course at Joint Forces Staff College be immediately provided.
Sent: 5/10/12:
MRFF’s LETTER AND COVERAGE
MRFF demands immediate and comprehensive review of unconstitutional SOS program materials, review process; hollow and diversionary Air Force response provokes Freedom of Information Act request
Sent: 4/27/12:
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN MRFF LAW FIRM AND AIR FORCE ADMINISTRATIVE LAW DIRECTORATE
Air Force Squadron Officer school’s required curriculum decrees officers’ “spiritual responsibility” to attend chapel. MRFF exposes, demands end to practice via legal demand letter.
Sent: 3/28/12:
MRFF’s LETTER AND COVERAGE
MRFF, via law firm Mathis-Donheiser, demands an investigation of photographs showing U.S. Marine Corps Scout Snipers in Afghanistan displaying the insignia of the Nazi SS on a flag.
Sent: 2/9/12:
MRFF’s LETTER
MRFF outside counsel responds to Air Force offer of meeting between MRFF leadership and USAF’s Air Mobility Command Staff with request to meet with top Commanding Officers at Scott Air Force Base.
Sent: 12/22/11:
MRFF’s RESPONSE
MRFF attorneys address refusal to relocate Nativity scene and Menorah to chapel grounds; Demands made for Travis to come clean on constitutionality of actions and avoidance of discussing the issue.
Sent: 12/19/11:
MRFF’s LETTER TO SONES
MRFF sends letter via outside counsel to 60th Air Mobility Wing Commander Col. Dwight C. Sones demanding end to conspicuous violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment at Travis Air Force Base
Sent: 12/9/11:
MRFF’s LETTER TO COL. SONES
Sent: 12/13/11:
MRFF’s FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO SONES
MRFF Submits Statement to Joint Congressional/Senatorial Hearings, Details Toxic Environment of anti-Muslim Bigotry Within Armed Forces
Sent: 12/7/11:
MRFF’s STATEMENT
MRFF Attorney’s Letter Warning Against Internet Posts Containing Misleading Insinuations, Falsehoods
SENT: 6/24/11:
MRFF’s TESTIMONY
MRFF Invited to Submit Testimony for Historic Senate Hearing on the Rights of Muslim Americans
SENT: 3/28/11:
MRFF’s TESTIMONY
Dallas Court of Appeals Affirms Decision in MRFF’s Favor
FILED: 3/18/11:
COURT OF APPEALS OPINION
MRFF and Five Client Co-Plaintiffs File Federal Lawsuit Seeking Injunction to Stop USAFA’s Unconstitutional National Prayer Luncheon
FILED: 1/31/11:
COMPLAINT
PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
PLAINTIFFS’ BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
MRFF Demands the US Army Cease and Desist Unconstitutional Survey of Soldiers
SENT: 12/30/10:
MRFF’S LETTER TO MCHUGH
MRFF’s Freedom Of Information Act Request for Information Pertaining to the U.S. Army’s “Spiritual Fitness” Survey
SENT: 12/29/10:
MRFF’S FOIA REQUEST
MRFF’S Demand for Release of USAFA Climate Survey and Investigation into Religious Coercion
SENT: 9/28/10:
MRFF’S LETTER TO GATES
MRFF and VCS Demand a Stop to the Replacement of Mental Health Professionals with Chaplains
SENT: 8/9/10:
MRFF’S LETTER TO GATES
Demand Letter sent to TRIJICON by MRFF
SENT: 1/18/10:
MRFF’S LETTER TO TRIJICON
DoD’s Motion to Dismiss Granted
FILED: 1/7/10
LAWSUIT DISMISSAL MEMORANDUM AND ORDER PDF
Weinsteins File Lawsuit Against CFGC Head Ammerman
FILED: 9/23/09
LAWSUIT FILING PDF
MRFF Files Comprehensive and Decisive Response to DoD’s Motion to Dismiss
FILED: 8/3/09
MRFF’S RESPONSE FILING PDF
MRFF Participates in Amicus Brief for U.S. Supreme Court Case Salazar v. Buono
FILED: 8/3/09
AMICUS BRIEF FILING PDF
MRFF’s Letter to Defense Secretary Gates Demands the Immediate Revocation of CFGC’s Ecclesiastical Endorsing Authority
SENT: 6/24/09
MRFF’S DEMAND LETTER PDF
DOJ Responds to MRFF Lawsuit
FILED: 4/10/09
DOJ’S RESPONSE FILING PDF
CLICK HERE FOR RELATED ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE
MRFF Amends Federal Lawsuit
FILED: 12/29/08
AMENDED LAWSUIT FILING PDF
MRFF Files Voluntary Dismissal for Jeremy Hall Lawsuit
FILED: 10/10/08
NOTICE OF VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL PDF
MRFF Files New Federal Lawsuit Against Defense Department
FILED: 9/25/08
COMPLAINT FOR INJUNCTIVE RELIEF PDF
U.S. Department of Justice Files 350 Page Motion to Dismiss MRFF’s Federal Lawsuit
MEMO IN SUPPORT OF MOTION TO DISMISS PDF
EXHIBIT F (continued) PDF
EXHIBIT G PDF
Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) Launches Landmark Lawsuit against DoD Secretary Gates and Major Freddy Welborn
CLICK HERE TO READ PRESS RELEASE
CLICK HERE TO READ THE COURT FILING PDF
MRFF Files Federal Lawsuit Against Defense Department!
CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE AND LAWSUIT FILING
Archived PDF Documents
Letter from Gen Schwartz on Govt Neutrality Regarding Religion
Reports
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