Thursday Afternoon, August 3, 2023

MRFF VICTORY IN UNDER 4 HOURS!!!

MRFF STOPS MARINE SENIOR NCO WHOSE “WITNESSING” DURING COMBAT DRILL GOT MARINE INJURED — TURNER AMENDMENT WOULD HAVE MADE THIS IMPOSSIBLE

“Our unit’s most senior NCO ... had briefed our unit a few days ago that it was ‘very dangerous’ for Marines to ask for help from the MRFF because any who did so might be prosecuted under Article 92 of the UCMJ* for disobeying a lawful order etc. He scared most of us with this statement which was clearly his intent.

“The reason he briefed us on this is because he got the word that some of us were planning on asking for the MRFF’s help because he will not stop ‘witnessing’ his Christian beliefs to those of us under his command while on duty. …

"... He does this even during live combat action training drills. This actually caused an accident in which a Marine in our unit was slightly injured due to the distraction of asking [him] to please stop his constant 'witnessing.'”

— MRFF Marine client

*Christian nationalist GOP Rep. Mike Turner's Amendment to the House version of the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), if it is not removed from the final bill and becomes law, will indeed make it illegal for members of the military, like this Marine, to contact MRFF. We cannot let this happen! If you haven't already, please take a minute to submit our petition letter opposing Turner’s amendment to your representative and senators.

(The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not

imply or constitute DoD endorsement.) Photo for illustrative purposes only.

MRFF OP-ED

ON DAILY KOS

Trending story on Daily Kos

“Witnessing” Marine NCO gets subordinate injured – tells subordinates it’s illegal to contact MRFF

By: MRFF Senior Research Director Chris Rodda

Thursday, August 3, 2023

This might be a first for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) — a service member actually getting physically injured during a live combat action training drill because they were so distracted by trying to stop their senior NCO’s non-stop Christian “witnessing” during the drill.

The “witnessing” NCO, according to one of MRFF’s Marine clients, “says he MUST ‘anoint’ [his subordinates] in the ‘blood of Christ’ or [they] will be "serving Satan” and that “He does this even during live combat action training drills,” which is what led to the injury of one of the Marines in his unit.

Getting wind that some of the Marines in his unit were going to contact MRFF for help, the “witnessing” senior NCO attempted to scare them into believing that it was illegal for them to contact MRFF and that they could be prosecuted under Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) if they did so. As the Marine who contacted MRFF on behalf of himself and 21 other Marines in his unit wrote:

“Our unit’s most senior NCO, (name and rank withheld), had briefed our unit a few days ago that it was ‘very dangerous’ for Marines to ask for help from the MRFF because any who did so might be prosecuted under Article 92 of the UCMJ for disobeying a lawful order etc. He scared most of us with this statement which was clearly his intent.

“The reason he briefed us on this is because he got the word that some of us were planning on asking for the MRFF’s help because he will not stop ‘witnessing’ his Christian beliefs to those of us under his command while on duty. …”

No, it is not illegal for members of the military to contact MRFF — at least not yet. But, as I’ve written about in my recent posts, “OMFG!! House Armed Services Committee passes amendment to make it ILLEGAL to communicate with MRFF!!” and “House passes NDAA with amendment to SHUT MRFF DOWN!!! Please HELP! Send our letter to reps/senators!,” an amendment added to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by Christian nationalist GOP Rep. Mike Turner, if it remains in the final version of the NDAA, would indeed make it illegal for these Marines, or any other service members being forced to endure the kind of insufferable religious harassment described by the Marine who wrote the following email, to get help from MRFF.

From: (Active Duty U.S. Marine’s E-Mail Address Withheld)

Subject: Is it illegal for Marines to ask for the help of the MRFF now?

Date: August 2, 2023 at 7:16:08 AM MDT

To: Information Weinstein <[email protected]>

Good Morning Mr. Weinstein and the MRFF.

I am the active duty enlisted U.S. Marine stationed on board (installation/U.S. Navy ship name withheld) who you just spoke to on the phone for a while this morning.

My wife had called first to make sure it was still ok for active duty U.S. service members to reach out to the MRFF for help.

Once you had explained to her what is the current state of things on the 2024 Defense bill in Congress she gave me the green light to call you all myself and on behalf of a number of fellow Marines in my unit.

Our unit’s most senior NCO, (name and rank withheld), had briefed our unit a few days ago that it was “very dangerous” for Marines to ask for help from the MRFF because any who did so might be prosecuted under Article 92 of the UCMJ for disobeying a lawful order etc. He scared most of us with this statement which was clearly his intent.

The reason he briefed us on this is because he got the word that some of us were planning on asking for the MRFF’s help because he will not stop “witnessing” his Christian beliefs to those of us under his command while on duty. Despite repeated attempts by us asking him to please stop he never does!

He says he MUST “anoint” us in the “blood of Christ” or we will be "serving Satan”. He does this even during live combat action training drills. This actually caused an accident in which a Marine in our unit was slightly injured due to the distraction of asking (name and rank withheld) to please stop his constant “witnessing”.

I am a Roman Catholic and he says that me and all others who do not get “saved” in the way he told us we have to will not be allowed into heaven and will be sent forever to hell. Other Marines in our unit are Muslim and Jewish and many other faiths including Mormons and atheists etc. Our senior NCO even says that Protestants who do not accept his “anointing’ will still burn in hell forever. He outranks us all so what are we supposed to do without getting jacked up to bits by him?

Anyway I am so glad to hear that it is still legal for us Marines to ask for help from the MRFF.

So I am officially asking for the immediate support of the MRFF here on behalf of myself and 21 other U.S. Marines in my unit to stop (name and rank withheld) from constantly beating us down to convert to his own Christian beliefs. Of this number asking for MRFF’s help 14 Marines are either Roman Catholic or Protestant.

Our commander’s name (two levels up from this senior NCO as you requested) is (name and rank of USMC Commander withheld) and his phone number is (USMC Commander’s phone number withheld).

Thank you Mr. Weinstein for all the MRFF does to help our military members like me and my fellow Marines here.

V/R

(Name, Rank, MOS, USMC unit and installation all withheld)

As is MRFF’s standard operating procedure, MRFF’s founder and president Mikey Weinstein reached out to the commander two levels up from the “witnessing” NCO on behalf of the 22 Marines, and, as is often the case, the problem was resolved in a matter of hours, with the commander who Mikey spoke to sending the following email:

From: (USMC Commander’s E-mail Address Withheld)

Subject: MRFF Complaint Status

Date: August 2, 2023 at 9:27:28 AM MDT

To: Information Weinstein <[email protected]>

Mr. Weinstein,

Thank you for the MRFF bringing this disturbing matter of (name, rank and title of senior USMC NCO) to our attention.

As per our telecon, this Marine whom you have identified to us has been temporarily suspended forthwith from further command responsibilities pending an immediate internal investigation I have initiated and possible follow on referral to NCIS and JAG for further review and action if necessitated.

The United States Marine Corps is dedicated to ensuring equal opportunity for all Marines and ensuring that all Marines are afforded their full rights under the Constitution pursuant to our Core Values of Honor, Courage and Commitment. 

(Name, Rank, Title, Unit and Installation of USMC Commander withheld)

Rep. Turner’s amendment to shut MRFF down, which prohibits anyone in the military from taking “any action or make any decision as a result of any claim, objection, or protest made by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation without the authority of the Secretary of Defense,” would have made it illegal for this Marine commander to take the action that they did to protect the constitutional rights, not to mention the safety, of the Marines under his command. 

If Turner’s amendment is not removed in the final version of the NDAA when the conference committee, made up of both House and Senate members, meets in September, this will be the reality — service members across the military will have to suffer all manner of religious discrimination, harassment, and aggressive “witnessing” and their commanders will be powerless to stop it. This is what Rep. Mike Turner and the other Christian nationalists and Christian supremacists want. 

If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to submit our petition letter opposing Turner’s amendment to your representative and senators. Turner’s amendment must be stopped so that MRFF, as well as military commanders, can continue to protect the most basic constitutional rights of our men and women in uniform.

Christian nationalist Rep. Mike Turner's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to SHUT MRFF DOWN by making it ILLEGAL for members of the military to even communicate with MRFF is now part of the GOP-led House's version of the NDAA, WHICH HAS BEEN PASSED BY THE WHOLE HOUSE WITH TURNER’S DESPICABLE, VINDICTIVE, AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT STILL IN IT!!!

Last week, the Senate passed its version of the NDAA,

which does not contain any language regarding MRFF. When Congress returns from its August recess, a conference committee made up of both House and Senate members will meet to reconcile the two bills. THIS IS WHERE TURNER'S AMENDMENT TO SHUT MRFF DOWN MUST BE REMOVED!!!

If Turner's amendment is allowed to remain in the final, bicameral version of the NDAA, it will obliterate MRFF's ability to protect and advocate on behalf of our service members facing religious discrimination, harassment, and aggressive proselytizing!

If you haven't already, please take a minute to submit our petition letter opposing Turner's amendment to your representative and senators.

This form submits a letter to Congress on your behalf, which

will be sent to your U.S. Representative in the House and your

U.S. Senators urging removal of Christian Nationalist Rep. Turner's

blatantly unconstitutional NDAA amendment and, additionally,

sends a copy to the entire Senate Armed Services Committee.

Previous MRFF coverage of

Christian nationalist Rep. Turner's amendment

A handful of MRFF's numerous run-ins with

Christian nationalist GOP Congress members

and Senators over the years