Sr. DoD Civilian/MRFF Client Expresses Gratitude for Defending Religious Freedoms in our U.S. Military Against All Odds

Thursday Evening, September 19, 2024

SR. DEPT. OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN & MRFF CLIENT EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO MRFF FOR DEFENDING RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS IN OUR U.S. MILITARY AGAINST ALL ODDS

“Thank you so much for your willingness to defend for the military, the freedoms that all American citizens enjoy under the First Amendment. Our strength, our readiness and our ability to fight and win our Nation’s wars depends on it!”

— Excerpt from Sr. DoD Civilian/MRFF Client's Letter

Appreciation Letter Sent to MRFF from

Senior Department of Defense Civilian

with Over 35 Years of Service

From: (Senior DoD Civilian/MRFF Client’s e-mail address withheld)

Subject: Appreciation Letter From Senior DoD Civilian

Date: September 19, 2024 at 8:14:45 AM MDT

To: Mikey Weinstein mikey@militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Dear Mikey and staff of the MRFF,

I wanted to send a note of appreciation for all you do, everyday and sometimes against all odds fighting for service members, DoD civilians and their families to ensure they have the freedom to practice their religious beliefs (or not to practice religion at all) and to keep the wall of separation between church and state within the military standing strong.

As a senior civilian in DoD with close to 35 years of service and having served across the breadth and depth of the Department, I’ve seen firsthand how much more culturally and religiously diverse our military has become in just one generation. But I also understand how divisive this has become and how that divisiveness undermines the very things that make us the greatest fighting force in the world – morale, good order and discipline, unit cohesion and readiness.

I’ve followed and supported your organization for close to 15 years now and know there is no shortage of individuals and organizations that willingly, knowingly, flagrantly violate both DoD and individual service policies intended to prevent the privileging of one religion (almost exclusively fundamentalist Christian Nationalism) over another or undue influence from leaders, chaplains and fellow service members as it relates to religion. Sadly, the Department does not do enough to enforce them. As you well know, history is littered with examples of leaders, often in very senior positions who break the rules and get away with it. With all that’s at stake, if the military is unwilling to hold them accountable, someone must!

So Mikey, I am so grateful to you and the foundation for filling that void and holding people accountable for doing the right thing. I also appreciate the swiftness and effectiveness with which you address issues as they arise. You continue to get up and do it every day even though I’m sure it feels at times as though your efforts are futile. You do it even in the face of persistent and often very serious threats made to you personally, the foundation and your family. In my many years of working for the military, I’ve served alongside Soldiers, Airmen, Seamen, and Marines who demonstrated passion for their work, fearless determination, and unwavering dedication to mission, and even though you no longer wear the uniform Mikey, you are among the best of them.

I also want to thank you for the handful of times I have reached out to you to report problems in the places I’ve worked over the years. You’ve always addressed the situation immediately, keep the strictest of confidences and you’ve kept me informed of how the issues were being addressed every step of the way.

Thank you so much for your willingness to defend for the military, the freedoms that all American citizens enjoy under the First Amendment. Our strength, our readiness and our ability to fight and win our Nation’s wars depends on it!

(Senior DoD Civilian/MRFF Client’s name, rank, title, military branch and DoD office symbol all withheld)

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A few of the many past letters

of appreciation MRFF has received

from civilian VA and DoD employees

1/22/24 – MRFF Victory!!! “Not Today, Satan, Not Today” Sign Removed from VBA Supervisor’s Desk After MRFF Action

3/23/22 – Letter of Appreciation to MRFF From Raymond G. Murphy Employee for Getting the Christian Bibles and Reading Materials Removed from “Easter Display at VA”

12/27/22 – “What’s truly impressive about MRFF is that you get results – every week, the results of your efforts are made clear […] Huge thanks to you and the MRFF!” — Civilian Employee of the Department of the Air Force

11/24/17 – DoD Army Employee & Former U.S. Army Officer Thanks MRFF for Prompt Response to Christian Proselytizing at Bagram Airforce Base (BAF), Afghanistan

As in the letter above, the outpouring of gratitude expressed to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) strengthens our resolve in aggressively fighting Christian Nationalism's hatred and religious bigotry in our U.S. Military

MRFF is also deeply grateful for the many positive sentiments we’ve received from our supporters,

who continually help MRFF build the wall

separating church and state in our U.S. Military.

Below is only a small sampling of the messages left by supporters on MRFF's Help Build the Wall website:

militaryreligiousfreedom.org/helpbuildthewall/

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"Support the MRFF! Keep our military secular and strong!"

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"Thanks Mikey and MRFF for protecting religious freedom"

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"American Heroes! The Courageous MRFF! Thanks, Army Veteran"

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