By: Paul Rosenberg | CrooksAndLiars.com
Date: 9/10/2018

On Aug. 12, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation filed a 22-page complaint against Air Force Brig. Gen. John Teichert, a Christian nationalist zealot, on behalf of 41 clients under his command, alleging violations of military rules and regulations about religious proselytizing, as well as violations harmful to the military as whole, by posting online comments likely to "degrade morale, good order, and discipline." (Salon story here.)

One month later, the Department of Defense Inspector General's office claimed to have completed its investigation, finding virtually nothing wrong. But in doing so it ignored, if not directly contradicted the instructions of Defense Secretary James Mattis, contained in a memo issued the day after MRFF filed its complaint. 

[...]

As noted in my initial report on Teichert's conduct and MRFF's complaint, there are numerous examples of Teichert expressing a divisive religious-warrior mindset, conveying hostility to fellow Americans who do not believe exactly the same as him—hostility that cannot help but degrade the morale, good order, and discipline of those serving under him. He frequently writes as if he were at war with America itself. Examples include:

• In June 2014, he wrote, "We are engaged in a war between fundamentally opposed ideologies."
  
  
• In December, 2014, he wrote about "the enemies of Christ."
  
  
• In October 2015, he wrote, "God has entrusted us to subdue our own kingdom – 21st century America."
  
  
• Also in October 2015, he wrote, "In 21st century America we may feel like we have landed in enemy controlled territory behind enemy lines."
  
  
• In April 2016, he wrote that "the adversary has taken the first shots of the current battle."
  
  
• On July 28th of this year, he wrote, "Far too often, Christians move against other Christians who aren't much different than themselves, sometimes with great violence and strife. ... Each time this happens, it is a dark day for the cause of Christ when there are plenty of real enemies that should be the focus of our forces." He closed by saying, "PLEASE PRAY FOR UNITY AMONG BIBLE-BELIEVING CHRISTIANS IN AMERICA IN ORDER TO PROPERLY OPPOSE OUR REAL ADVERSARY." [All-caps in the original.]

[...]

The inspector general's letter actually did acknowledge something wrong, Weinstein pointed out. "The DGC did recommend that Brig Gen Teichert include a disclaimer on the PLUS web site, to state the views he expresses there are his alone and do not imply an official endorsement," the letter said, adding that Teichert had now done so.

"Clearly Teichert was out of standards," Weinstein noted. "This is like someone being convicted of first degree murder and being sentenced to a vigorous weekend of anger management counseling."