Email from MRFF's lead client bringing the unauthorized Christian religious proselytizing materials from Fort Belvoir Community Hospital's waiting areas to MRFF's attention:
From: MRFF's lead client
Subject: Fort Belvoir Hospital
Date: November 29, 2016 at 8:55:04 AM MST
To: Mikey
Dear Mr. Weinstein,
I'm writing to express my concern for the endorsement of religion at Fort Belvoir Hospital in Springfield, VA. It's upsetting to see so many religious books promoting Christianity throughout the hospital. I was in the lobby last Wednesday, before Thanksgiving, at around noon. I noticed that throughout the hospital there were several Seventh Day Adventist books titled The Great Controversy. In the mini-Exchange located at the front of the hospital there is a book rack with over half of them being Christian books. No other religion is represented. How is this not preferential treatment towards one religion? Personally, I believe the religious books should be relegated to the Chapel.
The Director of the hospital is Colonel Jason Wieman (xxx)xxx-xxxx
The base Commander is Colonel Angela Holbrook - (email withheld)
(xxx) xxx-xxxx/xxxx
Thank you for looking into this matter.
Sincerely,
MRFF Client
Email from Command Judge Advocate Major Bossi confirming the removal of the unauthorized Christian religious proselytizing materials from Fort Belvoir Community Hospital's waiting areas after Mikey's phone call demand to Col. Jason Wieman:
On Nov 29, 2016, at 1:41 PM, Bossi, Jessica L MAJ USARMY DHA NCR MD (US) (email withheld) wrote:
Mr. Weinstein:
Thank you for your phone call to COL Wieman regarding the religious material found in the public areas of FBCH.
Per our conversation today, COL Wieman has directed the removal of all
religious materials placed by private persons in public patient areas within
the Hospital. FBCH does not endorse the distribution of materials by private organizations within the Hospital, and we appreciate you bringing this incident to our attention.
Concerns regarding the book selection within the Hospital Shopette are best
addressed by AAEFES, who controls the inventory within that space and is run as a business entity outside of direct control of the Hospital. COL Wieman, however, is happy to relay your concerns to the AAEFES representative serving our area to see if a resolution can be reached.
Thank you again for reaching out, and please let me know if we can assist
further.
v/r,
Jessica L. Bossi
MAJ, JA
Command Judge Advocate
Fort Belvoir Community Hospital
Main Office: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Direct Line: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Blackberry: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Fax: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Email from Mikey commending the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital's leadership & staff for their prompt action in removing the unauthorized Christian religious proselytizing materials from hospital waiting areas:
From: Mikey
Subject: Re: [Non-DoD Source] Fort Belvoir Hospital
Date: November 29, 2016 at 2:10:36 PM MST
To: "Bossi, Jessica L MAJ USARMY DHA NCR MD (US)" (email withheld)
Thank you so much Major Bossi... I very much appreciated the professional and courteous tone of the phone call we had today with you, your hospital commander and his Chief of Staff to resolve this matter so swiftly and successfully! ... I will relay this good news immediately to our 18 clients on this matter at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital... they comprise, as per our prior conversations, both civilian and military employees of your hospital facility as well as active duty, veteran and dependent patients... MRFF would very much like to encourage Col. Wieman, your hospital commander, to reach out ASAP to the AAEFES (sic) representative as soon as possible and inquire as to why ONLY Christian material is for sale there to the exclusion of all other faiths and no faiths... Thank you for that specific offer and we appreciate your prompt response to MRFF in this specific matter... Respectfully, Mikey Weinstein... xxx-xxx-xxxx... Founder and President, Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Email From MRFF's lead client thanking MRFF for its expeditious action toward removing the unauthorized Christian religious proselytizing materials from Fort Belvoir Community Hospital's waiting areas:
From: MRFF's lead client
Subject: Re: Fort Belvoir Hospital
Date: November 29, 2016 at 8:32:39 PM MST
To: Mikey
I would like to express my sincerest gratitude and congratulations to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and to the leadership at the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. Even though religion (Christianity) continues to be a ubiquitous part of the military, it is comforting to know that there are people out there willing to defend our civil liberties and maintain the Separation of Church and State as it is written in the U.S. Constitution.
Immediately after notifying MRFF that Christian religious materials were being distributed in the waiting areas throughout the Fort Belvoir Hospital, and MRFF engaging on our behalf with senior Army officials to address this matter, the Hospital leadership took decisive action to rectify this breach of the Constitution. The United States and it's military are home to a diverse group of people with various religious and non-religious backgrounds. And, under the Establishment Clause of the Constitution a government entity can not favor one religion over another, or favor religion over non-religion. Favoring a particular religion, or religion at all, only further divides an indivisible nation.
I am extremely grateful to Mikey Weinstein with MRFF and Colonel Wieman at the Fort Belvoir Hospital for their swift response in taking care of this matter. The care and consideration they have shown in respecting the U.S. Constitution as well as our individual beliefs is an effort well spent. Both should be commended for their fine leadership.
Sincerely,
(name and all other personal ID withheld)