From: Mikey Weinstein
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 1:09 PM
To: Vandal, Thomas S (Tom) LTG USARMY PACOM USFK (US)
Cc: Harris, Benjamin J (Ben) LTC USARMY 19 ESC (US) ; Randal Mathis ; Information Weinstein
Subject: [Non-DoD Source] URGENT!: Eighth Army Constitutional Violation
Dear Lt. General Vandal,
My name is Mikey Weinstein and I am the Founder and President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF).
MRFF is a civil rights advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that the Constitutionally-mandated wall of separation between church and state remains viable in the U.S. armed forces. To this end, MRFF currently represents over 45,400 active duty military members and veterans, about 96% of whom happen to be practicing Christians.
Sir, MRFF has just been made aware of an egregious violation of church/state separation which has occurred under your command. Please see the e-mails from a MRFF client/active duty soldier under your current command below.
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From: MRFF Army Client’s E-Mail Address Withheld
Subject: Bible on the pow mia display
Date: May 18, 2016 at 9:56:30 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein
Mr. Weinstein,
I am writing to you because I feel that my chain of command will retaliate against me, and I do not have anyone that will advocate for my beliefs without bias or confidentiality. On 13 May 2016, I attended the Morning Calm Chapter Adjutant General Corps Ball in Seoul, Korea. It was organized by a LTC Ben Harris , and hosted by the Eighth Army, commanded by LTG Thomas S. Vandal. At this ball, a POW / MIA table was on display. To add gravitas to the display, a ceremony was enacted during the official portion of the ball. This ceremony described the objects on the table, and their significance. Much to my surprise, the last component to this POW / MIA table was a bible. I was completely taken aback by this. In front of every guest in attendance, the host and organizer of the AG Ball just declared that every POW and MIA person was a Christian. There is simply no way that this is true or accurate. A simple walk through Arlington National Cemetery could show this fact. To add insult to injury, this was the Adjutant General Corps; they know the regulations and work with everyone's personal files. This felt like an egregious advancement of a senior officer’s personal agenda. As a Secular Humanist Atheist, there is no way that I felt part of the team after this transgression. Placing the Christian label on all uniformed personnel is a gross violation of religious freedom, and a warning shot to "fit in, or be ostracized." Furthermore, it adds a degree of difficulty when working with other religions, and the non-religious, on the world stage. Mr. Weinstein, please advocate for my interests and see to the end of this practice. I thank you for your time.
Regards,
(MRFF Army Client’s, name, rank, MOS and title withheld)
Eighth Army
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From: MRFF Army Client’s E-Mail Withheld
Subject: Bible on the pow mia display
Date: May 19, 2016 at 8:39:50 AM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein
Mr.Weinstein,
Here is the picture of the finished display with the bible. What made this particular display so egregious was the fact that they assembled the display as part of the official ceremony. The empty chair signifying those that cannot be here. The red rose, salt, and lemon signifying blood, fallen tears, and the bitterness of the fate of the missing. All texbook. The bible was touted out as beibg significant of the strength gained through faith as our country is founded under god. Again, this was assembled during the official portion of the Morning Calm Chapter of the Adjutant General Ball held on 13 May 2016 in Seoul, Korea.
(MRFF Clients/ U.S. Army soldier’s identifiers all withheld)
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Lt. General Vandal, sir, MRFF has recently enjoyed a string of successes, on behalf of our DoD an veteran clients, in getting DoD and VA installations to properly remove the sectarian Christian bible form POW/MIA displays all over the nation in accordance with Constitutional and administrative regulatory mandates. Please see the links below:
Bible Removed from Akron, OH VA POW/MIA Table
Bible Removed from Youngstown, OH VA POW/MIA Table
Bible Removed from Wright Patterson, OH POW/MIA Table
Bible Removed from Houston, TX VA POW/MIA Table
5th Bible Removed
Lt. General Vandal, sir, the utilization of the "Operation Worship" Christian bible at your May 13, 2016 Morning Calm Chapter Adjutant General Corps Ball in Seoul, Korea DIRECTLY violated, inter alia, the No Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, the "No Religious Test" prohibition of Clause 3, Article VI of that same Constitution and a whole host of DoD and U.S. Army directives, instructions and regulations, not the least of which is the seminal DoD prohibition on endorsing a non-federal entity (here, the "Operation Worship" ministry).
Sir, MRFF is demanding that those responsiible for these deliberate and despicable violations of bedrock Constitutional law and DoD regulatory provisions be aggressively investigated and appropriately and visibly punished so as to prevent future actions of similar serious law-breaking.
Please advise MRFF soonest as to what immediate corrective actions you are taking in this regard.
respectfully,
Michael L. "Mikey" Weinstein, Esq.
Founder and President, MRFF
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
From: "Vandal, Thomas S (Tom) LTG USARMY PACOM USFK (US)"
Subject: RE: [Non-DoD Source] URGENT!: Eighth Army Constitutional Violation (UNCLASSIFIED)
Date: May 19, 2016 at 12:48:55 PM MDT
To: Mikey Weinstein
Cc: "Harris, Benjamin J (Ben) LTC USARMY 19 ESC (US)" , Randal Mathis , "Meredith, Craig A COL USARMY USFK (US)", "Puster, David W MG USARMY 8 ARMY (US)
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
Mr. Weinstein,
Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
WR
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