MRFF’s December 12, 2014 Demand Letter to Colonel Richard Boutwell, 99th Air Base Wing Commander:
Dear Colonel Richard Boutwell,
As Commander of the 99th Air Base Wing, which controls the Creech Dining facility (DFAC), please timely reply to MRFF’s demand [please see below] on behalf of its 54 Creech clients ASAP, sir.
Thank you,
Mikey Weinstein
President and Founder, MRFF
MRFF’s December 12, 2014 Demand Letter to Colonel James Cluff, 432nd Wing Commander:
Dear Colonel James Cluff,
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has been advised by its Air Force clients at your installation at Creech AFB, Nevada of a BLATANT Air Force Instruction (AFI) 1-1, Section 2.12 violation by the 432 Wing which you command, sir. MRFF’s 54 USAF complainant clients at Creech AFB include USAF officers, NCOs and USAF civilian personnel, 37 of whom are practicing Protestants or Roman Catholics.
The gravamen of the complaint has been described by our MRFF clients on the scene as follows:
“The POW-MIA table in the dining facility at Creech AFB displays a Christian bible. The legend behind the table describes each element of the table, but makes no reference to a religious tome. Despite complaints over the past two years, and requests for equal representation of other religious and/or sectarian books, the Christian bible remains the only book on the POW/MIA display. The Creech AFB DFAC is frequently utilized for 432 Wing awards ceremonies, Chiefs group meetings, and other “non-voluntary” events.”
The pertinent text from AFI 1-1, Section 2.12 specifically addresses Air Force leaders at all levels and asserts that all such Air Force leaders “must ensure that their words and actions cannot reasonably be construed to be officially endorsing or disapproving of or extending preferential treatment for any faith, belief, or absence of belief.”
Colonel, Cluff, sir, clearly, the placement of this sectarian bible on the POW/MIA table at your DFAC violates AFI 1-1, Section 2.12 as well as the First Amendment’s No Establishment Clause, other Constitutional mandates, bedrock Supreme Court case law (please see Parker vs. Levy, 1974) and related DoD/USAF directives, regulations and instructions. Consequently, it egregiously savages the mission readiness, unit cohesion, good order, morale, discipline and health/safety of those under your command in the 432nd Wing and all others at Creech AFB.
**MRFF DEMAND: Remove that bible immediately and bring your Wing into compliance with Air Force/DoD regulations, the United States Constitution and Supreme Court case law.
Thank you, Michael “Mikey” L. Weinstein, Esq.
President and Founder, MRFF
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