Air Force Commander Says Christ is His Example; Complaint Demands ‘Public Rebuke’ and ‘Visible Punishment’
Lt. Col. Kersten responded to a question for an article; now a group is complaining his remarks about Christ were 'improper.'
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) wants an Air Force commander punished publicly for making statements the group claims are “improper” and “coercive” when he responded to an interview question for an online Incirlik Air Base article titled, “Meet your leadership.”
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Kersten, 39th Medical Support Squadron commander, was asked about his most influential leader. He responded:
There’s no ONE in particular. As a Christian, my example is to be like Christ. He is my guide and affects all of my decisions. He teaches to do all things as unto the Lord and I believe this is synonymous with integrity first and excellence in all we do.
In a letter to Col. John C. Walker, Commander, 39th Air Base Wing, the MRFF claimed that over 100 Incirlik Air Base personnel retained the group in light of the publication of the “unfortunate expression” of Kersten’s comments. The group retaining the MRFF included Christians, Muslims and non-Christians. The MRFF stated that while Lt. Col. Kersten may believe what he wishes, he violated Air Force Instruction (AFI) 1-1 (para. 2.11, 2.12), which states:
Every Airman also has the right to individual expressions of sincerely held beliefs, to include conscience, moral principles or religious beliefs, unless those expressions would have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, good order, discipline, health and safety, or mission accomplishment.
and
They must ensure 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.
The MRFF went on to complain that:
Lt. Col. Kersten willfully and definitively violated AFI 1-1 with his sectarian Christian proselytizing statement. He has proclaimed to the entire Incirlik Air Base community that ALL of his decisions are based upon his Christian faith. Moreover, and perhaps even more outrageously, he claims that his exclusivist Christian faith is synonymous with two of the three Air Force official core values.
By publicly declaring that “ALL of his decisions are based upon his Christian faith,” Lt .Col. Kersten has indicated that he will “place decision-making primacy on his personal version of his Christian religious faith over his official military duty,” the MRFF surmised. “He has essentially stated that Christianity is the guiding policy of HIS command,” the group added, stating that they found Kersten’s statement “of Christian exceptionalism to be extremely egregious, defiant and violative of Constitutional, judicial and DoD regulatory mandates.”
In conclusion, the group demanded that Col. Walker “act swiftly” to “publicly rebuke” Kersten’s statement, “visibly punish” Kersten for his “unconstitutional” behavior, apologize to the offended airmen and Turkish allies, and reaffirm inclusivism within the 39th Air Base Wing.
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s name is misleading, to say the least, as is the mission statement located on the website:
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) is dedicated to ensuring that all members of the United States Armed Forces fully receive the Constitutional guarantee of religious freedom to which they and all Americans are entitled by virtue of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Founder and President Michael L. “Mikey” Weinstein, described as “the undisputed leader of the national movement to restore the obliterated wall separating church and state in the most technologically lethal organization ever created by humankind: the United States armed forces,” served in the Air Force with the Judge Advocate General Corps, later working as an attorney before founding MRFF.
According to Weinstein, “When one proudly dons a U.S. Military uniform, there is only one religious symbol: the American flag. There is only one religious scripture: the American Constitution. Finally, there is only one religious faith: American patriotism.”