ICC Note: In a recent interview, a US Air Force commander stated that Jesus “affects all of [his] decisions” when asked a question about who has influenced him the most. Once the interview was published, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation issued a letter of complaint, demanding that the commander receive punishment. When punishment did not follow, the MRFF threatened to take further action, presumably in a legal avenue, if the demands were not met.

By Heather Clark

10/25/2016 United States (Christian News Network) – An activist that often works to separate God from the military is seeking the punishment of an Air Force commander who responded to a recent interview question that Jesus is his guide and influences his decisions.

The Incirlik Air Base in Turkey published the interview last month on its website, which recently decided to feature new faces to the base as an introduction to others.

On Sept. 15, the focus was on U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Kersten, who serves with the 39th Medical Support Squadron. The unit provides “preventative and clinical health and wellness services for U.S. and coalition forces.”

“Is there a leader from your career that influenced you the most?” he was asked during the interview. “If so, who, and how did they affect the way you lead?”

“There’s no ONE in particular, Kersten responded. “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.”

But Mikey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) took issue with Kersten’s response and wrote to his superiors to demand that he be punished.

“[A] number of Turkish military personnel and related Turkish nationals, the majority of whom are practitioners of the Islamic faith, also assigned at Incirlik were, like their fellow American/USAF MRFF allies, extremely offended,” he wrote.

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