Although missing the Military Religious Freedom Foundation’s (MRFF) deadline last week to remove the blatantly Christian cross sculpture from the lobby of the 84th Training Command's Mission Command Complex at Fort Dix, COL Jon Brierton, the Commander of US Army Support Activity-Fort Dix, personally removed the symbol of Christian supremacy yesterday, calling MRFF founder and president Mikey Weinstein to inform him that it was being removed and sending MRFF the after photo below.
As I reported last week, 17 soldiers had complained about the display – a grouping of three garden gnome-sized statues, one of a soldier posed with his weapon, one of a soldier carrying a fallen soldier, and prominently in the center of the two a Christian cross that became the focal point of the grouping. To the soldiers, this sculpture, at the main entrance of a command building, was a completely unacceptable and in-your-face promotion of Christian supremacy by the command. One MRFF client, who encountered the display on a visit to Fort Dix and sent the below photo to MRFF, described it as “quite jarring.”
MRFF commends COL Brierton for doing the right thing by removing the cross, and for sending the following gracious email after doing so:
Mr. Weinstein,
Thank you for inquiring about the statues at the 84th Training Command’s Mission Command Training Complex (MCTC) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL). The Commanding General of the 84th Training Command and I appreciate you bringing this matter to our attention and appreciate your patience as we investigated and coordinated between staffs.
As the Army Support Activity – Fort Dix Commander and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Deputy Commander - Army, I have no command authority over the MCTC, However, it is my priority and responsibility to ensure that every service member, civilian and family member on the joint base feels welcomed and safe on the installation. Our goal is to embrace and foster a diverse and inclusive environment where people from all backgrounds feel empowered to conduct their military duty and live their life with pride and dignity and that we treat each other with respect.
As we all know, and the FT Dix motto articulates “The Ultimate Weapon” Our service members are our greatest strength and most important weapon in defending our Nation, and protecting our Constitutional rights/freedoms and the American way of life. As leaders, it is our responsibility to provide training and resources that enables our force to accomplish their mission, builds resiliency and enriches the fabric of our force. We must ensure service members from all religions/faiths and backgrounds feel supported and included in our community.
v/r
JON A. BRIERTON, PMP
COL, EN
Commander, US Army Support Activity-Fort Dix and Deputy Joint Base Commander-Army
JB MDL, NJ 08640
Mikey Weinstein replied, thanking the colonel for his action and attentiveness to the issue:
…..copy and roger that, Jon….we at MRFF greatly appreciate the direct action you took this morning to remove the Christian cross from the soldiers memorial display and, further, to have gone the extra mile to personally call me on the phone and send me photographic proof of the removal of the cross to ensure that we and our MRFF clients were aware of this corrective action being taken…..respectfully, Mikey
One of MRFF’s 17 Fort Dix soldier clients also expressed his appreciation for the removal of the cross and the command’s action to make the base the inclusive place that any government installation should be:
I was pleased to learn that the leadership at ASA [Army Support Activity] Dix has taken steps to ensure a more inclusive environment by eliminating signals that implied command endorsement of one faith over others.
As a fellow Soldier - I value memorials for those who came before us, especially in light of the recent loss of our fellow servicemembers overseas. Memorials for fallen servicemembers should always be thoughtful reminders of the sacrifices of those who came before us. These spaces allow for each of us, in our way, to reflect and honor that commitment and sacrifice.
I fully believe the intentions of the people or person responsible for the display were well-intentioned. And I look forward to the ASA leadership's continued work with them to help build an inclusive space that can and will honor the service of all of our military members.
Respectfully submitted.
MRFF will always relentlessly go after commanders who chose to ignore the Constitution and the right of our service members to be free from unwanted promotions of religion, but we will also be the first to salute those commanders who, like COL Brierton, do the right thing.