An Air Force personnel stationed in Delaware has officially rejected the claim that an email sent out from his office endorsing contribution to Operation Christmas Child was sent at his direction.
The office of Lt. Col. Donald C. Tasker at Dover Air Force Base faced criticism from Military Religious Freedom Foundation president Michael "Mikey" Weinstein, who called the email, "an absolutely unambiguous endorsement" of organization that sends toys to orphans for Christmas.
Tasker sent another email shortly afterwards to all the members, telling them that the letter was not sent or endorsed by him.
"Recently an email regarding a volunteer opportunity was forwarded to the entire 436 Force Support Squadron. The invitation included in that email also contained language supporting the Christian faith and encouraged participation in this event as an act of Christian faith. I want to be absolutely clear that the email in question was not sent at my direction and is not endorsed in any way by me or any level of command," he wrote.
Operation Christmas Child is a non-profit organization that sends toys, gifts, and gospel messages to orphans around the world, and is sponsored by Franklin Graham's Samaritan Purse group.
The email sent out earlier this month asked the recipients to help fill in shoeboxes with gifts for children. It was forwarded to the entire squadron by Tasker's administrative assistant Valencia Branch. Some members of the base complained about the email to Weinstein, according to The Blaze.
"Fourteen Air Force members in the squadron reached out to us and asked us for assistance," Weinstein was quoted as saying by the Dover Post. "We were very shocked at the email that was sent out."
Weinstein had threatened Tasker with legal action if he failed to provide a speedy response in the incidence. He claims that commander's renouncing of the email is a victory for his organization.
However, he does not intend to stop at this, and is pushing for an investigation into the email supporting Operation Christmas Child, so that official action can be taken against those involved.
The email reportedly asked the squadron members to "show children in desperate situations that God loves and values them," and that many of the children "have never heard of God's incredible Gift of Salvation though His Son."
Capt. Sarah Bergstein, base spokeswoman, told the Dover Post that the authorities are investigating the allegations.
"Dover Air Force Base leadership is aware of the accusations against the 436th Force Support Squadron member, and is looking into the issue."
She said that use of government domain for sending emails for private events is permissible, but it is not supposed to give an impression of their military endorsement.
"Also, such messages should not appear to provide command endorsement of a particular religion," she added.
Retired Army Chaplain (Col.) Ron Crews, serving as executive director of the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty (CARL), supported the email, and said in a statement that, "We should be commending members of the Air Force, not condemning them for wanting to serve orphans.. The e-mail announcing a volunteer opportunity in no way violates any Air Force policy or regulations, especially since the program involved is a federally approved charity."
Crews said CARL hopes that the commander "will stand behind those under his command who simply make others aware of how they may serve others if they so choose."
