WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), a member of the Senate Armed Service Committee, today sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donely and Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton A. Schwartz, urging them to reverse a decision to strike a reference to God from the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office’s (RCO) patch. 

The Air Force’s action came in response to a lawsuit brought by an atheist group protesting the reference to God.  Before the Air Force’s recent decision, the logo on the RCO patch translated from Latin to “Doing God’s Work with Other People’s Money.”  The new logo translates to “Doing Miracles with Other People’s Money.”

In part, the Wicker letter stated:

“I respectfully request the Air Force reverse this decision since such alteration is not required by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“I am deeply concerned that the Air Force capitulated to pressure from an outside group that consistently strives to remove references to God and faith from our nation’s military.  While the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does prohibit the establishment of religion I believe the mere mention of God certainly does not cross this threshold. 

“This action taken by the Air Force suggests that all references to God must be removed from the military regardless of context.  I find this action perplexing.   As you know, courts have consistently upheld the constitutionality of our national motto, “In God We Trust,” that appears on our national currency and is inscribed throughout the Senate.”

A copy of the letter can be found here.

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