Press Statement
For Immediate Release: 12.10.25
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453
President’s Religious Liberty Commission Hears Report on Suppression of Religious Liberty Rights in the Military
Following testimonies to the Commission regarding a range of threats to the religious liberty rights of service members, recommendations will be made to the President
Dallas, TX—Today, First Liberty Executive Director of External Affairs and Senior Counsel Mike Berry and First Liberty clients testified at a meeting before the President’s Religious Liberty Commission. All client testimonies described past and current threats, harassment, and job termination for their religious views and practices.
“These men and women are risking their very lives for our freedoms. To stand for theirs is the very least we can do,” noted Kelly Shackelford, CEO and Chief Counsel at First Liberty and member of the President’s Religious Liberty Commission. “The testimonies at today’s meeting highlight the importance of ensuring that the religious liberty of our servicemembers, chaplains, and veterans are upheld both now and into the future.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to testify on the vital subject of religious liberty in the military,” said Mike Berry, Executive Director of External Affairs and Senior Counsel at First Liberty Institute, who spoke today as an expert witness. “The testimonies offered to the Commission today make clear that religious hostility persists within our military. Religious liberty is, and always has been, a matter of national security.”
The committee heard testimony from current and former members of the military including Kenny Vaughan, founder of Shields of Strength, a faith-based company that creates and distributes Bible verse-engraved dog tags to encourage service members and their families. After producing more than 5 million dog tags with inspirations Bible verses, Kenny’s license was revoked after an anti-religious group complained. Vaughan’s case was recently settled.
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About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
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