The VA and forced Christianity

[lipstickgoalie]

My husband Mr Goalie is a veteran. He he served 3 combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and brought home PTSD and a minor to moderate TBI as a present. It has been a long few years and he is currently in an inpatient treatment program for PTSD at a VA hospital. I have been mostly happy with his care at VA facilities until last night.

He called last night absolutely irate and I don't blame him. He and all the patients on his floor were forced to volunteer at an orginization called Feed My Starving Children www.fmsc.org . It is a 501c3 that provides something called "manna packs" in multiple locations worldwide. It looks very Fundie in my estimation. But beyond that Mr Goalie and the other vets were asked to pack food for people in Iraq and Afghanistan (or that was what they were told) and treated to a healthy lecture about Christ's forgiveness being necessary for healing.

Does anyone know anything about this organization? How Fundie is it? I also do not understand how the VA can force it's patients to volunteer with a Christian organization. Does anyone with a little more legal expertise have an opinion about this? I am livid about the whole thing and am not quite sure what to do.

[kpmom]

I'm sorry about the issues your husband is going through and hope things are improving.

As for the forced Christianity, I'd be livid too.

Does your husband have a case manager or a social worker at the hospital that you and he could talk to about this? I'd probably start there, but wouldn't hesitate to go as high as I'd need to in order to get answers.

[Mama Mia]

I think it's appalling they would force their patients to volunteer for ANY organization. WTF, the government didn't get enough out of them already?

[anjulibai]

I'd call your congressperson (assuming that person isn't fundie).

I'd also call your husband's doctors and therapists to complain.

He should be getting cognitive and emotional therapy, through individual and group treatment. He should not be forced to volunteer for anything, let alone a religious organization that tries to guilt him out of his understandably mixed emotions about the areas he fought in.

[Jana814]

So sorry about your husband! That is really wrong what they r making them do.

[PennySycamore]

This might be something that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) should look into. Mikey Weinstein is fighting the good fight to keep our military secular.

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org

[Emme]

Noooooooo! That's not ok. Nor is it healing. In fact, it sounds downright guilt trippy. Which is the last thing vets need/deserve. Also hugs to you and Mr. Goalie.

[DGayle]

Are the any ombudsmen in you area you can call for help? Forced volunteer work is forced work, which is not legal.

[mirele]

This might be something that the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) should look into. Mikey Weinstein is fighting the good fight to keep our military secular.

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org

Mikey Weinstein would likely be very interested in this.

And it's extremely inappropriate.

[GodHatesFigs]

Having worked in the VA, I'd second the suggestion go get in touch with your senator or representative. Nothing gets VA administration's attention faster than a letter from a legislator (except, perhaps, negative media attention).