FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, October 8, 2015 (RT): Former Air Force contractor Deborah Schoenfeld had worked as a dental technician at Epes Dental Clinic in Fort Meade, Maryland until she was fired for allegedly “using profanity” against a one of her co-workers in early September. According to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) that is now representing Schoenfeld, she does not know who the accusations came from.
Schoenfeld had complained about being the repeated target of religious harassment due to her Hindu faith. “In her time at Epes Dental Clinic she was actually and specifically accused of ‘witchcraft’ and ‘bringing demons into the office,'” MRFF founder and President Mikey Weinstein wrote in a letter to officials. Schoenfeld was criticized for practicing yoga and meditating, which would “cost (her) her soul,” and for being “uninterested in taking part” in Christian rituals.
The Air Force District of Washington said that it has received Weinstein’s letter. “The Air Force thoroughly reviews all instances in which airmen report concerns regarding religious freedoms or accommodations,” spokesman Major Joel Harper told Air Force Times in an email. “Mutual respect is an essential part of the Air Force culture. Supporting the right of free exercise of religion relates directly to the Air Force core values and the ability to maintain an effective team.”