Air Force Veteran Dragged Out of Ceremony for Using God's Name

The Pentagon is reportedly investigating an incident involving an Air Force veteran who was dragged out of a military service for another military member who was retiring.

Retired Senior Master Sergeant, Oscar Rodriguez says he was forceably removed from the room by four officers during his Air Force speech after he mentioned God.

Mike Berry an attorney with First Liberty Institute told CBN News the forceable removal of Rodriguez should not have been not allowed, due to the retirement ceremony being considered a private event. The contents of the speech are under the discretion of the person who is retiring. 

After serving for over 30 years in the Air Force, Rodriguez said he never imagined he'd be dragged out of a military service.

"This was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life," Rodriguez told Fox News. 

Watch First Liberty's video on Rodriguez being pushed out of the ceremony here: 

Retired Lt. General Jerry Boykin, former US Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence, says it's not clear why Rodriguez was removed for mentioning God's name. 

"We don't know why the service members seemed ready to take Rodriguez out of the room. But whether they were ordered by someone, or did so on their own initiative, the fact that they removed him as they did seems to be an infringement on his personal religious liberties," Boykin said. 

Rodriguez was giving a traditional speech he has used over 100 times. The speech mentions God several times, but the Pentagon made changes to it in 2005. However, Retiree Master Charles Roberson wanted the original speech read for his ceremony. 

It included the lines, "Let us pray that God will reflect, with admiration, the willingness of one nation in her attempts to rid the world of tyranny, oppression and misery. It is this 'one nation under God' that we call, with honor, the United States of America." 

The ending words of the speech include, "God bless our flag. God bless our troops. God bless America." 

Berry, who also taught law at the Naval Academy, says there are numerous amendments under the Constitution that protect Rodriguez such as the first, fourth and fifth amendment along with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. 
 
"The first amendment makes it very clear that private citizens have the right to engage in religious speech, there are Federal laws that enforce that," Berry said. Out of the many religious cases he has handled Berry said, "this is one that stunned me." 

"I never thought I would see this happen, I am also disgusted as a Veteran myself," he said.

Rodriguez has the right to proceed with a lawsuit and is demanding a formal apology. No apology has been issued from the Air Force as of yet, according to Rodriguez. 

First Liberty has a place on there website, for those to sign a letter of support for Rodriguez.