Army recruitment office removes ‘God and country’ sign after complaint

The U.S. Army has removed a recruitment sign from an Arizona recruitment office which read “On a mission for both God and country” following complaints.

A photo of the sandwich board went viral online, drawing criticisms from atheists and church-state separation advocates.

Mikey Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation wrote an article for the Daily Kos calling the sign a “painfully pathetic poster,” a “stunning unconstitutional disgrace” and a “poster of shame.”

“Long story short, the poster at the Phoenix armed forces recruitment hub is an absolutely abominable slap in the face of everyone who’s ever taken the time to digest, understand, and swear the service members’ sacred oath to protect and defend the United States Constitution, let alone those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the values, rights, and protections contained therein,” he wrote.

Weinstein also noted that he is on a personal “aggressive fight against fundamentalist Christian extremism.”

Army Recruiting Command spokesman Brian Lepley said that the local recruitment sign had been made without approval. The Army is now investigating who ordered the customized sign with an unapproved slogan.

Many are now concerned that a sign mentioned God was forced to be removed.

Writer Terresa Monroe-Hamilton said, “[Saying that] ‘On a mission for both God and Country,’ is unconstitutional is an outright lie. There is absolutely nothing unconstitutional about it.”

“The saying has been around forever, and during battle, the military has always turned to God for comfort and for guidance. Now, the American military leadership and Obama’s administration have turned from God in a stark manner and God is likely to do the same in return…May God have mercy on our country.”

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Kaye Wonderhouse - Catherine "Kaye" Wonderhouse, a proud descendant of the Wunderhaus family is the Colorado Correspondent who will add more coverage, interviews and reports from this midwest area.