{"id":2657024,"date":"2026-09-09T21:40:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T01:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/military-base-guards-cleared-to-say-have-a-blessed-day-after-pete-hegseth-steps-in-to-oppose-radical-anti-christian-group\/"},"modified":"2026-09-09T21:44:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T01:44:17","slug":"military-base-guards-cleared-to-say-have-a-blessed-day-after-pete-hegseth-steps-in-to-oppose-radical-anti-christian-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/military-base-guards-cleared-to-say-have-a-blessed-day-after-pete-hegseth-steps-in-to-oppose-radical-anti-christian-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Military Base Guards Cleared to Say &#8216;Have a Blessed Day&#8217; After Pete Hegseth Steps in to Oppose &#8216;Radical Anti-Christian&#8217; Group"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">40<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmilitary-base-guards-cleared-to-say-have-a-blessed-day-after-pete-hegseth-steps-in-to-oppose-radical-anti-christian-group%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2657024&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Guards at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico have been authorized to continue using common religious greetings, such as &#8220;Have a blessed day&#8221; and &#8220;God bless you,&#8221; despite complaints and debates over religious expressions at the gates. The Military religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) had raised concerns, claiming these greetings violated Air Force policies against religious discrimination, but base officials clarified that no restrictions have been implemented. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly opposed efforts to curb the greetings, framing the issue as a fight against what he called a radical anti-Christian group. The Air Force&#8217;s leadership, including Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, affirmed that policies remain unchanged, emphasizing professionalism and respect for all personnel. MRFF has indicated plans to pursue legal action if the greetings persist, citing them as a violation of regulations and threatening unit cohesion. the base continues to permit these greetings, maintaining its policy of respectful dialog while managing security protocols.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Guards at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico have been cleared to continue using common religious greetings at the installation\u2019s gates after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly opposed a group that sought to halt the practice.<\/p>\n<p>Base officials said they have no plans to restrict phrases such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/goto?url=CAESmQEB6zswFZd4Kiqw-cUy_IOEDVRD5POP25mr6cMQqkuPOby4JaZrtgc_rZI2glPOrBkbbjGMdQs_ZaMAyaICPEN0J7Z6b4nehF9TyFcj7EtaBNyhA6jR66JnY98ULXhwmjm9TJ-yqwWVraYsqQHai8_DG4EzUQQXKpTGn4T3kD_a3ZHCubXEUou-i-w7_UOUeySKcTJHks-laSY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cHave a blessed day\u201d or \u201cGod bless you.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Military Religious Freedom Foundation reported last week that it had received dozens of complaints about the greetings.<\/p>\n<p>MRFF founder Mikey Weinstein, a former Air Force officer, described the greetings as a violation of Air Force rules against religious discrimination and preferential treatment.<\/p>\n<p>The organization initially claimed the greetings had been stopped after it contacted base officials.<\/p>\n<p>Kirtland officials later <a href=\"https:\/\/washingtonsun.com\/defense\/air-force-religious-greetings-pete-hegseth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">told reporters<\/a> that was not the case.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBase officials have reviewed the feedback received from a small percentage of individuals with base access and, in line with Department of the Air Force policies and the law, have not issued, and have no plans to issue, any changes to procedures either mandating or restricting the use of common phrases while welcoming personnel to the installation,\u201d officials said.<\/p>\n<p>They added that gate guards are expected to communicate professionally and courteously with everyone entering the facility.<\/p>\n<p>Hegseth addressed the dispute on X last week.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">The MRFF is a radical anti-Christian, pro-atheist group that attacks any\/all faith inside the <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DeptofWar?\">@DeptofWar<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We will never cave to them. The <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/usairforce?\">@usairforce<\/a> will confront this.<\/p>\n<p>God bless our Airmen. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7ilR0QqVrk\">https:\/\/t.co\/7ilR0QqVrk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PeteHegseth\/status\/2095899924575502360?\">September 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach said Friday that policies on the greetings \u201care unchanged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said there were no plans to restrict \u201cthe use of common greetings while entering our bases.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Air Force policy requires service members to ensure their words and actions do not discriminate against any individual or group because of faith, belief, or the absence of belief.<\/p>\n<p>Weinstein said that if the greetings continue, his group will seek a writ of mandamus in federal court against the Defense Department.<\/p>\n<p>He called the practice a \u201cblatant violation\u201d of the rules and argued that it threatens unity and good order in the ranks.<\/p>\n<p>Weinstein said he did not personally hear a religious greeting when he visited the base Monday, though he cited a secondhand account that the phrases were still being used.<\/p>\n<p>Officials at Kirtland emphasized that their review found complaints came from only a small percentage of people with base access.<\/p>\n<p>The Department of Defense did not immediately provide additional comment.<\/p>\n<p>The episode unfolded at a major Air Force installation that handles nuclear and other high-security missions near Albuquerque.<\/p>\n<p>Service members assigned to the gates continue to process traffic under existing professional-conduct standards, according to the base.<\/p>\n<p>Hegseth\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/justthenews.com\/accountability\/cancel-culture\/air-force-base-permit-religious-greetings-after-defense-secretary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">public statement<\/a> framed the dispute as one the Air Force would not concede.<\/p>\n<p>Base officials said their commitment to greeting those with access, while maintaining security, will continue.\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b\u200b<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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