David "Akiva David" Miller's story, may fit within a larger pattern of pervasive religious discrimination within the US military ; former Reagan Administration lawyer, and USAF Air Force Academy graduate Mikey Weinstein has founded the Military Religious Freedom Foundation to oppose the very sort of aggressive promotion of Christianity within the US military establishment that Miller describes.

Here is the full, initial story that was originally posted on May 1, 2007, on  the Daily Kos website, in which David "Akiva David" Miller describes his experiences at the Iowa City VA:

Since moving back to Iowa about two years ago I have been thrust into a struggle with the Iowa City Veterans Hospital & Clinics over religious discrimination and Christian proselytizing.

Over time it has become clear that each experience of discrimination is not isolated from the others; in fact the problem of religious discrimination is systemic to the Iowa City VA. I think a perfect metaphor for the problems at the Iowa City VA Hospital & Clinic (hereafter referred to simply as "Iowa City VA") is the orientation process. When a veteran moves to the area or in any way begins to access services at the Iowa City VA they are required to attend an orientation class - this class is held in the Christian Chapel, decorated with the Stations of the Cross and a Crucifix in front.

I am a disabled veteran who served my Country honorably in the US Navy. I am also an Orthodox Jew. When I moved back to Iowa and notified the Iowa City VA that I would be accessing their services, they directed me to attend the orientation class. When I refused to enter the chapel (which I found distasteful) the staff attempted to pressure me; however, I held my ground and in the end the staff told me that I would just miss out on the information provided in the class (and threw the hand-outs at me.) At that point I dutifully lodged a formal complaint with the patient advocate. This has been about two years ago now, but orientation classes are still only held in the Christian Chapel. Could it be that the Iowa City VA is really trying to establish their underlying Christian intent with every orientation class?

Over time I experienced volunteer Christian musicians singing and playing hymns and religious Christmas songs in the waiting room of the clinic. More than once I was forced to listen to the music while I sat in the clinic, waiting to see my doctor. I filed another complaint with the patient advocate, but again this did nothing to remedy the problem.

In the examination room where my primary care physician's nurse takes my vitals prior to every physical examination, she has Christian symbols and scriptures prominently displayed. Once again, the Iowa City VA doesn't see anything wrong with this.

But the most blatant examples of religious discrimination have revealed themselves during my hospitalizations at the Iowa City VA.

My medical records clearly indicate that I am Jewish; however, with each admission I have informed the nursing staff both verbally and in writing that: 1. I require kosher food; 2. I do not wish to be visited by anyone from the Chaplain's office; and 3. I requested they contact my Rabbi - and provided them with both his name and telephone number. Despite these instructions, during all three of my hospitalizations I have been denied kosher food and have had to endure my entire hospitalizations without eating. Further, not only did the hospital refuse to notify my Rabbi, as I requested, they sent a Protestant chaplain in to see me each time. The first two visits by the Protestant (Assembly of God) Chaplain were all about trying to convert me - trying to convince me that I needed Jesus, that Jesus was the Messiah of the Jews too - this while I was suffering chest pains and wired to a heart monitor! I raised hell about both of these visits; so during my third hospitalization, when visited by a different Protestant Chaplain, he tried to excuse his visit and explained that he was there only to find out if I needed a Rabbi. I explained to him that I had informed the nursing staff both verbally and in writing that I wanted them to contact my own Rabbi and provided them with both his name and number, but he said that would be impossible, then left.

The Federal Courts have ruled that publicly funded hospitals may not engage in proselytizing. Clearly the actions of the Iowa City VA are in violation of the Constitution's provision for the separation of Church and State as well. So, now I am fighting back in earnest.

I am trying to reach out to other area veterans to see if anyone else has experienced religious discrimination at the Iowa City VA. I am working with Iowa Senator Tom Harkin's staff who has pursued the matter with the Director of the Iowa City VA, but met (like me) with only excuses and hostility. I have also contacted Americans United for the Separation of Church and State as well as Mikey Weinstein, the Founder & President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. I am working to put together enough evidence to support legal action against the Iowa City VA, to put an end to their systemic religious discrimination. In the meantime I am meeting tomorrow afternoon with representatives from the chaplain's office, the patient advocate and both Iowa City Rabbis. It is my hope that at some point the Iowa City VA will come to their senses before they are confronted with legal action.

UPDATES

In a follow up post on May 2, 2007, on the Daily Kos, David "Akiva David" Miller describes his efforts to get official recognition and redress, to rectify the discrimination he alleges at the Iowa City VA, and in a third Daily Kos post, on May 4, 2007, Miller describes the results of his efforts, in a post here in its entirety, with Miller's permission, entitled The Empire Strikes Back:

The Empire Strikes Back

Although I have to admit it came as no great surprise, I was disappointed yesterday when the Iowa City VA Hospital & Clinic apparently struck back in response to my on-going vigorous and justifiable campaign to assert my Constitutional Rights and assist the Iowa City VA Hospital & Clinic in rectifying an alarming pattern of religious discrimination.

Even after my meeting with the VA patient advocate and a representative from Chaplain Services yesterday (accompanied by my Rabbi), the VA has agreed to rectify only one of the issues of religious discrimination I have brought forward: they have agreed to provide kosher food for patients who request it. During my three hospitalizations at the Iowa City VA Hospital I had been denied kosher food and had to endure each hospitalization without eating. Regarding all other issues, both those I have addressed within my blog and others: the VA has refused outright to take action on some, and others the VA has agreed only to "look into."

Certainly the Iowa City VA's resistance to correcting obvious and on-going examples of religious discrimination was serious enough on the face of it; but yesterday they upped the ante.

Yesterday I had a follow up appointment with my primary care physician regarding my present affliction with kidney stones. For the last couple of weeks this problem has only been addressed within the Iowa City VA's Urgent Care Clinic and my supply of pain medication will soon be exhausted. After a CAT scan last week I had been told that I have three kidney stones in my left kidney. (I believe it's relevant here to note that I have a long and storied history with, as well as a service-connected disability for kidney stones.) When I met with my Primary Care Physician today, he informed me that I, in fact, have five kidney stones: four in my left kidney and one in my right (although I am currently experiencing pain only in my left kidney.) But after he informed me of this he dropped the real bombshell: he told me he was convinced that my pain couldn't be as severe as I was claiming due to the size and location of the stones, and therefore he would not provide me with any further pain medication. When I expressed my displeasure regarding this development, reviewing with him my well-documented experience with kidney stones, he responded by blaming the pain on my PTSD, and then made the following snide remark, "You're a religious Jew. Why don't you try prayer or meditation?"

Does anyone really expect me to believe it's just a coincidence this happened on the day after I confronted (along with my Rabbi) the Patient Advocate and Chaplain Services regarding religious discrimination? And where do I go from here?

Yesterday afternoon I spoke with an attorney (I do not yet feel free to disclose his name or the name of his advocacy group) and we are in the beginning stages of developing both a comprehensive and aggressive legal strategy.

Finally, I have reason to believe the Iowa City Press-Citizen will soon be publishing a story that fairly examines the issues regarding my on-going struggles with religious discrimination at the Iowa City VA Hospital & Clinic. In the meantime I hope to keep readers here up-to-date on emerging developments in this struggle. I want to express my deep-felt gratitude once again for all the support I've received within the blogosphere, particularly now, as I struggle with issues regarding my personal health as well as with on-going religious discrimination and seemingly outright Anti-Semitism at the VA.

In two Friday updates, Miller wrote:

10:15am Friday - Update: It appears as though the Iowa City VA has already begun to hear the drumbeat of legal action. I just received a call from the head of the medical peer review board who assured me I would be promptly assigned a new primary care physician and that he hopes to have my pain medication refilled for me on Monday next week before my supply runs out. I find it remarkable that they have been so willing to walk off the cliff in regards to my treatment, but as soon as they get a whiff of legal action they immediately scramble for loose dirt, trying to pull themselves back up.

10:30am Friday - Update: Things are moving quickly now. I just got a phone call from the medical supervisor at the Iowa City VA Hospital/Clinic. I have been assigned a new Primary Care Physician and have an appointment to meet with him on Monday afternoon to secure appropriate pain medication to address my kidney stone pain.

Gratuitous Assessment (and I know I’m preaching to the choir here): I have been genuinely encouraged by the level of support and assistance I have received here by the net roots community. Why has it happened? Two Reasons: 1. Unabashed liberals like myself truly cherish the Constitutionally mandated separation of Church & State; and 2. After thousands of years of marginalization and outright genocide, it has become something akin to religious doctrine for Jews to look out for other Jews. Of course it hasn’t escaped my notice that I’ve received much support outside the Jewish community as well, and I want to be clear that I have appreciated it every bit as much as that from my Jewish brothers and sisters. After all, we who cherish liberty are quick to defend it. Contrary to the demagoguery of the nut-jobs on the Right, Liberals are both the natural and true defenders of freedom. Every time I hear the shrill voices of James Dobson and Pat Robertson spin their lies about America being founded as a Christian Nation, I am only reminded of the fact that the Framers of our Constitution and Founders of our Nation were actually liberal-minded individuals, unashamed of being intellectuals (in striking contrast to today’s conservative band of thieves, along with their champion, the Bushwhacker), who mined a wealth of liberal philosophy to draft the language and intent of our Constitution; even an old died-in-the-wool conservative like John Dean admits as much in his Conservatives Without Conscience (a slender but potent volume worthy of anyone’s time, in my humble estimation.)

*Note: Miller, whose Jewish name is Akiva David Miller, has requested that in reference to this story he be referred to as David "Akiva David" Miller.