Jeremy Hall

U.S. Army Spc. Jeremy Hall filed federal lawsuit alleging that he was harassed by his superiors and fellow soldiers for being an atheist. The lawsuit was filed against Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Maj. Paul Welborne.

Fast Facts

1. Age: 23 years old (2008)
2. Raised in the Baptist Christian faith¹
3. Serving at 97th Military Police Battalion in Fort Riley, Kansas
4. Feels his constitutional rights have been violated¹
5. Is seeking the guarantee of religious freedom in the military¹
6. Co-defendant: Retired U.S. Air Force officer and founder of Military Religious Freedom Foundation, Michael Weinstein¹
7. U.S. Department of Justice expected to respond to lawsuit in the second week of July 2008¹
8. Tour of duty expires in 2009

Atheist Discrimination

Hall claims that Maj. Welbourne threatened to file military charges against him and block him from reenlisting because he was allegedly trying to hold a meeting for atheists and non-Christians. Hall's suit also alleges that Gates allows a military culture that pressures soldiers into adopting fundamentalist Christian beliefs.

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