Air Force veteran forcibly removed from ceremony for planning to say the word 'God' in his speech

Pentagon has launched an investigation on the alleged assault made on an Air Force veteran to block him from giving a speech that contained the word "God."

According to Stripes, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek announced last week that the Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James ordered the Air Force Inspector General to investigate an incident involving decorated Air Force veteran Oscar Rodriguez, Jr. on April 3.

"Since retirement ceremonies are personal in nature, the script preference for a flag folding ceremony is at the discretion of the individual being honored and represents the member's views, not those of the Air Force," Stefanek said, as quoted by Fox News.

Two days earlier, the conservative non-profit legal advocacy group First Liberty Institute notified the Air Force about the incident and demanded an apology on behalf of their client Rodriguez.

"We took this case because the government has no right to throw a citizen, much less a 33-year military veteran, off a military base because they don't want him to mention 'God,'" director of military affairs for First Liberty, Mike Berry, said in a statement for Fox News. "The military broke the law and abused its power."

Rodriguez considered the incident as "one of the most humiliating experiences" in his life.

The veteran's humiliating incident started when Master Sergeant (MSgt) Charles "Chuck" Roberson, moved by Rodriguez' flag-folding speech at a retirement ceremony, requested Rodriguez to perform the same for him on April 3. Both Rodriguez and Roberson notified the higher authorities at Travis Air Force that the word "God" would be mentioned in a speech during the latter's retirement ceremony but did not get any response from them.

However, when it was time for Rodriguez to deliver the said speech, several Travis Air Force Base officials humiliated the veteran by forcibly removing him from the ceremony.

"To even imagine that I would be removed while the American flag is being unfurled and open—the flag which represents freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press...it's horrifying," the conservative group quoted Rodriguez as saying.

Rodiguez served the country for 33 years dating back from his enlistment to the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1980. He trained as Avionics Technician, rose to Section Chief and retired as Senior Master Sergeant.