Major Jace Yarbrough is a patriot. He has faithfully served our country in uniform for the past 12 years. Since 2020, he’s been a reservist in the U.S. Space Force, a branch of the Air Force.

His military career, however, could be ruined. The Air Force is punishing him for something he said in his civilian capacity at a private retirement ceremony. They sent him a “Letter of Admonishment” that will tarnish his record and career beyond repair.

First Liberty is going to court to defend Jace. We filed a federal lawsuit this week arguing that the Air Force can’t punish Jace for his private speech and religious exercise while acting as a private citizen at a private venue.

Jace gave a speech two years ago at a fellow service member’s retirement ceremony. But some at the ceremony complained about Jace’s speech.

Motivated by his religious beliefs, Jace quoted prominent Christian Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn, widely known for writing a powerful essay titled, “Live Not by Lies.” Jace’s speech warned about dishonesty and a growing cancel culture in our country, including in the military. His remarks advocated truth and encouraged integrity, one of the Air Force’s core values.

Here’s what’s most ironic. Solzhenitsyn was thrown into a gulag for saying we must live by truth and not by lies. Now, in America, it appears a service member can be punished for quoting him.

The Air Force’s punishment against Jace is arbitrary and capricious. Not to mention, it’s illegal—and we will not stand idly and watch Jace have his rights stripped away.

We’re going to fight to save Jace’s career. But it will be a tough battle. Taking on a military service branch in federal court will require tremendous resources. We will need your continued support if we’re going to win this case.

The good news? There’s hope. We’ve been here before. And thanks to you, we’ve won big.

You helped us fight for the Navy SEALs through the courts and together, we won for these elite warriors each step of the way. Now, they—and thousands of service members—are no longer being punished for holding to their religious convictions on the vaccine mandate.

We’re not done fighting for religious freedom in the military. There’s a toxic, anti-religion cancel culture running rampant in America’s armed forces. And we must once again stand together against it to ensure religious service members are treated fairly.

Jace is counting on you. Don’t let him fight back alone. Let him know you’re fighting with him.