Image: (Wikimedia Commons)
U.S. Air Force Major Brennan Schilperoort, a C-130 pilot who was grounded, financially penalized, and subjected to religious discrimination for years, has finally secured a measure of justice in his prolonged battle with military leadership.
After every level of his chain of command dismissed his formal complaints, Major Schilperoort refused to back down. His determination ultimately prevailed when two critical elements of his religious persecution case against the Air Force were substantiated.
The case gained national visibility through J.M. Phelps’ report in The Gateway Pundit, prompting the Secretary of the Air Force Inspector General to launch a comprehensive independent investigation.
According to today’s press release, “On August 13, 2025—twenty months after Major Schilperoort’s initial Inspector General (IG) complaint, its denial, and subsequent appeals—the Air Force Inspector General overruled prior findings by subordinate Inspectors General.”
Huge victory for religious freedom in the military! After years of discrimination, reprisal, withheld pay, and exclusion from the cockpit, USAF Major Brennan Schilperoort has been vindicated. The Air Force IG substantiated his complaints of unlawful reprimand & refusal to process… pic.twitter.com/OWgyDlzvm8
— R. Davis Younts (@DavisYounts) September 2, 2025
The Inspector General confirmed what Major Schilperoort had maintained all along: His commander had violated the law by both issuing an unwarranted Letter of Reprimand and blocking his religious exemption request for his December 2023 flu vaccination.
Emphasizing his views do not reflect those of the Department of Defense or Department of the Air Force, Maj. Brennan Schilperoort spoke to The Gateway Pundit, disclosing he was “shocked” by the arrival of the Secretary of the Air Force’s Inspector General’s memo.
“My wife and I could hardly believe it when these two acknowledgments of our abuse came in,” Maj. Schilperoort shared. He was convinced this long-awaited day would never come, admitting, “it would have been so much easier to just give in and take the COVID and flu shot, as compliance would have been the easy way out.”
However, he said, “My wife and I did a lot of study and we are both strongly personally convicted that this is wrong for us and we have to trust in God to see us through.” For him, “The oath I swore to this country goes beyond my personal desires or my comfort, and despite what critics and detractors say to the contrary, that’s what this stand has been about: keeping America free with equal rights—not just for some, but for everyone.”
“My stand isn’t just about me, but all of my brothers and sisters across the services and the people of this nation to have sovereignty over their bodies as our Constitution plainly states,” Maj. Schilperoort offered.
“We cannot thank enough: God and everyone who prayed for us and helped us out financially the past few months to keep us afloat.” The outpouring of similar experiences and offered prayers touched his family deeply, said the C-130 pilot. “We are deeply humbled and honored to be standing with so many others in this fight for medical and religious freedom in our country.”
According to Maj. Schilperoort’s attorney, R. Davis Younts, “The Air Force’s acknowledgment is a significant victory for Major Schilperoort and all service members persecuted for their Christian faith.”
“By standing against the unlawful COVID mandate,” the retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and former Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer told The Gateway Pundit, “Major Schilperoort endured relentless discrimination, after the end of the mandate including the Air Force’s refusal to process his religious accommodation request for the flu shot, or even let him fly.”
“Under Biden-appointed leadership, the Air Force took the unprecedented step of placing an active-duty service member on unpaid leave with just two-and-a-half days’ notice. Major Schilperoort and his family, who have devoted their lives to service, have suffered greatly. While more work remains to restore his status, this victory marks a crucial step toward his full exoneration.”
The post EXCLUSIVE: C-130 Pilot Prevails, a ‘Huge Victory for Religious Freedom’ Handed Down from the Air Force appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.