“It was one of the most humiliating experiences of my life,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “I have given more than three decades of service to the military and made many sacrifices for my country. To have the Air Force assault me and drag me out of a retirement ceremony simply because my speech included the word ‘God’ is something I never expected from our military.”

The Air Force statement about the incident claimed that “Rodriguez ignored numerous requests to respect the Air Force prescribed ceremony and unfortunately was forcibly removed … We will continue to investigate the situation fully.”

But on Monday, June 20, First Liberty Institute, which specializes in religious liberty cases, sent a letter to the U.S. Air Force demanding the following: “(1) issue a formal written apology to Rodriguez, (2) an admission that Air Force personnel violated his civil rights, (3) a written promise that Rodriguez is welcome to return to the base and engage in legally protected speech, and (4) punitive action against those determined to be responsible for violating Mr. Rodriguez’s constitutional rights.”

Related: America: Are We One Nation Under God?

Said Mike Berry, director of military affairs for First Liberty Institute, in a statement, “The Air Force had no right to assault a citizen, much less a 33-year military veteran, because they didn’t want him to mention ‘God.’ Mr. Rodriguez has a constitutional right to free speech and religious expression, even on a military base. The military broke the law and abused its power. We expect the Air Force to hold those responsible accountable, and allow Mr. Rodriguez to continue honoring the flag and other veterans who have sacrificed for our country.”

A friend of Robertson uploaded a video of the incident to Facebook with the comment: “This could have been handled in a much better way instead of tainting my friend’s retirement. This is how we treat our fellow Air Force veterans. Yes, I’m pissed off.”