The Department of War has reduced the number of faiths it recognizes.
Military.com obtained a memo on the matter written by Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness of the United States Anthony Tata. “The new list will provide chaplains with clear, readily available information that will better enable them to anticipate the religious support needs of service members and to provide religious support activities that align with service members’ personal faith and practices,” it reads.
The shift aligns with directives from War Secretary Pete Hegseth, the memo explains, which “streamline the DoW collection of religious preferences collection for service members to enhance the delivery of targeted religious support from the Chaplaincy.”
The revised list includes groups such as Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Islam (Muslims), Judaism, Sikhs, and a number of Christian denominations, but excludes worldviews such as paganism, Wicca, New Age beliefs, and others, the report says.
Hegseth first announced the transition in March. Discussing the number of religious affiliation codes, he explained, “The previous system had ballooned to well over 200 faith codes,” and called the old system “impractical and unusable, and many codes were never used at all.” Only six of the codes were primarily used. The number of religious affiliation codes has since dropped to 31.
“This brings the codes in line with its original purpose, giving chaplains clear, usable information so they can minister to service members in a way that aligns with that service member’s faith background and religious practice,” he stated.
“A chaplain is first and foremost a chaplain and an officer second. This change is a visual representation of that fact, specifically unique to the role of a chaplain. They are first and foremost called and ordained by God,” Hegseth said, going on to assert, “Specifically unique to the role of a chaplain, they are first and foremost called and ordained by God. And, while they will retain rank as an officer to those they serve, their rank will not be visible.”
