Pentagon Cuts 180 Faith Codes From Military List as Hegseth Shrinks System Above 200
Updated
Updated · Esquire · Jun 8
Pentagon Cuts 180 Faith Codes From Military List as Hegseth Shrinks System Above 200
3 articles · Updated · Esquire · Jun 8
Summary
The Defense Department removed 180 religious denominations from its recognized affiliation list, dropping groups including atheists, pagans, humanists, Unitarians and Mormon-related classifications.
Hegseth tied the move to a March overhaul of chaplain policy, saying the old system had grown to well over 200 faith codes and was impractical because 82% of religious service members used just six.
The cuts follow his broader push to "make the Chaplain Corps great again," including plans to streamline affiliations and replace chaplains' rank insignia on work uniforms with religious insignia.
Sen. Mike Lee objected publicly, focusing on the treatment of Mormons and warning the changes let the Pentagon effectively judge which beliefs count within the ranks.
The dispute widens scrutiny of Hegseth's effort to elevate spiritual policy inside the military, raising concerns about religious liberty for minority faiths and nonbelievers.