U.S. Military Reduces Recognized Faith Codes from Over 200 to 31
A Thursday memo from Undersecretary of Defense Anthony Tata reduced the U.S. Military Chaplain Corps' recognized faith codes from over 200 to 31. The change follows an earlier announcement by War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Fox NewsU.S. Military Chaplain Corps' faith codes from over 200 to 31. A Thursday memo from Undersecretary of Defense Anthony Tata implemented the reduction.
The updated list includes Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Islam (Muslims), Judaism, Sikh, and Christian-based groups such as Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists. Fox News reported the details of the memo. War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the intention to trim the list earlier this year.
In March, Hegseth said the previous system "had ballooned to well over 200 faith codes" and called it "impractical and unusable," noting that many codes were never used. He added that the vast majority of military members fit under just six of the faith codes. Alongside the faith-code reduction, the Pentagon directed serving chaplains to replace their rank insignia with their religious insignia.
The new list and insignia directive took effect with Tata's Thursday memo.
