Overview
- The Pentagon reduced more than 200 service-member religious affiliation codes to about 31 to simplify chaplain resource planning and published the pared list this month.
- The initial version listed many Christian subcategories, placed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints apart from other Christian entries, and consolidated or omitted non‑theistic and minority faith labels, prompting sharp criticism.
- After public pressure from Utah lawmakers and others, the department issued a revised list Monday that stripped denominational “Christian” prefixes and said the change was administrative, not a theological judgment.
- Reporting has highlighted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s ties to the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches and published comments from CREC cofounder Doug Wilson calling Mormons “non‑Christian” and “polytheists,” which intensified concern about motive and bias.
- Advocates warn the coding change could affect chaplain assignments, access to religious accommodation and burial markers and may trigger congressional oversight, legal challenges and further scrutiny as the new system is implemented.