Overview
- The Department of Defense cut its religious-affiliation codes from more than 200 to 31 as part of a chaplaincy reorganization intended to make it easier for chaplains to identify and serve common faith groups.
- Under the new grid the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is listed apart from other Christian designations, a decision that leadership says is administrative and not a statement on faith legitimacy.
- Prominent Utah Republicans including Senators Mike Lee and John Curtis and Representative Mike Kennedy have publicly demanded the Pentagon reverse or correct the classification and called the move offensive to service members who are Latter-day Saints.
- Religious freedom groups and retired military leaders have warned the consolidation risks creating a government hierarchy of faiths, could harm troop morale, and may prompt legal challenges to the policy.
- The change also folded many smaller and nontraditional categories such as atheists, humanists, pagans, and Unitarians into broader labels, and watchdogs say close attention is needed to see if the policy alters chaplain assignments or access to pastoral care.