U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is igniting rapid change inside the Pentagon and throughout the United States Armed Forces from procurement to the culture, all the while with eyes on multiple spectrums from the Border to the Caribbean, to Ukraine and the Mideast as well as the Far East and other places.
His pace resembles that of Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt, the subject of Secretary Hegseth's first book, "In the Arena," which focuses in part, on Rooosevelt's famous 1910 speech, "Citizen in a Republic."
One of these spectrums has been refocusing the Chaplain Corps of the various military branches through ordering chaplains to wear their religious insignia only, as opposed to wearing their rank with insignia.
The Chaplain Corps has served America strongly since the American Revolution, with George Washington seeing their important role in strengthening the souls of troops so they are more likely to win battles; delaying their own entry into the next world, while simultaneously strengthening warfighters to be promoted to their final judgement.
However, there have been concerns that the Chaplain Corps has been weakened by DEI and perhaps even more so, careerism.
Several proposals were floated to help combat these issues including completely taking away the chaplains rank so the minister could focus on nurturing souls as opposed to career progression.
Secretary Hegseth made a solid compromise between those who wanted to do nothing and those who wanted to eliminate the chaplain's status as officers.
He ordered chaplains to wear only their religious insignia.
This is a solid compromise and strong policy for several reasons.
First, before anything else a chaplain is a minister and wearing their insignia as their main representation reminds them of that calling, as opposed to rising in rank.
Second, a chaplain not wearing the rank of an officer will have, for most, the effect of making the chaplain more approachable especially to those newer to the military and who may be intimidated by rank.
There is an argument that without their rank that a chaplain will not be able to speak truth to power, i.e. to those higher ranking and who rate them.
That argument is rubbish for several reasons.
A chaplain is always lower ranking than their commander regardless.
If a chaplain is already not speaking truth to power at least one of the reasons is because that chaplain is either intimidated by that rank and/or worried about career progression.
Also, commanders at every level (taking the Army for example) at battalion, brigade, division, corps etc. know who their chaplain is on staff and that their rank, even if not visible, is consummate with their position.
Frankly speaking, if a commander is not going to respect a chaplain for not having rank, that commander is likely not going to respect a chaplain regardless and has some major people issues.
The refocus on pastoral identity, and elimination of wearable rank by the chaplain, is the surer indication that a chaplain will speak truth to power.
The earthly outcome of speaking wisdom may not always turn out as they wish, but the chaplain ultimately answers to an even higher power than a commander.
Good chaplains will still need to be there for those of different faith traditions, and those of none. While chaplains cannot perform religious services outside their faith tradition, they can continue to facilitate the religious needs of other warfighters, for the day Uncle Sam says no to helping one group, one day another group may say no to a particular group.
Further, chaplains offer one thing that even military medical professionals do not have; 100 percent confidentiality . . . even to those of no faith.
The lowest of enlisted need that confidentiality as do the highest of commanders.
In any policy there is good, better, and best due to the fallen nature of the world we live in. There is never perfect policy, and there is almost always a negative case that happens that would not have if another policy was in place.
That being said, the secretary of war's policy is wise, prudent, and thoughtful.
While there is still work to be done, such as perhaps having chaplains at least partially evaluated by their troops, Secretary of War Hegseth's Chaplain Corps policy is not just a step in the right direction but is rapidly running towards the finish line.
The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not of any government agency.
Larry Provost has written for Townhall, Fox News, The Baltic Times and InFocus (Jewish Policy Center) and has appeared on several television outlets, including "FOX News @Night with Shannon Bream." He holds degrees from several colleges and is a veteran of the World Trade Center search and rescue, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He and his wife are adoptive parents. Read more Larry Provost Insider articles reports — Click Here Now.
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