War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced sweeping changes to the U.S. military chaplain corps, emphasizing a return to what he described as its core spiritual mission.
Under the new policy, chaplains will no longer wear traditional rank insignia. Instead, they will display insignia reflecting their religious affiliation — a shift Hegseth said underscores their primary role.
In a memo and accompanying video message, Hegseth said chaplains will still hold officer rank, but that rank will not be outwardly shown because "this speaks to the difficult balance of the duality" of their role.
"A chaplain is first and foremost a chaplain and an officer second," Hegseth said Tuesday. "This change is a visual representation of that fact, specifically unique to the role of a chaplain. They are first and foremost called and ordained by God."
Chaplains will instead "be seen among the highest ranks because of their divine calling," he added.
Hegseth framed the move as a way to make chaplains more accessible to troops, reducing "any unease or anxiety" service members may feel when seeking guidance on personal or sensitive matters.
He also announced a major overhaul of how the Pentagon tracks religious affiliation, reducing more than 200 faith codes to just 31. He called the current system an "impractical and unusable system," noting that many codes are rarely used.
"An overwhelming majority of the military population used only six of the codes," Hegseth said, adding the streamlined system will help chaplains minister more effectively "in a way that aligns with that service member's faith background and religious practice."
Hegseth said the changes are part of a broader effort to restore what he sees as the proper role of chaplains within the military.
The Pentagon is "not even close to being done" taking steps toward "restoring the esteemed position of chaplain as moral anchors of the fighting force," he said.
He stressed that spiritual readiness is critical to military strength, saying service members' spiritual health "is equally important" to their physical and mental health.
At the same time, Hegseth criticized prior administrations for injecting the chaplain corps with "political correctness and secular humanism," which he said diluted its mission "until they were viewed by many as nothing more than therapists."
"A warfighter needs more than a coping mechanism," he said. "They need truth, big-T truth, they need conviction, they need a shepherd."
Military chaplains have served alongside American troops since 1775, with the corps expanding over time to include a wide range of faith traditions.
The announcement marks the latest in a series of moves by Hegseth aimed at reshaping military culture with a renewed emphasis on faith and traditional values.
Since last spring, he has hosted monthly prayer services at the Pentagon, including one featuring Pastor Doug Wilson.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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