U.S. Department
of Justice
Statement on Department of War’s Strengthening of the Chaplain Corps
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has announced bold action to prioritize religious liberty and practice in the military, executing a “top-down cultural shift, putting spiritual well-being on the same footing as physical and mental health.”
Religious Liberty Commission Chairman, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, shared the following statement:
The Religious Liberty Commission applauds Secretary Hegseth and the Department of War’s quick action to restore the military chaplaincy to its full strength and influence in our armed forces.
As we were reminded at our Commission hearing last week, the chaplaincy is foundational to the American military—a source of spiritual strength so that our servicemembers continue to serve as a force for good in the face of evil and oppression. Tragically, past administrations sought to undermine the spiritual and strategic role of the military chaplaincy.
President Trump asked the Commission evaluate areas of American life where religion has been attacked and targeted. We learned last week just how far this targeting has gone even in our own military, through powerful testimony from military chaplains as well as former Navy SEAL Blake Martin, military supplier Kenny Vaughan with Shields of Strength, and historian Dave Barton, and others.
We commend President Trump and Secretary Hegseth for their leadership in executing these much-needed reforms, which we know will continue to make America, and our military, great again.
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, who addressed the Commission on issues of religious liberty in the military at last week’s Religious Liberty Commission hearing, provided the following comment:
Our servicemembers are faced with life-and-death decisions on a daily basis. To manage the constant pressure and danger, they must have the ability to see their work through an eternal perspective. The Chaplain Corps, established by General George Washington, has long supported soldiers in cultivating this ability, offering critical moral and spiritual formation.
Yet, past administrations sought to degrade this vital ministry into a vague program of “feelings management,” rather than a rigorous grounding in authentic, selfless, and courageous faith.
I am grateful for Secretary Hegseth’s clear-sighted leadership and decisive action to ensure the Chaplain Corps and the Army Spiritual Fitness program are restored to their full strength.
Related:
Religious Liberty Commission, Hearing on Religious Liberty in the Military