Hegseth says the military's 200-plus faith codes were impractical and unusable
Pete HegsethSecretary of War, in a video announcement posted on social media
Hegseth says the old system of more than 200 faith codes had grown impractical and unusable and that many codes were never used.
Responding to
The military's previous system of more than 200 faith codes was impractical and unusable, and many of the codes were never used.
“The previous system had ballooned to well over 200 faith codes. ... It was impractical and unusable, and many codes were never used at all”
Official statement
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Hegseth cuts military religious affiliation codes from over 200 to 31; American Atheists and Interfaith Alliance object
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the military's more than 200 faith codes were impractical and has cut them to 31. Interfaith Alliance and American Atheists say the change elevates one worldview and leaves out minority beliefs; American Atheists has sued for the records.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Department news story, republished by Joint Base San Antonio, on Secretary Pete Hegseth's March 25 video announcement. It quotes his reasons for cutting the military's faith codes to 31 and for replacing chaplains' rank insignia with religious insignia.
Reporting
About this source
Fox News report on Hegseth's announcement posted on X, quoting his statements on the faith codes and chaplain insignia.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Hegseth said the overhaul of the faith and belief coding system, to be renamed religious affiliation codes, was necessary because the system had grown too big.
After the quotation
He added that a significant majority of service members, 82% of whom identify as religious, use only six of the codes, and said the number would be reduced to 31.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Hegseth defends cutting the military's faith codes, the decision this case examines, as a fix for a system he calls unusable.
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More from this case
Read the full caseAmerican Atheists says service members swear an oath to the Constitution, not to Hegseth's religious views
American Atheists
“Our military members swear an oath to defend the Constitution, not to promote Pete Hegseth's religious views”Read statement
Interfaith Alliance says Hegseth is elevating one narrow religious worldview
Interfaith Alliance
“Secretary Hegseth is not 'streamlining' anything. He is elevating one narrow religious worldview from the top of the chain of command”Read statement
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell says the shorter list makes no claim on the legitimacy of any faith
“This decrease in religious affiliation codes is not designed to make any claims on the legitimacy of any faith or religious belief, nor is it intended to provide a list of 'officially approved' religions”Read statement
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- Hegseth says the military's 200-plus faith codes were impractical and unusable
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The Dispute Index. "Hegseth says the military's 200-plus faith codes were impractical and unusable". First published: 2026-11-02. Last updated: 2026-11-02. https://disputeindex.com/events/7765-hegseth-says-the-old-system-of-more-than