The US Department of Defense has officially removed 180 religions from its list of recognized faiths, implementing a change previously announced by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to Fox News.
The US military chaplains previously recognized more than 200 religious denominations that service members could belong to, but that number has now been reduced to just 31, according to a memo issued Thursday by Under Secretary of Defense Anthony Tata. Tata's memo indicates that this change will make it easier for the Pentagon to collect data on service members' religious preferences, with the goal of improving the provision of chaplain-led religious support.
He added: "The new list will provide chaplains with clear and readily available information, enabling them to better anticipate the religious support needs of service members and provide religious support activities that align with their personal beliefs and practices."
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