War Secretary Pete Hegseth is revamping the military's chaplain corps to emphasize God and theology, vowing "to make the Chaplain Corps great again."
"In an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism, chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers. Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care," Hegseth said in a video posted on X.
"If you need proof, just look at the current Army Spiritual Fitness Guide. In well over 100 pages, it mentions God one time.
"That's it. It mentions 'feelings' 11 times.
"It even mentions 'playfulness,' whatever that is, nine times. There's zero mention of virtue," he continued.
"The guide relies on new age notions."
The U.S. military's Chaplain Corps is a body of ordained clergy embedded across the armed forces to ensure service members can practice their religion, or opt out of it, while in uniform.
Chaplains serve as noncombatant officers who lead religious services, provide confidential counseling, and advise commanders on morale, ethics, and religious accommodations, operating under strict rules that bar proselytizing and require them to support troops of all faiths.
Established before the nation itself, the Chaplain Corps functions as the military's constitutional workaround for religious freedom in environments where civilian clergy are unavailable, including combat zones and overseas deployments.
Hegseth said a directive he plans to sign Wednesday will eliminate the use "of the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide, effective immediately."
"These types of training materials have no place in the War Department. Our chaplains are chaplains, not emotional support officers, and we're going to treat them as such," he added.
Additionally, the department will create a new streamlined list of faith codes to recognize what qualifies as a religious denomination or belief system.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Religious Liberty Commission chairman, applauded the move.
"Our servicemembers are faced with life-and-death decisions on a daily basis," he said in a statement.
"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."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.