Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced a series of reforms to the military’s Chaplain Corps Dec. 16, promising to restore its focus on religious ministry and eliminate what he called years of drift toward secular self-help programs.
In a 4-minute video posted to his official X account, Hegseth said the Chaplain Corps has been “degraded” in recent decades by “an atmosphere of political correctness and secular humanism.”
“Chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists, instead of ministers,” he argued. “Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care.”
We are going to make the Chaplain Corps great again. pic.twitter.com/xbKZBdbiSR
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) December 17, 2025
Hegseth singled out the Army’s current Spiritual Fitness Guide as emblematic of the problem. He noted that the more than 100-page document mentions “God” only once, while referencing “feelings” 11 times and “playfulness” nine times. It makes no mention of virtue.
“The guide relies on New Age notions, saying that the soldier’s spirit consists of consciousness, creativity, and connection,” he said. “The guide itself reports that around 82% of the military are religious, yet ironically, it alienates our war fighters of faith by pushing secular humanism. In short, it's unacceptable and unserious. So we're tossing it.”
Hegseth said he would sign a directive later that day that would immediately eliminate the guide’s use.
He also announced forthcoming reforms to the Pentagon’s faith and belief coding system — an internal personnel database that tracks religious affiliation for chaplain and accommodation planning — which Hegesth said has expanded to more than 200 “overly complex” categories, even though most service members identify as one of just six.
According to Stars and Stripes, the War Department in 2017 updated its list of recognized religious denominations and belief systems, expanding it to 221 categories ranging from Christian denominations to Wiccan witches and atheists.
“More reforms will be coming in the days and weeks ahead,” Hegseth said. “There will be a top-down cultural shift putting spiritual well-being on the same footing as mental and physical health.”
As part of that shift, he said the Pentagon will restore chaplains as “moral anchors” for the fighting force, citing a 1956 Army Chaplain’s manual: “The chaplain is the pastor and the shepherd of the souls entrusted to his care.”
The announcement comes amid a broader dispute after the Army canceled a sweeping number of on-base religious education coordinators’ chapel contracts
Hegseth also pointed to the Chaplain Corps’ 1775 origins, when George Washington established it as one of his first acts as commander of the Continental Army, underscoring its historical role in providing spiritual support during times of hardship.
“This is a high and sacred calling,” Hegseth said, “but this only works if our shepherds are actually given the freedom to boldly guide and care for their flock. Stay tuned for more.”
At the end of the video, he declared, “We are going to make the Chaplain Corps great again and Merry Christmas.”