Reforms aim to restore “moral anchors” for troops, replace self-help focus with faith-based leadership.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced major reforms to the U.S. military’s Chaplain Corps on December 16, aiming to restore its “spiritual backbone” and eliminate what he called “unacceptable and unserious“ training materials.
Immediate Elimination of Army Spiritual Fitness Guide
Hegseth declared on X that the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide would be discontinued immediately:
“I have a directive right here that I will sign today to eliminate the use of the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide effective immediately. These types of training materials have no place in the War Department.”\
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He criticized the 100-page guide for mentioning “God” only once while referencing “feelings” 11 times and “playfulness” nine times, with no mention of virtue. Hegseth condemned its “new age notions“—such as defining a soldier’s spirit as “consciousness, creativity, and connection“—as incompatible with the military’s needs.
Refocusing the Chaplain Corps
Hegseth, a former U.S. Army National Guard infantry officer, argued that the Chaplain Corps had deviated from its original mission of providing religious and moral guidance to service members. Instead, he said, chaplains had been reduced to “emotional support officers” under an atmosphere of “political correctness and secular humanism.”
“For about 200 years, the Chaplain Corps continued its role as the spiritual leader of our service members, serving our men and women in times of hardship and ministering to their souls. But sadly, as part of the ongoing war on warriors, in recent decades, its role has been degraded.”
Simplifying the Faith and Belief Coding System
Hegseth also announced plans to simplify the Faith and Belief Coding system, noting that only six of over 200 codes are regularly used by military personnel.
Future Reforms
The changes are the first phase of a broader effort to “make the Chaplain Corps great again,” Hegseth said. Future reforms will prioritize “spiritual well-being” alongside mental and physical health, creating a “supportive environment for our warriors and their souls.”
“Faith and virtue were traded for self-help and self-care. There will be a top-down cultural shift putting spiritual well-being on the same footing as mental and physical health.”
The Trump administration plans to announce additional reforms in the coming weeks, reinforcing the Chaplain Corps’ role as “moral anchors” for the military.
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