U.S. Navy chaplains will discard their rank insignia on working and utility uniforms starting Tuesday, the service announced in an administrative message.
The guidance follows an edict issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 24 in a video uploaded to X, in which he stated that a chaplain is a chaplain first and an officer second.
Previously, uniforms worn by chaplains presented rank insignia in addition to a symbol denoting their religion, but Hegseth ordered the removal of rank insignia to ensure that chaplains would “be seen among the highest ranks because of their divine calling.”
“Effective immediately, Navy chaplains will remove all rank insignia when wearing working or utility uniform components to include Navy working uniforms (NWUs), coveralls, flight suits, flight deck clothing and 2-piece organizational clothing (2POC) uniforms,” the administrative message said. “Rank insignia will also be removed from all outer garments and covers when worn with working and utility uniforms.”
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The chaplain staff corps insignia, meanwhile, will continue to be displayed, according to the memo.
When chaplains are wearing service, service dress, formal or ceremonial uniforms, service members are to offer required military honors and courtesies, the message said. When these personnel are in working and utility uniforms and are outdoors and covered, sailors and chaplains are to exchange greetings and salutes.
Chaplains are also required to greet and salute officers regardless of rank, the message said.
The Pentagon is currently working to reform the Chaplain Corps, with a December message from Hegseth calling for a renewed focus on serving religious duties as opposed to providing therapy and counsel to service members.
Hegseth also recently said he’d reduced the number of religious affiliation codes from 200 to 31.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
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