THE FREE EXERCISE OF 

RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY 

IN THE ARMY

A Special Publication of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps
Dedication by

Chief of Chaplains 

Chaplain (Major General) Thomas L. Solhjem

I am deeply grateful to have spent a long career 

as a member of our United States Army Chaplain 

Corps “Caring for the Soul of the Army,” and caring 

for the individual souls of our Army’s Soldiers, 

Family members, and Civilians. Their steadfast 

dedication, tireless hard work, and selfless sacrifice 

on behalf of our Nation are both commendable and 

costly. Each of these individuals deserves the best 

support that our Nation can offer them. In this spirit 

of gratitude and care, I dedicate The Free Exercise 

of Religion and Spirituality: A Special Publication of 

the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps.

This publication addresses a perennial but always 

evolving need in our Army. This statement from FM 

7-22 Holistic Health and Fitness highlights the role 

our Corps plays in facilitating the Commander’s 

responsibilities around building Army Spiritual 

Readiness and some of the tensions that come with 

the free exercise of religion in this context: “The 

Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the 

First Amendment act as guideposts for developing 

spiritual readiness.” This publication facilitates a 

better understanding of how the Chaplain Corps 

and our Army leaders can support and sustain the 

delicate balance necessary to build Army Spiritual 

Readiness and to provide for the free exercise 

of religion, while avoiding undue governmental 

authority, force, or influence to mandate or unduly 

promote any particular form of religion, religious 

belief, or practice. Our Army’s Soldiers, Family 

members, and Civilians deserve all of the above 

from us, and nothing less.
The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army 2

Table of Contents

Contents

03 Sign of Strength: Command, Faith, and Personal Example 

in Today’s Army

By General Michael X. Garrett

GEN Michael X. Garrett has commanded U.S. Army Forces 

Command since 2019. A career Infantry officer, he previously 

commanded at every level from company through Army Service 

Component Command, and has led units in combat operations 

in Iraq and Afghanistan.

09 A Leader’s Guide to Lawfully Addressing Religion and Spirituality

By Lieutenant Colonel Emilee Elbert and 

Chaplain (Major) Joshua Chittim

LTC Emilee Elbert is an active duty Army judge advocate 

currently serving as the Chair of the Administrative and Civil 

Law Department at The Judge Advocate General’s Legal 

Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Chaplain (MAJ) Joshua A. Chittim currently serves as an Ethics 

Instructor and Command Chaplain at The Judge Advocate 

General’s Legal Center and School in Charlottesville, Virginia.

18 Commanders and the Free Exercise of Religion – 

A Chaplain’s Perspective

By Chaplain (Colonel) Rajmund Kopec

Chaplain (COL) Rajmund Kopec currently serves as Forces 

Command Chaplain, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He holds a 

Master of Divinity from Seton Hall University, South Orange, 

New Jersey, and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from 

U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. CH 

Kopec is a native of Poland and a Roman Catholic priest of the 

Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey.

28 Questions for Reflection and Engagement
3

Sign of Strength: Command, 

Faith, and Personal Example 

in Today’s Army

by General Michael X. Garrett, 

Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command

“So help me, God.”

I recited these words—the final words of our oath of office—

the day I was commissioned as an Officer in the United 

States Army. I have repeated them with each subsequent 

promotion throughout my 38-year career. And for the hundreds, 

if not thousands, of Soldiers whom I have had the honor to 

commission, enlist, re-enlist, and promote, “So help me, God,” 

has also been the final plea of their own oaths as they embark on 

their military journeys.
The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army 4

Sign of Strength

Without a shred of doubt, I believe that 

God has, indeed, helped me. He has 

blessed me with a strong and healthy 

family; with brave, hard-working teams of 

warriors; and with opportunities to serve 

and lead within the organizations that 

fight and win this great Nation’s wars.

And in these roles—particularly those 

bearing the weight and responsibility 

of command—God has helped 

me find clarity and comfort in the 

challenges I have faced, and the 

decisions I have made. 

Command is an incredible privilege, 

however, it is an occasionally (and 

inevitably) isolating experience. On such 

occasions, prayer helps me speak to 

God in special ways, especially when 

I may not have been able to share my 

thoughts, burdens, and concerns with 

another person. In this turn to prayer, I 

find renewed strength and wisdom for 

what lies ahead.

By exercising my personal faith, I have 

experienced that all things seem just a 

bit easier. My life works better for me 

when I am led by God, which means 

to me that I am earnestly representing 

to others what I myself have been 

taught. In this way I remain consistent 

to the values I have been exposed to 

throughout my life of faith.

Our “Army Leadership and the 

Profession” doctrine does not speak 

about faith and religion. However, it 

does say a lot about the importance 

a leader’s presence, and how we 

must demonstrate self-confidence, 

composure, resilience, and humility.1

Another leader’s interpretations of this 

doctrine may differ, and rightfully so, but 

in my own experience, my “presence” is 

directly correlated with the strength of 

my relationship with God. Experience 

has also shown me that many of our 

Soldiers, Army Civilian professionals, 

and Family members are at their best 

when they embrace their own faith.

If you are a Commander at any echelon 

in the U.S. Army, your leadership and 

your relationship with God sets the 

example for the presence and balance 

your people emulate as they persevere 

through life’s challenges. 

Leadership and Spirituality

Spirituality is a personal and complicated 

subject, but that does not mean spiritual 

conversations of faith should be 

considered forbidden or controversial in 

your organization.

Although the Army defines the 

“Spiritual Dimension” as one of its Five 

Dimensions of Personal Readiness,2

 I 

have observed Commanders who are 

hesitant to promote this pillar of wellbeing. Why this hesitancy?

I believe there are leaders who avoid 

conversations about religion, and in 

particular avoid sharing their own 

experiences. Perhaps they focus on 

potentially negative outcomes, such as 

complaints of offense by those who do 

not share their beliefs. Commanders 

understandably do not want to be 
5 The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

Garrett

perceived as using their position of 

authority to proselytize to others. 

The reasons for this type of risk 

aversion are not lost on me; religion is 

rightfully protected by the Army’s equal 

opportunity program, and freedom of 

religion is the very first guarantee in 

the U.S. Constitution. Commanders are 

conditioned to look at their environment 

through the lens of risk, and some 

may decide the risk of violating these 

principles—and in turn, their Soldiers’ 

trust—is not worth taking.

However, I want you to know that by 

using the traits that helped you become 

a Commander (such as your ability to 

listen with empathy, and communicate 

with respect), you can easily navigate 

potential risks without eliminating 

the “Spiritual Dimension” from your 

conversations. 

I will illustrate my point with a physical 

fitness analogy, as I am prone to 

do. Although I am a fitness nut, 

my personal preference is not to 

run marathons, power-lift extreme 

weights, or follow an especially 

restrictive diet. However, I have 

learned healthy, interesting, and 

useful lessons from friends and 

teammates who practice these 

lifestyles. Some of their stretches, 

form adjustments, and recipes have 

found a place in my own routines. 

While other practices may not 

resonate with me personally, they 

nonetheless make for stimulating 

conversations and experiences. 

Conversations about spirituality hold 

the same potential. Those with a strong 

connection to faith have the powerful 

opportunity to reveal techniques and 

practices that may help their teammates 

build resilience. Leaders may, likewise, 

help build bonds through shared 

experiences when they show a healthy 

interest in the spiritual lives of those 

around them. And this can happen in 

the same way we show healthy interests 

in one another’s families, hometowns, 

hobbies, goals, and passions.

I encourage Commanders to build a 

climate where such conversations are 

welcome. I want, however, you as a 

Commander to emphasize—perhaps 

explicitly—that the Commander’s religion 

is not the command’s religion. Spiritual 

discussions within your teams should 

serve to spark and create inclusion and 

inspiration, as opposed to exclusion 

and condemnation. Your Chaplain is not 

only well-prepared to coach you through 

leading these types of conversations; 

they are also well-positioned to receive, 

transmit, and translate candid feedback 

from your Soldiers. 

Resurgence of Faith

While the Pew Research Center reports 

that Americans’ religious affiliation is 

declining,3

 I have anecdotally observed 

a resurgence of faith inside the U.S. 

Army, or at the very least that Soldiers 

demonstrate increased ease with 

expressing their own individual beliefs. 

This trend I am seeing encourages me, 

because I find there is a basic human 
The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army 6

Sign of Strength

connection between one’s faith and the 

life-and-death business of warfighting. 

Through almost four decades of 

commissioned service, I have witnessed 

the transition from battalion and brigade 

leaders of the late 1980s and ’90s who 

avoided discussing religion with their 

formations, to today’s Army where I see 

leaders who are willing to share their 

personal experiences with faith.

Whether this transition is attributable 

to the past 20 years of combat 

deployments, or other cultural and even 

generational factors, the collective 

impact reflects the “People First” Army 

we are committed to building and 

sustaining. The only way to put “People” 

first in our formations, is by prioritizing 

that which is inherently personal.

What I believe this means for today’s 

company, battalion, and brigade 

Commanders who get more frequent 

touchpoints with the same groups 

of Soldiers than I do at the four-star 

level, is that you operate in a spiritually 

permissive environment. Your Soldiers 

are likely comfortable with, if not 

actively open to, the positive ways 

that religion can impact their lives. 

Even your Soldiers who are among the 

three-in-ten U.S. adults who consider 

themselves religiously unaffiliated4

 have 

something to gain from the moral code, 

sense of community, and prospects for 

hope and optimism that are present in 

most major religions.

The Power of Your Personal 

Example

When I was preparing to become a 

battalion Commander, I received the 

wise advice to carefully consider which 

unit member I would first meet with after 

assuming command. All eyes are on the 

new Commander, and it made sense to 

me that my first meeting would send a 

message about my focus and priorities.

My first meeting was with my Chaplain 

because I wanted to show, not simply 

tell, the unit that my relationship 

with God is an important pillar in my 

leadership philosophy; and that I 

valued the Chaplain’s unique role to 

and access within the battalion. 

I am convinced that personal example 

is the only effective way to lead others, 

especially in our Army where young 

men and women deserve to see leaders 

willing to sweat and bleed at their side. 

One of the many ways I have strived 

to lead by personal example is through 

modeling the benefits of prayer and 

spiritual fitness, so that others could 

feel comfortable expressing their own 

personal faith.

Through my career, I have sought 

opportunities to grow in my personal 

faith, and to send Soldiers an 

encouraging, welcoming message 

about the importance of religion in 

their own lives. As Commander of U.S. 

Army Central, I even made the effort to 

attend mass in the Middle East’s major 

cities any time I found myself spending 
7 The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

Garrett

the weekend in a permissive partner 

nation. By dedicating some of my time 

to praise, confession, and reflection, it 

was my hope that the Soldiers I visited 

felt equally empowered to take time 

for their own spiritual health—and 

specifically for religious expression, if 

they felt called to do so.

Beyond merely meeting with your 

Chaplain, I encourage you as 

Commanders to make them your partner 

in formulating the spiritual example you 

will set. Their experience and judgment 

will inform the opportunities you take to 

practice and discuss faith. Perhaps more 

importantly, your Chaplain will bolster the 

personal peace and perspective you gain 

from these opportunities.

As I wrote in this article’s opening, 

command inevitably involves isolating 

moments. In such time, where will you 

turn? Some choose to labor excessively 

long days or find fleeting satisfaction 

in recreational outlets, while still others 

may turn to unhealthy vices that destroy 

careers, relationships, and unit culture. 

Even in our loneliest or most stressful 

times, a leader’s responsibility is to 

model healthy behavior across all 

domains. When we show grace—the 

kind of grace I receive when I am right 

with God—during challenging times, we 

lead Soldiers to know it is possible (and 

expected) for them to do the same. In 

this context, the power of your personal 

example depends on the alignment 

between how you are seen practicing 

spiritual fitness, and how that spiritual 

fitness helps you walk a positive, 

respectful life. 

When I was selected to become a 

four-star general in the Army, General 

Joseph Votel, a leader I deeply respect 

and at the time my boss at U.S. Central 

Command, reminded me to “use my 

rank for good.” By this he meant I 

should seek opportunities to be a 

“happy general,” to give Soldiers and 

teammates positive interactions and 

memories, and to actively seek chances 

to help people attain opportunities they 

are bold enough to pursue.

I encourage this article’s readers—and 

any leader in our Army—to use their rank 

for good, and, even more importantly, 

to use their faith for good. You are in 

a unique, once-in-a-lifetime position to 

make a lasting impact on the people who 

will fight and win the Nation’s wars, and 

go on to lead Soldiers and communities 

of their own. 

I pray you choose to make spiritual 

fitness a part of your personal leadership 

example. With candor, humility, and 

presence, you will find there is very 

little risk—and a great deal of reward—

in acknowledging faith’s powerful 

connection with our profession of arms.

So help me, God.
8

NOTES

1 Headquarters, Department of the Army, Army 

Leadership and the Profession, ADP 6-22 (Washington, 

DC: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 2019), 

Table 3-1, https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/

DR_a/ARN20039-ADP_6-22-001-WEB-0.pdf.

2 Headquarters, Department of the Army, Comprehensive 

Soldier and Family Fitness, Army Regulation 350-53 

(Washington, DC: Headquarters, Department of the 

Army, 2014), 2-5, https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/

DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/r350_53.pdf.

3 Gregory A. Smith, “About Three-in-Ten U.S. Adults 

Are Now Religiously Unaffiliated,” Pew Research 

Center, December 14, 2021, https://www.pewforum.

org/2021/12/14/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-are-nowreligiously-unaffiliated/.

4 Ibid.

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

Sign of Strength
9

A Leader’s Guide to Lawfully 

Addressing Religion and Spirituality

by Lieutenant Colonel Emilee Elbert 

Chair, Administrative and Civil Law Department, The Judge 

Advocate General’s Legal Center and School 

and by Chaplain (Major) Joshua Chittim, 

Chaplain, The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School

Introduction

The First Amendment right for an individual to freely practice 

the religion of their own choosing is a hallmark of the American 

psyche.1

 This hallmark sits uneasily alongside the demand that 

Service members sometimes must subjugate their personal right 

to exercise certain religious practices for the good of the service.2

Federal law places a high burden on the Department of Defense 

(DoD) to justify any limitation on the religious freedom of Service 

members,3

 and prohibits certain government action with regard to 

practicing religion.4

 At the same time, Commanders are charged,
10

A Leader’s Guide

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

through the assistance of Chaplains and 

leaders at all echelons, with ensuring 

the spiritual fitness of their formations.5

Balancing this directive while ensuring 

that leaders do not impinge upon their 

Soldiers’ individual rights is a tricky 

dynamic, but it can be navigated 

successfully. This article summarizes 

the legal underpinnings of religious 

freedom, the processes, and the test 

by which religious freedom is limited, 

and concludes with suggestions of the 

best practices for addressing religious 

freedom in the military. Its purpose is to 

ensure that Commanders and leaders 

have the information they need to 

address spirituality and religion with their 

Soldiers in ways that do not violate the 

Constitution, Federal law, or DoD and 

Army policy. This article does not replace 

the advice of a Commander’s staff, 

but serves as a starting point should a 

leader be faced with a question about 

this difficult area and does not have 

immediate access to a Chaplain or judge 

advocate.

Part I of this article provides the 

background of the First Amendment, 

including specific discussions of the Free 

Exercise and Establishment Clauses. 

Part II summarizes the DoD and Army 

policies and procedures applicable to 

religious practices in the military. Part III 

provides practical guidance for leaders 

in the field who deal with requests for 

religious accommodation, who provide 

religious services to Soldiers, or who 

want to know more about how to address 

spirituality with their formations.

Part I: Background

The First Amendment to the Constitution 

of the United States of America, passed 

in 1787 as part of the Bill of Rights, 

states: “Congress shall make no law 

respecting an establishment of religion, 

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”6

The First Amendment contains two 

complementary rights regarding religion7

: 

the right to free exercise of religion 

(the Free Exercise Clause)8

 and the 

prohibition of government actions that 

favor one religion over another (the 

Establishment Clause).9

The Free Exercise Clause is not 

absolute despite being woven into the 

fabric of American society. In fact, it is 

particularly limited for military Service 

members.10 The right of Commanders to 

infringe upon certain rights of Soldiers 

for the good of the service is, in fact, 

deeply rooted in case law.11 The seminal 

case, Parker v. Levy, summarizes the 

rationale for this:

While the members of the military 

are not excluded from the protection 

granted by the First Amendment, 

the different character of the military 

community and of the military mission 

requires a different application of 

those protections. The fundamental 

necessity for obedience, and the 

consequent necessity for imposition 

of discipline, may render within 

the military that which would be 

constitutionally impermissible outside 

it.12
11

Elbert and Chittim 

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

This precedent, established in 1974, 

remained virtually unchallenged until 

the mid-1990s with the passage of 

the Religious Freedom Restoration 

Act (RFRA),13 which clearly defines 

the limits of the government’s ability to 

subjugate Soldiers’ religious freedom. 

Pursuant to RFRA, Commanders 

may only substantially burden a 

person’s religious exercise if it furthers 

a compelling government interest 

and is the least restrictive means of 

furthering that interest.14 A Commander 

“substantially burden[s]” a Service 

member’s religious practice if their 

action either prevents participation in 

conduct motivated by a sincerely held 

belief or places substantial pressure on 

a Service member to engage in conduct 

contradictory to a sincerely held belief.15

The authority of a Commander to 

infringe on a Service member’s religious 

freedom is not absolute. In certain 

instances it is quite limited.16 The 

Establishment Clause is one such limit; 

its language and subsequent case law 

specifically limit government action 

with regard to religion.17 While recent 

Supreme Court decisions leave new 

ambiguity to be sorted by the lower 

courts, what remains clear is that public 

speech by public officials is limited by 

the Establishment Clause.18 As public 

officials, Commanders must take care to 

ensure speech with regard to religion is 

not coercive.19

The courts have identified specific 

examples of permissible government 

action with regard to religion.20

According to United States v. Marsh, 

the Establishment Clause cannot 

be applied in a vacuum; presumably 

practices that were in use at the time 

of the passage of the First Amendment 

are considered acceptable.21 The use 

of religious invocation or prayer to mark 

the beginning of an important event 

or ceremony is one such practice.22

Subsequent case law upheld Marsh.

23

This case law further articulates that 

prayer during the ceremonial portion of 

a government meeting is permissible 

because it does not “exact financial 

support of the church, compel religious 

observance, or control religious 

doctrine.”24

The court in Katcoff v. Marsh settled 

all previous concerns about the 

intersection of the Free Exercise Clause, 

Establishment Clause, and the War 

Powers Clause of the Constitution,25

and their applicability to the U.S. Army 

and its Chaplain Corps.26 Indeed, the 

court squarely addressed whether the 

existence of the Chaplain Corps violated 

the Free Exercise or Establishment 

Clauses.27 The court applied this test 

to the issue: “whether the chaplaincy 

program is relevant and reasonably 

necessary for the Army’s conduct of our 

national defense.”28 The court held that 

because the “purpose and effect of the 

program is to make religion, religious 

education, counseling and religious 

facilities available to military personnel” 

the military chaplaincy is “vital to our 

Army’s functioning,” and therefore, 

reasonably necessary for our national 

defense.29
12

A Leader’s Guide

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

Understanding these foundational 

principles, including the Free Exercise 

and Establishment Clauses, and RFRA, 

is necessary to an analysis of their 

implementation by the DoD and U.S. 

Army. The applicable policies are firmly 

rooted in the preceding principles.30

Less clear, and infinitely more difficult 

to address, is how Commanders can 

support religion and spirituality without 

running afoul of the First Amendment. 

We do know, however, that they must 

address it.31

Part II: Department of Defense 

and Army Policy on Addressing 

Religion

The concept that Commanders must 

care for all aspects of a Service 

member’s fitness is longstanding. 

However, it was recently encapsulated 

in a framework known as Total Force 

Fitness.32 Total Force Fitness consists 

of nine domains and is a “methodology 

for understanding, assessing, and 

maintaining Service members’ wellbeing and sustaining their ability to 

carry out missions.”33 Spiritual fitness, 

one domain, is the “ability to adhere to 

beliefs, principles, or values needed to 

persevere and prevail in accomplishing 

missions.”34

Spirituality and religion are related 

but different and are thus treated 

differently under DoD and Army policy. 

Commanders must carefully balance 

attention to spiritual fitness with 

respect for their subordinates’ religious 

preference.35 DoD and Army policy on 

religious liberty and spirituality in general 

is fully informed by the Free Exercise 

and Establishment Clauses of the First 

Amendment and RFRA.36 According to 

DoD policy:

“Service members have the right to 

observe the tenets of their religion or 

to observe no religion at all;”37

“DoD Components will accommodate 

individual expressions of sincerely 

held beliefs which do not have an 

adverse impact on military readiness, 

unit cohesion, good orders and 

discipline, or health and safety;”38

“A strong spirit promotes resiliency 

and enhances one’s ability to 

mitigate adverse responses to stress. 

Promoting spiritual fitness is a vital 

component of a [Total Force Fitness] 

program.”39

Likewise, Army policy nests firmly 

in DoD policy, RFRA, and the First 

Amendment.40 In addition to Soldiers’ 

rights to practice their respective 

religions or observe no religion at all, 

Army policy states that it protects the 

“civil liberties of its personnel to the 

greatest extent possible, consistent with 

its military requirements.”41

The Army aims to achieve this balance 

through its combined approach to 

religious accommodation and spiritual 

fitness.42 The Army’s guidance to 

Commanders on how to address 

spirituality is contained in Field 

Manual (FM) 7-22, Holistic Health and 
13

Elbert and Chittim 

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

Fitness (H2F).43 FM 7-22, published in 

2020, established the Army’s system 

to address five domains of Soldier 

readiness: physical, mental, sleep, 

nutrition, and spiritual.44 The H2F 

program defines spirituality as a “sense 

of connection that gives meaning and 

purpose to a person’s life.”45 Spirituality 

is “unique to each individual” and 

“applies to all people, whether religious 

and nonreligious . . . and forms the basis 

of their character.”46

Part III: Situation-Specific 

Guidance

FM 7-22 acknowledges the diverse and 

individualistic sources of spiritual and 

religious practice, thereby providing 

Commanders with the ideas, resources, 

and personnel necessary to address 

spiritual readiness without impacting 

the right to religious freedom.47 With 

this guidance, Commanders should not 

shy away from addressing spirituality or 

religion, but work energetically to provide 

their Soldiers a wide variety of options 

for building their spiritual readiness. In 

general, if the Commander can articulate 

how their initiative or event achieves the 

H2F goal of “build[ing] physical lethality 

and mental toughness to win quickly and 

return home healthy,” without violating 

the DoD and Army policies on the 

exercise of religion and the requirement 

for religious accommodation, such 

initiatives will pass legal muster.48 To 

illustrate how to accomplish the daunting 

task of addressing spirituality without 

indicating preference for one religion 

over another, this article provides a 

description of resources available 

to Commanders as well as practical 

examples. 

A. EVALUATING RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION 

REQUESTS

When it comes to providing religious 

accommodations, Chaplains are 

an essential resource in helping to 

determine the religious nature of the 

request and the sincerity of the religious 

belief.49 Chaplains need to be confident 

in their role as a principal advisor 

to the Commander in the religious 

accommodation process.50 Chaplains 

are tasked to formally interview Soldiers 

requesting religious accommodation to 

determine the religious nature of the 

request and the religious sincerity of the 

requestor.51

Determining whether an accommodation 

request is religious in nature is not as 

straightforward as it might initially seem. 

To evaluate whether an accommodation 

request is truly religious, Chaplains may 

consider using the following three-prong 

test to evaluate such requests:52 first, 

whether the religious belief addresses 

“fundamental and ultimate questions of 

life;” second, whether the belief system 

is “comprehensive in nature;” and third, 

whether the belief system has formally 

established external visible signs.53

Alternatively, in evaluating whether the 

request is religious leaders may ask 

whether the Soldier’s “moral, ethical, 

or religious beliefs about what is right 

and wrong” is “held with strength of 

traditional religious convictions.”54 Finally, 
14

A Leader’s Guide

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

a Soldier’s adherence to a “merely 

personal moral code,” is not sufficient 

to meet the threshold for religious 

accommodation.55

Take as an example a Soldier who 

requests relaxed grooming standards 

due to their adherence to the Asatru 

faith.56 In determining whether Asatru is 

considered a religion, a Chaplain should 

conduct research to determine whether 

the Asatru religion answers questions 

such as what happens to a person after 

death or what is the purpose of life. A 

Chaplain also should explore whether 

the Asatru religion addresses a person’s 

complete identity and how they are 

to live. Finally, the Chaplain should 

explore what formal and external signs 

the religion incorporates into the belief 

structure. In this example, the Asatru 

religion addresses the deep and ultimate 

questions of life; it has a holistic set of 

teachings for how a person is to live; 

and, finally, it has formal and external 

signs that appear to be established by 

the belief system.57

Determining the sincerity of the Soldier’s 

religious belief will invariably be the 

most probing and consequential part of 

the interview process. To determine the 

sincerity of religious belief, the Chaplain 

should explore three elements. The 

first element is the motivation of the 

religious request.58 Is the Soldier making 

this request simply because they want 

to grow a beard? Or is the motivation 

fueled by a genuine religious fervor to 

grow a beard as a means to grow in 

their spirituality? The second element 

to explore is the consistency of how 

the individual lives out their religious 

convictions. Perhaps a Soldier wants 

separate rations due to certain offlimits or forbidden foods being served 

in a dining facility.59 However, outside 

of wanting to adhere to certain dietary 

restrictions, the Soldier does not actively 

participate in religious observances or 

adhere to other religious teachings. 

This may not necessarily mean that the 

Soldier is not sincere in their request, 

but it may be a sign that the sincerity is 

not religious in nature. The final element 

in determining religious sincerity is to 

explore if the request is from a religious 

conviction or, conversely, if it arises from 

a strongly held moral objection that is 

not religious in nature.60 Often moral and 

ethical beliefs are based on a religious 

belief system.61 However, there are 

moral objections that may be grounded 

on a political or scientific viewpoint. 

Chaplains need to be sensitive to this 

dynamic and be aware that there can be 

a difference between a moral objection 

and a religious conviction.

With the implementation of FM 7-22, 

Commanders and Unit Ministry Teams 

(UMT) have a renewed responsibility 

to help improve the spiritual readiness 

of the Force.62 In granting religious 

accommodations, a Commander 

does not endorse one religion over 

another.63 Instead, by granting a 

religious accommodation request, the 

Commander helps to support the free 

exercise of religion, which, in turn, helps 

to grow and improve the overall health 

and fitness of their Soldiers.64
15

Elbert and Chittim 

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

B. RELIGIOUS DISPLAYS AND PRAYER

As previously discussed, Commanders 

must be careful to avoid religious 

coercion.65 However, as long as 

Commanders take care to conduct 

activities in a manner that “that is 

consistent with accepted historical 

practice” in the military and is not 

coercive, holiday displays and even 

prayer can be part of the Commander’s 

plan to address support spiritual 

readiness.66 For example, the month 

of December is generally a time when 

many Soldiers celebrate important 

religious holidays such as Christmas, 

Hanukkah, or Kwanza. While 

Commanders should avoid events that 

only highlight a particular religious 

remembrance, an event or display 

that celebrates multiple religions is 

acceptable.67 Common displays or 

events that are likely acceptable include 

a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and 

the display of multiple holiday images, 

such as a Santa Claus house, reindeer 

pulling Santa’s sleigh, a nativity scene, 

a menorah, and a “Season’s Greetings” 

sign, in the dining facility.68 Likewise, 

prayers offered by a Chaplain during 

formal, solemn military ceremonies such 

as a change-of-command, retirement, 

graduation, or dining-in where prayer or 

invocation is “deeply embedded” in our 

military history are likely acceptable.69

On the other hand, a prayer led by the 

Commander at the start of every meeting 

is likely a violation of the Establishment 

clause because the speech is official, 

conducted during a mandatory meeting, 

and may appear coercive.70A quick 

review from the command judge 

advocate can ensure Commanders and 

their staff stay within legal bounds when 

planning such events or displays.

C. OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING 

SPIRITUAL READINESS

The publication of FM 7-22, provides 

Commanders with a host of resources 

available to address the spiritual 

readiness of their Soldiers.71 While the 

guidance acknowledges that spirituality 

is highly individualized, it highlights many 

options Commanders can implement to 

address this component of readiness 

while also avoiding the preference of one 

religion over another.72 Such activities 

could include a day of service, providing 

time for meditation, providing time and 

space for individual religious education 

or prayer, conducting relationship 

building events such as Strong Bonds, or 

hosting leader professional development 

on a certain religion.73 In planning 

these activities, Commanders are 

not alone.74 They can and should rely 

on numerous individuals and entities 

inside and outside of their organizations 

for assistance and expertise such as 

the Chaplain and UMT, the Garrison 

Chaplain’s office, the legal office, the 

Equal Opportunity Advisor or Office, and 

the Army Fit website, to name a few.75

Conclusion

While at first less experienced 

Commanders may feel hesitant to 

address very personal and weighty 
16

A Leader’s Guide

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

issues like religion and spirituality with 

their formations, it is their duty. As 

they become more comfortable with 

this important aspect of their mission, 

Commanders and leaders should feel 

empowered to share their own spirituality 

and proudly exercise their religious 

beliefs appropriately. Knowing they have 

the staff, information, and resources to 

assist them in effectively addressing this 

important aspect of readiness should 

ease their concern. 

NOTES

1 Jan Neuharth, First Amendment Day is an Important 

Reminder of the Rights We Enjoy—and Must Protect, 

USA Today (Sept. 23, 2021, 10:00AM), http://usatoday.

com/story/opinion/2021/09/23/first-amendment-rightsmust protect/8377984002/.

2 Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145, 164 (1878).

3 Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 

103-141, 107 Stat. 1488.

4 Ibid.

5 U.S. Dep’t of Army, Field Manual 7-22, Holistic Health 

and Fitness (1 Oct. 2020) (C1, 8 Oct. 2020) [hereinafter 

FM 7-22].

6 U.S. Const. amend. I.

7 Kennedy v. Bremerton Sch. Dist., No. 21-418, 2022 

U.S. LEXIS 3218, at *7 (June 27, 2022) (citing Everson 

v. Board of Ed. of Ewing, 330 U.S. 1, 15 (1947).

8 Cantwell v. State of Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296, 303 

(1940).

9 Ibid.

10 Ibid.

11 Parker v. Levy, 417 U.S. 733, 758 (1974).

12 Ibid. at 759.

13 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000bb to -4.

14 Ibid.

15 Ibid.

16 See Lemon v. Kurtzman, 403 U.S. 602 (1971); Lynch 

v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668 (1984); County of Allegheny 

v. ACLU, 492 U.S. 573 (1989); Lee v. Weisman, 505 

U.S. 577 (1992); Town of Greece v. Galloway, 572 

U.S. 565 (2014); Am. Legion v. Am. Humanist Ass’n, 

139 S. Ct. 2067 (2019); Zelman v. Simmons-Harris, 

536 U.S. 639 (2002); Kennedy v. Bremerton Sch. 

Dist., No. 21-418, 2022 U.S. LEXIS 3218, at *40 (June 

27, 2022).

17 See Kennedy v. Bremerton Sch. Dist., No. 21-418, 

2022 U.S. LEXIS 3218, at *40 (June 27, 2022).

18 See Ibid.

19 See Ibid.

20 Marsh v. Chambers, 463 U.S. 783, 790 (1983).

21 Ibid.

22 Town of Greece v. Galloway, 572 U.S. 565, 566–67 

(2014).

23 Ibid.

24 Ibid.
17

NOTES cont.

25 U.S. Const. art. I, § 8.

26 Katcoff v. Marsh, 755 F.2d 223, 235 (1984).

27 Ibid.

28 Ibid.

29 Ibid.

30 U.S. Dep’t of Def., Instr. 1300.17, Religious Liberty 

in the Military Services para. 1.2 (1 Sept. 2020) 

[hereinafter DoDI 1300.17]; U.S. Dep’t of Army, Reg. 

600-20, Army Command Policy para. 5-6a (24 July 

2020) [hereinafter AR 600-20].

31 See FM 7-22, supra note 5.

32 See generally Joint Chiefs of Staff, Instr. 3405.01, 

Chairman’s Total Force Fitness Framework (1 Sept. 

2011) [hereinafter CJCSI 3405.01].

33 Ibid. at encl. A, para. 2.

34 Ibid. at encl. A, para. 3e.

35 U.S. Dep’t of Army, Reg. 600-63, Army Health 

Promotion paras. 1-32, 6-2 (14 May 2015) [hereinafter 

AR 600-63].

36 DoDI 1300.17, supra note 28, at 4.

37 Ibid.

38 Ibid.

39 CJCSI 3405.01, supra note 30, at encl. a, app. e, 

para. 5.

40 AR 600-20, supra note 28.

41 Ibid.

42 See Ibid.; see also FM 7-22, supra note 5; see also

U.S. Dep’t of Army, Techs. Pub. 1-05.04, Religious 

Support and Internal Advisement (23 Mar. 2017) 

[hereinafter ATP 1-05.04].

43 See generally FM 7-22, supra note 5.

44 FM 7-22, supra note 5.

45 Ibid. para. 10-2.

46 Ibid.

47 Ibid. paras. 10-10 to -27.

48 Ibid. at ix.

49 See generally AR 600-20, supra note 28, at app. P; 

see also FM 7-22, supra note 5, para. 10-9.

50 See generally AR 600-20, supra note 28, at app. P. 

51 Ibid.

52 Africa v. Pennsylvania, 662 F.2d 1025, 1032 (3d Cir. 

1981) (citing Malnak v. Yogi, 592 F.2d 197, 205 (3d Cir. 

1979)).

53 Ibid.

54 U.S. v. Ward, 989 F.2d 1015 (9th Cir. 1992) (citing 

Welsh v. U.S., 398 U.S. 333, 340 (1970)).

55 Africa, 662 F.2d at 1034.

56 See generally Sergeant First Class Erick Studenicka, 

Number of Religious Accommodations, Including 

Beards, Likely to Grow in Nevada Guard Ranks, Def. 

Visual Info. Distrib. Serv. (Dec. 19, 2019), https://

www.dvidshub.net/news/356626/number-religiousaccommodations-including-beards-likely-grow-nevadaguard-ranks.

57 See Ibid.

58 See generally Bryant et al., supra note 50.

59 See generally ATP 1-05.04, supra note 40, app. A-5. 

60 Ibid. app. A-1.

61 See generally FM 7-22, supra note 5, para. 10-10.

62 See generally Ibid.

63 Ibid. para. 10-5.

64 Ibid.

65 Ibid. para. 10-6.

66 See Kennedy, supra note 16 at *40 (June 27, 2022).

67 Ibid.

68 See Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, 685 (1984); see 

also County of Allegheny v. ACLU, 492 U.S. 573, 591 

(1989).

69 See Marsh, supra note 19, at 786.

70 See Warnock v. Archer, 380 F.3d 1076, 1081 (8th Cir. 

2004); See also Kennedy at *41.

71 See FM 7-22, supra note 5, paras. 10-9, 10-30 to -37.

72 See Ibid.

73 Ibid.

74 Ibid.

75 See Ibid. paras. 10-10 to -27.

Elbert and Chittim 

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army
18

Commanders and Free Exercise of 

Religion – A Chaplain’s Perspective

by Chaplain (Colonel) Rajmund Kopec 

Command Chaplain, U.S. Army Forces Command

Introduction

Freedom is the heartbeat of the United States of America. 

Protecting freedom was the overarching purpose of the 

Declaration of Independence (August 2, 1776), the U.S. 

Constitution (March 4, 1789), and the Bill of Rights (December 

15, 1791).The First Amendment alone guarantees freedom of 

speech, press, religion, and the rights to peaceable assembly 

and to petition the government. Protecting these freedoms is 

the crux of U.S. military service. Though Soldiers accept some 

limitations on personal freedoms to fulfill their obligations, they do 
19

Kopec

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

not forfeit their right to the free exercise 

of religion. Rather, Commanders at every 

echelon are charged with guaranteeing 

this right to their Soldiers.

Guaranteeing the free exercise of 

religion serves several important 

functions. Religion provides important 

continuity between the civilian population 

and the military. According to a 2019 

report by the Congressional Research 

Center, approximately 73.3% of active 

duty military personnel identify with a 

religious denomination.1

 This religious 

identification provides entry-level military 

personnel with familiarity, comfort, 

stability, and direction as they transition 

into the unique culture of the military. 

Soldiers, furthermore, must accept 

greater risk and distress by the 

very nature of their profession. The 

experiences of facing death, being 

isolated from family and established 

support systems, and witnessing the 

horrors of war move many Soldiers 

to reevaluate the religion, faith, or 

philosophical concepts that guide 

their lives. Providing religious support 

as Soldiers grapple with the deep 

existential questions that arise during 

conflict significantly contributes to a 

Soldier’s morale and will to fight. “[T]

he Continental Congress established 

the chaplaincy as an integral part of the 

Army of the United States”2

 on July 29, 

1775 to assist Commanders to meet 

the religious needs of their Soldiers. 

The War Department expanded this 

assistance on December 28, 1909 by 

authorizing an enlisted Soldier’s position 

of Religious Affairs Specialist.

What follows in rest of this article is a 

U.S. Army Senior Chaplain’s perspective 

on the legal obligations and challenges 

Commanders face in ensuring the free 

exercise of religion for their Soldiers. The 

article focuses on the relevant Joint and 

U.S. Army doctrine, examines common 

obstacles, and shares some best 

practices with an emphasis on Chaplain 

Corps responsibilities and capabilities 

around internal advisement. The 

information is relevant to all echelons 

from a battalion to an Army Command. 

The article focuses on Chaplains but 

also applies to the role of Religious 

Affairs Specialists. 

The U.S. Army and Joint Doctrine

The regulatory guidance on internal 

advisement helps Commanders 

balance the inherent tension between 

the Establishment and Free Exercise 

Clauses. To this end, it is crucial 

for Chaplains and Religious Affairs 

Specialists to know and understand Joint 

and Army doctrine that are the guides 

and authorities for the Commander 

in carrying out their responsibility of 

providing religious support.

Army Regulation 165-1, Army Chaplain 

Corps Activities, provides a summary 

of the historical, constitutional, and 

legal basis for the Chaplain Corps and 

points out the challenge of “striking a 

balance between the Establishment 

and Free Exercise Clauses” of the 
20

Commanders and Free Exercise of Religion

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

Constitution.3 Of particular note, the 

regulation states that providing for the 

free exercise of religion for Soldiers 

and dependents is a Commander’s 

responsibility, “Commanders provide 

for the free exercise of religion through 

assigned chaplains, Religious Affairs 

Specialists, and other religious support 

personnel.”4

 The Chaplain Corps 

assists the Commander in this effort 

by providing religious support and 

advising Commanders on the impact 

of religion, “As a professional military 

religious leader, the chaplain must have 

the capability to perform or provide 

religious support that accommodates 

the Soldier’s right to the free exercise of 

religion, and support resilience efforts to 

sustain Soldiers, Family Members, and 

authorized Civilians. As the professional 

military religious staff advisor, the 

chaplain advises the Commander and 

staff on morals, morale, ethical issues, 

and the impact of religion on all aspects 

of military operations.”5

Field Manual 1-05, Religious Support,

notes the important distinction between 

internal and external advisement. The 

FM corrects an imbalance in religious 

advisement created by twenty years 

of counterinsurgency operations 

that focused primarily on external 

advisement to assess the impact of 

religion on military operations in the 

context of indigenous populations. 

Internal advisement, which Army 

Techniques Publication 1-05.04 

defines “as a required religious support 

capability that advises on religion, 

morals, and morale within units, 

and ethical decision making of the 

command,”6

 is the advisement capacity 

for which Chaplains are best suited.

Joint Guide 1-05, Religious Affairs 

in Joint Operations articulates the 

same principles as FM 1-05 even 

though it uses slightly different 

terminology. “Religious affairs are the 

commander’s responsibility. Religious 

affairs consist of the combination of 

RS [religious support] and religious 

advisement.”7

 It repeats the emphasis 

on advisement, which it defines 

as “the practice of informing the 

commander on the impact of religion 

on joint operations to include, but 

not be limited to, worship, rituals, 

protected places, customs, and 

practices of US military personnel, 

international forces, and the 

indigenous population, as well as the 

potential impact of military operations 

on the religious and humanitarian 

issues in the OA [operational area].”8

Obstacles

COMMON LANGUAGE

Clarifying terms is the first step. There 

is vagueness and disagreement around 

the terms “religion” and “spirituality.” 

Most interlocutors enter the conversation 

with strongly held preconceived notions 

about the meaning of these words and 

how they should be used. Terminology, 

for this reason, poses a challenge to 

effective internal advisement. Some 

Soldiers describe themselves as spiritual 
21

Kopec

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

but not religious, while some see 

themselves as religious and spiritual, 

while still others self-describe as 

religious but not spiritual. This task is 

further complicated by those who dislike 

the Army’s definitions of the terms 

religion and spirituality. Nevertheless, 

working with the Army’s definitions is a 

critical first step in discussing religious 

support in the Army.

Army Regulation 600-20, Army 

Command Policy defines religion as “a 

personal set or institutionalized system 

of attitudes, moral or ethical beliefs 

and practices held with the strength 

of traditional views, characterized by 

ardor and faith, and generally evidenced 

through specific observances.”9

 The first 

two words of this definition, “a personal 

set,” reflect a broadened understanding 

of traditional definitions of religion to 

include a variety of belief systems as the 

basis for religious practice. Historically 

religion was understood as a formalized 

community expression of shared beliefs 

and practices. The military definition 

now extends the concept of religion 

from a community expression to an 

individual expression. Under this rubric 

we now have religious communities that 

consist of one member. This significantly 

changes the landscape of religious 

support, internal advisement, and the 

free exercise of religion.

The ambiguity of the updated definition 

of religion is playing out in the COVID-19 

religious accommodation exemption 

for immunization process. Historically, 

Chaplains conducted religious 

accommodation interviews to determine 

if a particular practice or conviction was 

part of the expressed belief system, “The 

chaplain must provide a memorandum 

that summarizes the interview and 

addresses the religious basis and 

sincerity of the Soldier’s request.”10

The updated definition now reduces 

the Chaplain to making a subjective 

judgment on the “sincerity” of the 

personal belief. Nevertheless, this is how 

the Army has defined religion. 

The Army’s definition of spirituality 

is even more expansive than that 

of religion. Army Regulation 350-

53 concludes that “an individual’s 

spirituality draws upon personal, 

philosophical, psychological, and/

or religious teachings or beliefs, and 

forms the basis of their character.”11

Field Manual 7-22 states that 

“Spirituality is often described as 

a sense of connection that gives 

meaning and purpose to a person’s 

life. It is unique to each individual. 

The spiritual dimension applies to 

all people, whether religious or nonreligious.”12 The FM defines the 

spiritual (not spirituality) as “concerned 

with an individual’s core religious, 

philosophical, or human values that 

form that individual’s sense of identity, 

purpose, motivation, character, and 

integrity. These elements enable one 

to build inner strength, make meaning 

of experiences, behave ethically, 

persevere through challenges, and be 

resilient when faced with adversity.”13

These definitions buttress what is now 
22

Commanders and Free Exercise of Religion

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

the fourth domain of Army readiness, 

Spirituality. The definition of spirituality 

is broad enough to refer to the 

universal human need and longing 

for meaning that undergird human 

experience of the transcendent.

This expansive definition of spirituality 

challenges more narrowly defined 

conceptions of the idea. For example, 

the traditional Catholic conception 

of spirituality is “the ways in which 

people, beyond the ordinary practices 

of the faith, have sought to live their 

Christian lives more intensely... the 

sort of religious attention that goes 

beyond the ordinary observances of 

practicing Catholics in the sacramental 

life of the church.”14 Nevertheless, the 

broad description relies on more than 

twenty years of scientific observations 

and research examining the correlation 

between religiosity, spirituality, and 

psychology. Drawing on this body of 

research a prominent scholar defines 

spirituality as “an inner sense of 

relationship to a higher power that 

is loving and guiding. The word we 

give to this higher power might be 

God, nature, spirit, the universe, the 

creator, or other words that represent 

a divine presence. But the important 

point is that spirituality encompasses 

our relationship and dialogue with this 

higher presence.”15 This definition and 

the accumulated research of a diverse 

group of social science disciplines 

provide the foundation for Army 

doctrine, policy, and efforts such as the 

Spiritual Readiness Initiative.

NAVIGATING THE MILITARY ENVIRONMENT: 

Another source of religious support 

friction are the differences between 

civilian and military religious 

communities. What is appropriate 

and legal in a civilian parish is not 

necessarily so in a military religious 

community operating in a base chapel. 

The most common misunderstandings 

are related to handling and spending 

chapel tithes and offerings funds, 

chapel ornamentation, naming 

chapels, or volunteers satisfying Title 

10 requirements. Commanders and 

Chaplains must not assume that what is 

fruitful and legal in the civilian sector is 

so in the military. 

To this end, Chaplains must have a 

fundamental knowledge of the laws 

and regulations that guide chapelbased programs to advise their 

commands. To their pastoral skills they 

must add the staff skills necessary 

to successfully navigate the military 

environment. In other words, Chaplains 

must possess a professional identity 

that recognizes divine calling in clerical 

and staff officer functions. 

Best Practices

BUILDING TRUST WITH COMMANDERS

At the beginning of each new assignment 

the Chaplain has the opportunity to 

establish a relationship of trust with the 

Commander. The Chaplain who exhibits 

professional knowledge, skills, behavior, 

and a genuine concern for each member 

of the command enriches the relationship 
23

Kopec

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

by building trust. According to MerriamWebster trust is “assured reliance on 

the character, ability, strength, or truth of 

someone or something or dependence 

on something future or contingent.”16 Not 

surprisingly, according to the Harvard 

Business Review, trust is an outcome of 

three elements: positive relationships, 

good judgment/expertise, and 

consistency.17 All this research aligns with 

Colonel (Retired) Patrick J. Sweeney’s 

conclusions that competence, character, 

and caring are the fundamental factors 

of trust.18 Armed with this understanding, 

every Chaplain should set out to enrich 

their relationship with their Commander 

in a manner that fosters the necessary 

cooperation for providing religious support.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR COMMANDER 

Chaplains at every echelon are 

frequently welcomed with the sincere 

and endearing charge, “Chaplain, just 

take care of my Soldiers.” Though 

the Commander’s intent is constant, 

the expectations vary significantly 

about how this should transpire. Some 

Commanders have had bad experiences 

with Chaplains so have very low 

expectations, while others are happy 

with their “senior pastor.” 

Effective Chaplains learn to meet 

their Commanders where they are. 

These Chaplains are cognizant of the 

wide range of religious backgrounds 

and experiences a Commander may 

possess. Chaplains cheerfully learn 

their Commander’s preferences, 

temperament, previous experiences with 

Chaplains, and how they like to receive 

information. The Chaplain who develops 

an understanding of their Commander 

will have the most opportunities for 

effective internal advisement. 

UNIT, AREA, AND DISTINCTIVE RELIGIOUS 

GROUP COVERAGE

It is natural for Commanders to prioritize 

the religious support of their own 

Soldiers. Nevertheless, it is incumbent 

upon Chaplains to ensure their 

Commanders understand the importance 

of area coverage, the means by which 

Commanders share religious support 

assets to ensure that even minority faith 

groups receive Chaplain support. No 

single Chaplain can meet the totality 

of religious need in the command. 

Even though every Chaplain is part of 

an endorsing body that “supports the 

pluralistic requirements of the Army 

without relinquishing their respective 

religious demands,”19 all Chaplains 

have ministerial restrictions. To protect 

the individual Chaplain’s own right to 

free exercise of religion, each Chaplain 

must advise Commanders on pastoral 

limitations established by their Endorser 

while simultaneously explaining how 

the religious support gaps can be filled 

by leveraging area and distinctive 

religious group concepts. Army doctrine 

provides the justification for this leverage 

“chaplains are responsible for the unit, 

area, and distinctive religious group 

religious support. Operational orders 

will document recurring coverage 

responsibilities of chaplain duties beyond 

their assigned unit. Priority of support is 
24

Commanders and Free Exercise of Religion

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

normally to the unit, then the area, and 

then distinctive religious groups.”20

Advising Commanders on this aspect 

of the Army’s doctrine requires proper 

framing and context. First, area 

coverage, if properly planned and 

executed, benefits the unit. In a field 

environment, it reduces risk and saves 

time on travel where separated by 

distance. Second, area coverage and 

distinctive religious group coverage 

are an expression of Army teamwork, 

ensuring that low density faith groups are 

afforded religious support. By “sharing” a 

Rabbi, an Imam, or a Catholic Priest, the 

Commander helps fellow Commanders 

to fulfill their legal obligation for the free 

exercise of religion of every member of 

the command. 

TRANSLATING RELIGIOUS PRACTICES INTO 

THE ARMY’S LANGUAGE

Every good anthropologist knows that 

the key to effective communication is 

learning the host culture’s language. The 

Army is no different. The more fluent 

the Chaplain is in translating religious 

support into operational language, the 

more effective the message and support. 

To provide effective internal advisement, 

Chaplains translate religious support into 

the Army’s language, to include the use 

of data and data interpretation.

In recognition of the Army’s appetite for 

data and the historic Chaplain aversion 

for detailed reporting, the Chaplain 

Corps has embarked upon an ambitious 

effort to establish an integrated reporting 

management system known as OS56. 

This reporting system will help the Army, 

the Chaplain Corps, and the individual 

Chaplain track trends, measure 

effectiveness, and tailor care for Soldiers 

and Families. 

The Army expects its officers to be able 

to interpret data. What does a spike in 

suicidal ideation counseling in a brigade 

mean? Should the Commander be 

concerned that their unit is at higher 

suicide risk and increase prevention 

efforts? Or does it mean that current 

prevention methods are working, and 

Soldiers are comfortable with asking for 

help? Though all interpretation efforts 

should be approached with the humility 

that complexity and limited knowledge 

dictate, Chaplains must develop 

the skills to interpret the data and 

recommend courses of action.

Chaplains should be open in their desire 

to cultivate in-person interactions with 

Commanders as a critical component 

of effective communication. However, 

this desire must be tempered with 

the recognition that face-to-face 

interactions are constrained by time and 

mission. Recognizing the severe time 

constraints under which Commanders 

work, Chaplains must learn to use 

established communication processes 

and instruments. The Army provides 

a wide range of tools and formats to 

communicate the religious support 

effort to include the Commander Master 

Religious Support Plan, the operational 

order process, staff update briefings 

(learn to think past the “the thought of 

the day”), information papers, executive 
25

Kopec

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

summaries, concept of operations 

briefs, decision briefings, etc. Effective 

communication by the Chaplain is 

incumbent upon effective use of these 

instruments for internal advisement. 

FIELD MANUAL 7-22, HOLISTIC HEALTH 

AND FITNESS

The Publication of the Field Manual 

7-22 formalizes the space in which 

Commanders and Chaplains interact. 

It establishes authoritative doctrine on 

spirituality as one of the five holistic 

health and fitness domains: physical, 

nutritional, mental, spiritual, and sleep 

readiness.21 It also provides practical 

information to leaders on how to ensure 

the spiritual readiness of their respective 

units and stresses the supporting role of 

the Chaplain Corps. 

Second, the manual opens natural 

avenues for Commanders and Chaplains 

to engage Soldiers on issues of religion 

and spirituality. It reverses the ongoing 

cultural trend that relegates spiritual and/

or religious discussions to the private 

sphere by reintroducing this discussion 

to a public forum, which restores 

important public space for the free 

exercise of religion. For some time now, 

Commanders have been reluctant to 

discuss religion or spirituality in a public 

setting. Establishing the spiritual domain 

as a part of Army doctrine reopens the 

public space for discussions of religiosity 

and spirituality. In addition, the doctrine 

provides language that can de-conflict 

otherwise emotionally-laden and 

contentious topics around spirituality. 

SPIRITUAL READINESS INITIATIVE

The Army’s Spiritual Readiness Initiative 

equips Commanders and Chaplains 

with the empirical and conceptual 

understanding to aggressively promote 

spiritual readiness. The Spiritual 

Readiness Initiative was conceived in 

collaboration between the Chaplain 

Corps and research scientists at 

some of the United States’ most 

prestigious universities. This research 

aims to empirically assess the value 

of spirituality in the human domain. 

The fruit of this effort, a powerful and 

undisputable correlation between 

a strong spiritual core and human 

flourishing, equips Chaplains and 

Commanders with the evidence to 

unabashedly advocate for the spiritual 

domain. The Spiritual Readiness 

Initiative begins with installation-level 

training. The Chief of Chaplains and his 

team present the science of spirituality 

findings to command teams, ministry 

teams, Behavioral Health professionals, 

Army Community Services providers, 

and Military Family Life and Army 

Substance Abuse Program counselors. 

In addition, ministry teams are trained 

on three skills: spiritual assessment, 

spiritual readiness development, 

and spiritual readiness deep dive. 

Command and ministry teams utilize this 

information to review, readjust, and/or 

introduce new programs according to the 

needs of the local command/community.

The Spiritual Readiness Initiative 

is not another canned and scripted 

mandatory training effort. Rather, it is 
26

Commanders and Free Exercise of Religion

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

a door opening event, as it were, that 

invites previously excluded parties into 

an ongoing conversation that aims 

to improve units and chapel-based 

programs. It also awakens Soldiers 

and Families to a subject that has 

been seriously neglected. The Spiritual 

Readiness Initiative helps Chaplains to 

collaborate with the full range of Army 

care providers, as well as Commanders 

and Soldiers, to tailor ministry support 

efforts, eliminating ineffective programs 

and establishing new efforts to enhance 

the spiritual core of individuals and 

communities. Strengthening the 

Soldier’s spiritual core begins in inprocessing and continues with ongoing 

evaluation and encouragement 

throughout a Soldier’s career.

Conclusion 

Every cultural sea faces shifting currents 

of change. The United States and its 

Army are no exceptions. This article 

captures some of those particular 

changes around the Chaplain Corps 

and Army culture. It also demonstrates 

the enduring commitment of the 

United States to protecting the rights 

of its Soldiers to the free exercise 

of religion, and emphasizes the 

special role played by Commanders, 

Chaplains, and Religious Affairs 

Specialists in guaranteeing that right. 

By outlining common obstacles and 

new opportunities to effective religious 

support rediscovers of an old reality: the 

enduring benefit of a strong spiritual life.

PRO DEO ET PATRIA!
27

NOTES

1 Diversity, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in 

the Armed Services: Background and Issues for 

Congress, (Washington, DC: US Library of Congress, 

Congressional Research Service, June 5, 2019), 46.

2 U.S. Department of the Army, Army Chaplain Corps 

Activities, Army Regulation 165-1 (Washington, DC: 

U.S. Department of the Army, June 23, 2015), 1.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid. 5.

5 Ibid. 6.

6 U.S. Department of the Army, Religious Support and 

Internal Advisement, Army Techniques Publication 

1-05.04 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the 

Army, March 23, 2017), 1-6.

7 U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Religious Affairs in Joint 

Operations, Joint Guide 1-05 (Washington, DC: U.S. 

Joint Chiefs of Staff, February 1, 2018), II-1.

8 Ibid. II-2.

9 U.S. Department of the Army, Army Command Policy,

Army Regulation 600-20 (Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of the Army, July 24, 2020), 211.

10 Ibid. 185.

11 U.S. Department of the Army, Comprehensive 

Soldier and Family Fitness, Army Regulation 350-53 

(Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Army, June 

19, 2014), 8.

12 U.S. Department of the Army, Holistic Health and 

Fitness, Field Manual 7-22 (Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of the Army, October 8, 2020), 1-10.

13 Ibid. Glossary-8.

14 Lawrence S. Cunningham, “Catholic Spirituality,” 

Commonweal, (February 24, 2006), https://www.

commonwealmagazine.org/catholic-spirituality.

15 Miller, Lisa. “The Spiritual Child: The New Science on 

Parenting for Health and Lifelong Thriving.” New York, 

NY: St. Martin’s Press, 2015, 25.

16 Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Trust.” Merriam-Webster 

Dictionary. Last modified 2022. https://www.merriam_

webster.com/dictionary/trust.

17 Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman, “Emotional 

Intelligence, The Three Elements of Trust,” Harvard 

Business Review (February 5, 2019), https://hbr.

org/2019/02/the-3-elements-of-trust. 

18 Matthews, Michael D. “3 C’s of Trust.” Psychology 

Today (blog). May 3, 2016 https://www.

psychologytoday.com/us/blog/head-strong/201605/

the-3-c-s-trust.

19 U.S. Department of the Army, Army Chaplain Corps 

Activities, Army Regulation 165-1 (Washington, DC: 

U.S. Department of the Army, June 23, 2015), 7.

20 Ibid.

21 U.S. Department of the Army, Holistic Health and 

Fitness, Field Manual 7-22 (Washington, DC: U.S. 

Department of the Army, October 8, 2020), 1-2.

Kopec

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army
28

Questions for Reflection 

and Engagement
29

Questions for Reflection and Engagement

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

01 What risks do you see that might be associated with proactively 

supporting Soldier development in the Spiritual Domain? How might 

this risk be mitigated?

02 What benefits to the formation do you see to practicing Free Exercise 

within it?

03 What surprised you most in what you read? What made you curious to 

learn more?

04 What opportunities for religious accommodation exist in your formation? 

Are there groups that might help you increase readiness and H2F in your 

organization and organizational climate?
30

Questions for Reflection and Engagement

The Free Exercise of Religion and Spirituality in the Army

05 Thinking about Esprit de Corps, are there ways that your religious support 

program, Command Master Religious Plan, and Unit Ministry Team can 

help you increase team members’ understanding of their jobs, better 

understand why their job is important, and affirm that no team member 

will be left behind?

06 What are the real risks to mission, persons and organization around religious 

accommodation? Are there ways that your team is risk adverse? In what 

ways can you underwrite intentional and responsible risk, to build spiritual 

resiliency in your team?

07 What Army Learning (training, education, self-learning) materials or 

programs does your organization need to create a better organizational 

understanding of religious accommodation and the value of religious free 

exercise and spiritual activities?

08 What kinds of messages came to you in this publication that might help you 

create an environment that invites healthy spiritual/religious practices for 

the purpose of setting conditions for increased Esprit de Corps, increased 

readiness among team members and increased mission success?
“This is a unique and very much needed, as well as timely 

compilation. TheArmy Chaplains Corps has provided a moral 

compass and a spiritual foundation to the United States Army 

since 1775. This work highlights the critical importance of 

leaders and commanders—who have always held responsibility 

for maintaining morale, cohesion, and healthy culture in every 

military unit—in enabling and ensuring the free practice of 

religion by our Nation’s military guardians. A must read for 

those who seek to understand how this is done and why 

America’s military is so different from others around the world.”

– Vincent K. Brooks, 

General, U.S. Army (Retired)

“Spirituality and religion are key components that permeate our 

culture and society, and yet it is often the case that leaders 

do not know how to discuss it within their formations, or what 

the limits of those discussions are. This special publication of 

our Chaplain Corps steps into this gap by providing a glimpse 

into the minds of some of our top Army Senior Leaders, legal 

experts, and Chaplains to show how this topic can best be 

addressed by Army leaders at all echelons. Expression of 

faith is one of the vital freedoms that our country’s founding 

documents protect, and many have fought to preserve. As such, 

being able to wisely navigate this topic is vital for the leaders of 

our Army as we head into the future. This should be essential 

reading for any and all leaders and Soldiers who are concerned 

with preserving and discussing our fundamental freedom of 

faith.” 

– Chaplain (Major General) Thomas L. Solhjem, 

25th Army Chief of Chaplains