If the time required for religious worship falls within normal duty hours or duty rosters, the soldier may request exception from those hours and rosters. The soldier, however, must be prepared to perform alternative duty or duty hours. Commanders may grant ordinary leave as an option to soldiers who desire to observe lengthy holy periods or days. Some faith groups have religious tenets which prohibit the eating of specific foods, or prescribe a certain manner in which food must be prepared. A soldier with a conflict between the diet provided by the Army and that required by religious practice may request an exception to policy to ration separately.
Religious belief is grounds for granting such an exception.
The soldier may also request permission to take personal supplemental rations when in a field or combat environment. Some religious practices conflict with normal Army medical procedures. These practices include beliefs in self-care, and prohibitions against immunizations, blood transfusions, or surgery. However, the unit and medical treatment facility commanders will consider the time constraints for the soldier to recuperate without military medical care when determining whether or not to grant the request for accommodation. The composition of and procedures followed by this committee are at the discretion of that commander, except that the committee must include a chaplain and be chaired by a medical corps officer.