Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered his State of the Force Address (full text). Among his announcement in the Address was the creation of an Office of Religious Affairs. He said in part:
When an American warrior raises their right hand to defend our Nation, you sign away a lot more than just time. You miss births, you miss first steps, you miss final goodbyes. You miss other civilian careers. But one of the costs that is rarely thought about or talked about is the loss of your religious community.
Every time we issue orders to move a warrior to a new location, they leave behind the faith community, the church that grounds them. For people of faith, that community isn't just a "nice to have." In many ways, it's an extension of their family. It's their moral foundation or their personal and spiritual accountability. The very bedrock of their warrior ethos.
When you actually look at the numbers, and this will be good for the press, less than 5% of our force identifies as non-religious. Less than 5%. Meaning, 95% of our force recognizes an Almighty God. Accordingly, our department therefore has a sacred duty — first-class religious support wherever we send our warriors.
Now for far too long, you know, we didn't prioritize that duty at all. It was an afterthought. Political correctness and secular humanism got a vote — chaplains did not. Budgets were cut. Resourcing and manpower needs were ignored. Base chapels fell apart. Decisions about faith and religion were made by secular careerists in cubicles and lawyers running around with red tape.
We don't put non-lawyers in charge of our JAG Corps. Or non-doctors in charge of our military surgeons. Yet for decades, we let people with no expertise in faith or religion dictate the spiritual life of our warriors. The people who actually practice faith and religion, our chaplains, were buried echelons deep, waiting for permission. We asked chaplains to serve and sacrifice and then sidelined them with paperwork and process. And that ends now.
Today, at my direction, I am establishing the Office of Religious Affairs. Starting today, and for Secretaries of War after me, the Office of Religious Affairs will report straight to the top. No staff filters . No bureaucratic dilution. A direct line to the Secretary. This won't be a paper pushing shop. It will have real teeth. It will protect budgets, demand infrastructure, and strengthen religious support. The experts, our chaplains, will finally have an advocate at the highest levels. Policy and resources will serve the mission, not smother the mission.
As Psalm 33:12 extols us: "Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord." Two hundred and fifty years ago we rejected an earthly King an ocean away, appealing instead to a Heavenly King above. George Washington made sure the Continental Army had chaplains back at the beginning, back in 1775. That force appealed to Heaven, and we still do today.
Our national motto is, after all "in God we Trust." Today we reaffirm that trust. We are placing spiritual health at the same level as physical health. Our department is, you might say, is putting on the full Armor of God. Because while we wage physical war, we all know the real battle is spiritual. God is good. Evil is not. America's military must understand the difference.
To our incredible chaplains and religious support teams, live your calling. Stand firm. Preach Truth. Minister to the Flock. Fear no man. Or, as the Psalmist put it, "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?" Amen to that.
