ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced reforms to the military chaplain corps on Tuesday that would reduce religious affiliation codes from approximately 200 to 31 and replace officer rank insignia with religious symbols.

Under the proposed changes, chaplains would no longer wear their officer rank insignia on their uniforms and would instead wear religious insignia. Hegseth said the chaplain corps had been "infected by political correctness and secular humanism until they were watered down to be nothing more than therapists who focused more on self-help and self-care than faith or virtue." He said the changes aimed to "make the chaplain corps great again."

The announcement came one day before a religious service at the Pentagon. Hegseth has instituted monthly prayer sessions at the Pentagon during his tenure, with all prayer meetings presided over by evangelicals.

Hegseth's insertion of his Christian faith into his role has drawn criticism and legal complaints. Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed lawsuits against the defense and labor departments to access public records about prayer services, including invited speakers, recordings of prayers and any complaints from employees.

The organization said the records will help them understand whether the departments are staying neutral on religion and respecting workers' religious freedom. Hegseth is a member of a church affiliated with the Congregation of Reformed Evangelical Churches, founded by Doug Wilson.