Pentagon updates religious affiliation codes after Utah lawmakers' objections

The Pentagon said it has corrected a proposed list of simplified faith codes that grouped The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints under a generic "Christian" category. The revised list now enumerates major denominations individually, including Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals and the Latter-day Saint church. The change is part of an effort to streamline more than 200 affiliation codes used by the armed forces.

Sen. John Curtis thanked Pentagon officials for responding to concerns raised by Utah’s congressional delegation, noting that the military’s role is to respect sincerely held faiths rather than adjudicate theological debates. > "The Pentagon's job is not to adjudicate theological debates, but instead to ensure sincerely held faith is respected and encouraged in our ranks," Curtis wrote on X.

The revision follows a public campaign by Utah lawmakers who argued that the earlier classification misrepresented the Latter-day Saint faith. Sen. Mike Lee said he had discussed the issue with the president and expressed optimism about a resolution. > "I just got off the phone with President Trump... I’m thrilled about where this is heading," Lee posted.

Other Utah officials, including Rep. Celeste Maloy and Rep. Mike Kennedy, also called for the correction, emphasizing that Latter-day Saints consider themselves Christians. The Pentagon’s rapid-response account acknowledged that the earlier list contained "redundant and unnecessary labeling" and that the mistake had been fixed.

A veteran and Latter-day Saint chaplain suggested the separate listing could improve chaplaincy resources for the faith, arguing that it may require the Department of Defense to ensure a minimum number of dedicated Latter-day Saint chaplains, potentially increasing their presence in the military.