Accommodating and Limiting Religion in the Military

Abstract

You don’t lose your right to free exercise of religion when you enlist. A Department of Defense directive acknowledges that it “places a high value on the rights of members of the Military Services to observe the tenets of their respective religions” and proposes some guidelines as to how the religious needs of military personnel should be met,² and a Navy Instruction recognizes that “religion can be as integral to a person’s identity as one’s race or sex.”³ Both stipulate that because military commanders operate in such different settings and have such different missions, decisions about accommodating free exercise must be considered individually and made locally. Defense policy assumes that religious particularity can be helpful for the military because it is easier to recruit and retain when individuals’ deepest value commitments are acknowledged and respected. Showcasing respect for religious freedom is also considered good public relations, as the military represents the United States internationally.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

—First Amendment to the United States Constitution¹