Episode 10: Why the Pentagon Is Removing Military Chaplains' Rank Insignia

The Pentagon just ordered every military chaplain in America to take the rank off his chest. So what is a chaplain supposed to be, and why did the military spend thirty years turning him into a counselor with a cross?

In this episode, Doug Truax and Will Thibeau walk through Secretary Hegseth’s reforms to the chaplaincy. The faith codes go from more than 200 to 31, and religious insignia replace rank on the uniform. Behind it all is the Secretary’s view that a warfighter needs more than a coping mechanism.

Then they take on the serious objections. Retired Air Force leaders worry that losing rank means losing influence. The Naval Institute argues that the symbol changed while the promotion system did not. Doug and Will make the case that this reform is the start of the job, not the end.