Archdiocese for the Military Welcomes Pete Hegeseth's Establishment of the Office of Religious Affairs
Archbishop Broglio has issued the following statement in response to the announcement of the establishment of the Office of Religious Affairs (see below) from the Secretary of War:
“The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, is hopeful that the newly established Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) will enhance and strengthen the support offered to the men, women, and their families who serve in the military and to the chaplain corps who strive to accompany our soldiers, sailors, and airmen across all service branches. Placing spiritual readiness alongside other departmental priorities and shortening the timeline between identified field needs and senior decisions can have the practical effect of resolving legacy constraints that historically limited chaplaincy support. This Archdiocese appreciates the initiative and welcomes its implementation.”
Source - https://www.milarch.org/archbishop-broglios-statement-on-the-establishment-of-the-office-of-religious-affairs/
Government Release on the Establishment of the Office of Religious Affairs
Effective immediately, to ... strengthen
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the moral,
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ethical and spiritual readiness of our
warfighters, I am establishing the Office of Religious Affairs (ORA) and the position of the
Director, ORA (hereinafter referred to as the "Director"). This memorandum also provides
guidance on the reporting relationships, authorities, duties, and responsibilities of the Director.
As a Principal Staff Assistant (PSA), the Director has direct access to the Secretary of
War and is the principal advisor to the Secretary of War and Deputy Secretary of War for
religious affairs across the Department.
The Department of War is committed to fulfilling its duty to support the Department' s Service members, their families, and the Department's civilian personnel in the free exercise of religion as protected by the Constitution of the United States and applicable Federal law. While the Department accomplishes this mission primarily through the chaplaincies of the Military Departments established under title 10, U.S. Code, the establishment of the ORA will ensure resources are adequately provided and, where necessary, policy is properly aligned to prioritize the free exercise of religion and the spiritual readiness across the Total Force. Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to compel religious participation or to diminish the free exercise rights of any Service member, civilian employee, or family member of any faith or no faith. The Director, reporting directly to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary without intervening authority, will coordinate with relevant PSAs and Office of the Secretary of War Component heads to identify and assume control over all duties and authorities necessary, as determined by the Director, to perform the following core responsibilities, including, but not limited to, the following :
• Resource Advocacy and Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Integration: Ensure the Department of War and the Military Departments prioritize and obtain sufficient funding and resources for religious affairs including, but not limited to : (a) delivery ofreligious ministry, (b) facilities and infrastructure, (c) logistics, (d) chaplain in-service procurement programs, ( e) chaplain and religious support team training and education, (f) chaplain-led programs, (g) chapel youth programs, (h) faith-based homeschool support for military families, (i) faith-based initiatives supporting Department-wide suicide reduction and Total Force resilience, and (i) contracted services from faith-based non-Federal entities. • Spiritual Readiness and Analytical Innovation: Sponsor and oversee research, technology, and analytical tools to support and assess spiritual fitness, spiritual readiness, and spiritual resilience across the Total Force.
- Policy Issuance: Align and, when necessary, issue policies concerning religious affairs on behalf of the Secretary of War.
- External and Interagency Representation: Represent the Secretary of War on all matters pertaining to religious affairs in engagements with Congress, external governmental departments and agencies, and civilian religious endorsing organizations.
- Governance of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board: Realign the Armed Forces Chaplains Board (AFCB) and its Executive Director under the authority, direction, and control of the Director to provide chaplain advisement to the Secretary of War.
PSAs and Office of the Secretary of War Component heads will assist the Director in identifying and assuming control over all duties, authorities, and funding necessary to execute this mandate.
The Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE), in coordination with the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)/ChiefFinancial Officer of the Department of War(USW(C)), will work with ORA to establish an initial baseline budget and submit a plan to me in 60 days for funding ORA in FY27.
The Director of Administration and Management (DA&M) will work with the Director to formalize and establish ORA in the Department's organizational framework, including the integration of authorities identified by the Director and the drafting of a Department of War Directive chartering ORA within 90 days. The DA&M shall also identify an appropriate initial allocation of Senior Executive Service (SES), civilian, and military billets for the stand-up of ORA and coordinate with the USW(C) and CAPE to incorporate permanent manning requirements into the budget and FYDP requests.
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretaries of the Military Departments, in coordination with their respective Chiefs of Chaplains, will submit to the Director a comprehensive baseline report of all unfunded and underfunded religious affairs requirements, including, but not limited to, delivery ofreligious ministry, facilities and infrastructure, logistics, chaplain-led programs, chapel youth programs, faith-based homeschool support for military families, programs related to suicide reduction, and contracted services from faith-based non-Federal entities; research, technology, and analytical tools to support spiritual fitness, spiritual readiness, and spiritual resilience; chaplain in-service procurement programs, chaplain and religious support team training and education.
The Department of War is committed to fulfilling its duty to support the Department' s Service members, their families, and the Department's civilian personnel in the free exercise of religion as protected by the Constitution of the United States and applicable Federal law. While the Department accomplishes this mission primarily through the chaplaincies of the Military Departments established under title 10, U.S. Code, the establishment of the ORA will ensure resources are adequately provided and, where necessary, policy is properly aligned to prioritize the free exercise of religion and the spiritual readiness across the Total Force. Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to compel religious participation or to diminish the free exercise rights of any Service member, civilian employee, or family member of any faith or no faith. The Director, reporting directly to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary without intervening authority, will coordinate with relevant PSAs and Office of the Secretary of War Component heads to identify and assume control over all duties and authorities necessary, as determined by the Director, to perform the following core responsibilities, including, but not limited to, the following :
• Resource Advocacy and Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Integration: Ensure the Department of War and the Military Departments prioritize and obtain sufficient funding and resources for religious affairs including, but not limited to : (a) delivery ofreligious ministry, (b) facilities and infrastructure, (c) logistics, (d) chaplain in-service procurement programs, ( e) chaplain and religious support team training and education, (f) chaplain-led programs, (g) chapel youth programs, (h) faith-based homeschool support for military families, (i) faith-based initiatives supporting Department-wide suicide reduction and Total Force resilience, and (i) contracted services from faith-based non-Federal entities. • Spiritual Readiness and Analytical Innovation: Sponsor and oversee research, technology, and analytical tools to support and assess spiritual fitness, spiritual readiness, and spiritual resilience across the Total Force.
- Policy Issuance: Align and, when necessary, issue policies concerning religious affairs on behalf of the Secretary of War.
- External and Interagency Representation: Represent the Secretary of War on all matters pertaining to religious affairs in engagements with Congress, external governmental departments and agencies, and civilian religious endorsing organizations.
- Governance of the Armed Forces Chaplains Board: Realign the Armed Forces Chaplains Board (AFCB) and its Executive Director under the authority, direction, and control of the Director to provide chaplain advisement to the Secretary of War.
PSAs and Office of the Secretary of War Component heads will assist the Director in identifying and assuming control over all duties, authorities, and funding necessary to execute this mandate.
The Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE), in coordination with the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)/ChiefFinancial Officer of the Department of War(USW(C)), will work with ORA to establish an initial baseline budget and submit a plan to me in 60 days for funding ORA in FY27.
The Director of Administration and Management (DA&M) will work with the Director to formalize and establish ORA in the Department's organizational framework, including the integration of authorities identified by the Director and the drafting of a Department of War Directive chartering ORA within 90 days. The DA&M shall also identify an appropriate initial allocation of Senior Executive Service (SES), civilian, and military billets for the stand-up of ORA and coordinate with the USW(C) and CAPE to incorporate permanent manning requirements into the budget and FYDP requests.
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretaries of the Military Departments, in coordination with their respective Chiefs of Chaplains, will submit to the Director a comprehensive baseline report of all unfunded and underfunded religious affairs requirements, including, but not limited to, delivery ofreligious ministry, facilities and infrastructure, logistics, chaplain-led programs, chapel youth programs, faith-based homeschool support for military families, programs related to suicide reduction, and contracted services from faith-based non-Federal entities; research, technology, and analytical tools to support spiritual fitness, spiritual readiness, and spiritual resilience; chaplain in-service procurement programs, chaplain and religious support team training and education.
https://media.defense.gov/2026/Sep/30/2004009308/-1/-1/1/ESTABLISHMENT-OF-THE-OFFICE-OF-RELIGIOUS-AFFAIRS.PDF
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