DODD 1300.17
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN THE MILITARY SERVICES
Organization: | DODD |
Publication Date: | 1 September 2020 |
Status: | active |
Page Count: | 19 |
scope:
Purpose:
In accordance with the authority in DoD Directive 5124.02, this issuance:
• Establishes DoD policy in furtherance of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, recognizing that Service members have the right to observe the tenets of their religion, or to observe no religion at all.
• Establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for the accommodation of religious practices of Service members.
• Establishes DoD policy on the accommodation of individual expressions of sincerely held beliefs (conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs), which do not have an adverse impact on military readiness, unit cohesion, good order and discipline, or health and safety.
• Establishes DoD policy providing that an expression of sincerely held beliefs (conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs) may not, in so far as practicable, be used as the basis of any adverse personnel action, discrimination, or denial of promotion, schooling, training, or assignment.
• Implements requirements in Section 2000bb-1 of Title 42, United States Code (U.S.C), also known as "The Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA), and other laws applicable to the accommodation of religious practices for DoD to provide, in accordance with the RFRA, that DoD Components will normally accommodate practices of a Service member based on a sincerely held religious belief.
• Requires DoD Components to oversee the development and provision of education and training on the policies and procedures pertaining to the accommodation of religious practices of Service members to commanders, judge advocates, chaplains, recruiters, and other personnel as deemed appropriate by the Military Department or Military Service concerned.
Document History



