{"id":83594,"date":"2026-06-10T16:45:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T16:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2026\/06\/10\/navy-chaplains-to-remove-rank-insignia-from-all-working-and-utility-uniforms\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:24:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:24:40","slug":"navy-chaplains-to-remove-rank-insignia-from-all-working-and-utility-uniforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2026\/06\/10\/navy-chaplains-to-remove-rank-insignia-from-all-working-and-utility-uniforms\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy chaplains to remove rank insignia from all working and utility uniforms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

U.S. Navy chaplains will discard their rank insignia on working and utility uniforms starting Tuesday, the service announced<\/a> in an administrative message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The guidance follows an edict issued<\/a> by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on March 24 in a video<\/a> uploaded to X, in which he stated that a chaplain is a chaplain first and an officer second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, uniforms worn by chaplains presented rank insignia in addition to a symbol denoting their religion, but Hegseth ordered the removal of rank insignia to ensure that chaplains would \u201cbe seen among the highest ranks because of their divine calling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEffective immediately, Navy chaplains will remove all rank insignia when wearing working or utility uniform components to include Navy working uniforms (NWUs), coveralls, flight suits, flight deck clothing and 2-piece organizational clothing (2POC) uniforms,\u201d the administrative message said. \u201cRank insignia will also be removed from all outer garments and covers when worn with working and utility uniforms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t