The Defense Department moved last month to cut roughly 180 religion codes from its previous list of about 220 recognized faiths.

The new list, expected to take effect in July, recognizes 31 religious categories, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha’i, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, and non-religion. Christian denominations make up the majority of the new recognized religion categories. The military notes that individuals can still list religions not among the named 31 on their dog tags.

The Pentagon told The Independent that the policy is not meant to be a list of “officially approved” religions, and instead is meant to streamline data-gathering for military chaplains. It pointed to a statement about the new policy from DOD official Sean Parnell on X, who emphasized that the military “places a high value on the First Amendment and the free exercise of religion.”

The move nonetheless angered some veterans and military observers, adding to criticism from those who were already skeptical of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of Christian prayer while referencing military operations.

“When I raised my hand to become an Army chaplain, I swore that I would support and defend the Constitution,” a former U.S. Army chaplain said of the changing religion list to Military.com, which first reported on the policy. “The First Amendment is the free exercise of religion for everybody. That’s what I was buying into.”

Others took issue with the fact that the new list does not include the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as among its recognized Christian religions, instead listing it under a separate designation.

“Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?” wrote GOP Utah Sen. Mike Lee, himself a Mormon, on X.

The updated Pentagon policy revises, cuts, and consolidates a 2017 list of about 220 different religions and denominations, many of which are now lumped into umbrella categories, such as evangelical Christian, or described under the vague label of “other religions.”

Here are the faiths that no longer appear to be specifically recognized under the new policy, according to an Independent analysis.