DoDIG memo to SECDEF highlights deliberate violation of Federal Law within the DoDSeptember 13, 2022
The Department of Defense Inspector General (DoDIG) submitted a memo to the Secretary of Defense on June 2, 2022 to inform him of “potential noncompliance with standards for reviewing and documenting the denial of religious accommodation requests of Service members identified through complaints submitted to my office.”
The memo states, “The Department of Defense Hotline received dozens of complaints regarding denied religious accommodation requests from Service members.
We found a trend of generalized assessments rather than the individualized assessment that is required by Federal law and DoD and Military Service policies.”
At the bottom of the first page, the memo cites DoD Instruction 1300.17 which states:
“Religious Liberty in the Military Services” paragraph 3.2.d requires that “officials charged with making recommendations or taking final action on a Service member’s request for the accommodation of religious practices will review each request individually, considering the full range of facts and circumstances relevant to the specific request…. The means that is least restrictive to the requestor’s religious practice and that does not impede a compelling governmental interest will be determinative.” ...
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