1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am writing as a constituent to express concern about reports that some members of the military chain of command have framed the conflict with Iran in explicitly religious terms. Service members swear an oath to defend the Constitution, not any religious doctrine or prophetic belief. The U.S. military serves people of many faiths and those with no religious affiliation. If troops are being told that military action is divinely ordained or connected to specific religious prophecies, that raises serious concerns about violations of the First Amendment and Department of Defense policies requiring religious neutrality. Military authority carries great weight. When religious interpretations are introduced through the chain of command, service members may feel pressure to conform or remain silent. Protecting the religious freedom of all troops requires clear boundaries between personal belief and official military authority. I urge Congress to support a full and independent investigation into these allegations and to reaffirm the constitutional principle that the military must remain neutral regarding religion. Thank you