Dozens of defense contractors and other active-duty service members received invitations from the Pentagon to attend a Christian prayer service next week, Military.com has learned, with sources saying that such gatherings have become the norm for the past year and change.
The email correspondence, sent to respondents from the Department of War and shared with Military.com, requests attendance at a 12 p.m. “Christian prayer and worship service” taking place Feb. 17 in the Pentagon Auditorium (BH650).
Recipients of the correspondence told Military.com that the latest email is especially concerning due to the image included in the email, which shows a crucifix situated above the words “SECWAR’S PRAYER SERVICE” on a dark background.
Past correspondence from January, previously reported by Military.com, included a message from “The Office of the Secretary War” etched upon a stained glass window. These invitations vary and have circulated as far back as June 2025, according to sources who spoke with Military.com.
The invite reads as follows:
This is an optional service that is open to all Department staff stationed at, or with access to, the Pentagon—due to seat limitations, no visitors or external guests will be accommodated.
Seating will be accommodated at a first come, first served basis. Seat reservations can be confirmed for GO/FO and Senior Leaders only by RSVP to [unmentioned] email address.
The invite concludes by encouraging email recipients to “feel free to forward this invitation widely to members in your organization.” Those unable to join are informed to livestream the service on Pentagon TV Channel 2 or on the 24/7 Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS).
When asked by Military.com prior to the last prayer service on Jan. 21 whether individuals faced repercussions for not attending these religious services, Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson maintained they “are 100% voluntary and are not mandated whatsoever.
“No one at the Pentagon tracks who does and does not attend these voluntary services. No special treatment or punishment is given as a result of one's choice to attend these prayer services."
“The Secretary's prayer services undoubtedly improve morale for those who choose to attend and are constitutionally protected. We are proud to host these services and will continue to do so," Wilson added.
'Rock and a Hard Place'
One defense contractor who has received these Christian prayer service invitations since last summer told Military.com that their concerns and others of their ilk are genuine. That includes potentially losing out on government work.
They said that even if the Pentagon claims there’s no rebuke for not attending, individuals who are invited still feel like they’re between a “rock and a hard place” and potentially could lose out on bonding and networking opportunities.
“I did find today’s email stark, depressing, almost threatening. Horror movie vibes,” said the source, who requested anonymity.
“You don’t actually need evidence of retribution to find fault with the leader of a government agency inviting his employees for a prayer service. It’s inherently discriminatory. It provides an opportunity for Christians to get face time and be in the room with higher-ups, perhaps interacting on a social level. Jews, Muslims and other non-Christians are not provided this opportunity,” they added.
Another U.S. Air Force veteran and military member previously assigned to the Pentagon told Military.com that they have seen numerous emails about such religious-centric services, “wondering if they ever intend to hold service from another faith during duty time.”
“It hasn't happened,” said the veteran, who also wanted their identity withheld. “Even for a 30-minute service the amount of manpower wasted across the Pentagon during these events is notable due to the inherent rank held by those assigned to the duty station.”
This individual recently transitioned jobs and did not receive the correspondence for next week’s service. They previously inquired to the Pentagon about whether leave status would be required for civilians who wanted to partake, with the inquiry never receiving any response.
“As a member with 23 years of service, despite being an atheist, in the discussions that I have had with chaplains as a member and commander dealing with issues that my members are going through, the Chaplains corps as a whole acts non-denominational and supportive of all belief systems,” the individual said. “I have always been impressed with that and found them to be a supportive tool for members in need.
“That open and wide inclusiveness is not what I witness of these Pentagon prayer services.”
Personal vs. Military Beliefs
Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), told Military.com in January that about eight contractors expressed worry with such invites from the Pentagon.
On Friday, however, MRFF received more than 50 emails and phone calls from concerned contractors and service members who are among the organization’s 100,000-plus member clientele—roughly 95% of whom are Christians. It was the quickest influx of complaints MRFF has received in such a short time period, Weinstein said.
“Every time [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth] does this, we get more and more people screeching,” Weinstein told Military.com on Friday. “Today, I had someone tell me that their section chief, who was an SES [Senior Executive Service]-level civilian, said, ‘Look, the boss wants it. You don't have to be a Christian. Why don't you give it a try?’"
Now, how are you supposed to answer that? This eviscerates and obliterates good order, morale, discipline, unit cohesion, mission accomplishment, and health and safety of the troops.
Weinstein wondered what would happen if a Muslim member of the U.S. Armed Forces requested Islamic symbols of the crescent moon and star, which one MRFF member actually brought up when relaying their concerns about these monthly Christian services.
Another individual, according to Weinstein, claims they missed out on service school nominations due to not attending services such as these.
One of the emails sent Friday to MRFF, and shared with Military.com, was from an Air Force veteran who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and is currently a government contractor supporting the National Guard Bureau.
"I served, proudly, because I believe in the values espoused by the Constitution and that the United States strove, albeit imperfectly at times, to uphold," the individual said.
One of those was freedom of, and from, religion. I have served over, with and under people of all faiths and people of none, and for the vast majority, the issue of their personal beliefs never came up in our service time.
The veteran added: “I have watched with grown frustration as blatantly unqualified lickspittles are put in positions of authority based on loyalty to the would-be king and use those positions to strong-arm subordinates into taking part in quasi-religious (mostly White Christian Nationalist, if we’re being honest) activities with the implied message that failure to comply will cost careers.”
