The U.S. Department of Defense announces a major change to how it officially categorizes service members’ religious affiliations. According to reports, the Defense Department reduces its list of recognized religious designations from more than 200 options to 31. The announcement comes as the department updates its official list used for religious designation purposes, significantly narrowing the number of choices available. Both outlets describe the change as a Defense Department action announced on Friday, emphasizing the scale of the reduction. The reports do not provide detailed information in the excerpts about the specific designations removed, the selection process for the remaining 31 categories, or how the change affects individual records or future reporting. Overall, the coverage agrees that the department is substantially streamlining its official religious designation list, moving from a broad set of options to a much shorter list.