Religious Accommodations

WARNING: Due to network limitations, commands that do not have regular Navy/Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) email accounts (e.g., overseas, sea duty or joint commands), should email the RA Program Manager without attachments to establish contact with the Religious Accommodation team.
Emails received at this address for status updates on individual cases will not receive a response. This email is for program management and intake only.
The Religious Accommodation Program BUPERSINST 1730.11, as well as submission documents are provided below for submission with Religious Accommodation (RA) requests.

Introduction

The United States Navy supports freedom of expression, to include religious expression, and recognizes that through these values we are a better military and stronger nation. Accommodation of sincerely held religious beliefs are a pillar of the Navy’s commitment to treating all Sailors with dignity and respect. The Navy works to support each Sailor’s religious practices to the broadest extent possible within the bounds of military readiness, unit cohesion, good order, discipline, health and safety. Discrimination on the basis of religion is contrary to the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment.

What is a Religious Accommodation (RA) in the U.S. Navy?

Pursuant to the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), as implemented via DoD and Navy policies, Service members have the right to observe the tenets of their religion or to observe no religion at all. In accordance with RFRA and implementing DoD/Navy guidance, the Navy will normally accommodate practices of a Service Member based on sincerely-held religious beliefs. If a Navy policy burdens a Service Member’s exercise of their sincerely-held religious beliefs, the member may request accommodation of their beliefs in accordance with processes outlined in BUPERSINST 1730.11(series). Such accommodation will only be denied if the Navy policy, practice, or duty in question is in furtherance of a compelling government interest and maintaining the policy, practice, or duty is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling government interest.
Service members shall not be discriminated against based on their submission of a religious accommodation request or approval to maintain a religious accommodation in deviation from Navy policy. Additionally, upon receipt of a request, commanders will explore the full range of alternative options to accommodate the Service member’s sincerely-held beliefs, as the existence of alternative accommodations directly informs a determination whether the policy in question is the least restrictive means of achieving the compelling government interests at issue.
Additional information on how to submit a religious accommodation request, as well as frequently asked questions, are contained on this page.

To Begin
Process Workflow

Sailors

Notify CoC
Consult with a Chaplain
Fill out Member Questionnaire and sworn attestation (NAVPERS 1730/1)
Sworn Attestation may be signed by any commissioned officer.

Chaplain

Fill out Questionnaire (NAVPERS 1730/2) (replaces previous letter and checklist) and forward to Sailor’s Commanding Officer (CO)
Consult with Sailor’s CO

Commands

Coordinate with interviewing Chaplain
CO review Sailor’s request and Chaplain information in totality.
Commanding Officers
Approve RA if authorized by BUPERSINST 1730.11B Table 1 using Navy Religious Accommodation Command Questionnaire (NRACQ) as approval chit. (NAVPERS 1730/3)
If Table 1 indicates routing to higher authority - CO make recommendation on sincerity and approval.
When ready to submit, commands must complete the following two mandatory steps:
1. Send encrypted email with three completed forms (NAVPERS 1730/1, 1730/2, and 1730/3) as separate, fillable PDFs (digitally signed preferred) to askmncc@us.navy.mil using the subject line: Religious Accommodation Type ico Last, First, M Rank/Rate to generate Salesforce case number.
2. Route RA requests by clicking the Command-submit Completed RA Request button below. Enter the generated case number in line 37 of the submission.

Once Enclosures 1-3 are complete and for quickest results, Commands submit the application here as 3 separate enclosures:

Required Documents for a Complete Package

**Please note: RA requests missing enclosures will be rejected and returned to the originator.**
NOTE: Fillable forms do not open in a browser window. You must download them first before use.

Member Questionnaire (NAVPERS 1730/1)
Chaplain Questionnaire (NAVPERS 1730/2)
NRACQ (NAVPERS 1730/3)
A separate command endorsement letter is not required, as the NAVPERS 1730/3 serves as the official endorsement.
No Endorsement letter is required if Questionnaires are used.