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The Department of the Air Force has begun overhauling how it records service members’ religious affiliations, moving to a standardized set of Religious Affiliation Codes used by the Department of War and directing Airmen and Guardians to update their records on a tight timeline.
Effective Sept. 25, 2026, the Military Personnel Data System and related accessions platforms stopped using the long-standing “Faith and Belief Codes” and adopted the new framework. All active-duty members must log into the Virtual Military Personnel Flight to select their Religious Affiliation Code (RAC) and verify their Record of Emergency Data by Oct. 16, 2026. Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard personnel have until Nov. 9, 2026. Those who do not act by the deadline will be moved to a new code automatically under an approved transition plan.
“Our commitment to the spiritual readiness and religious freedom of every Airman and Guardian remains steadfast,” said Richard Anderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. “Transitioning to these standardized codes ensures our Chaplain Corps has the accurate demographic data they need to provide tailored resources and support to our Service members, while continuing to respect their individual convictions.”
Officials emphasized that the change is administrative and focused on improving demographic insight for chaplains to plan resources more effectively. The Department of the Air Force said the shift will not reduce or modify chaplain services or religious support.
Members can still personalize the religious preference that appears on their identification tags and are not restricted to the standardized list displayed in the vMPF when choosing what goes on “dog tags.”
Airmen and Guardians are urged to complete both the RAC update and emergency data certification before their respective deadlines to avoid automatic realignment.
