After 6 years, Heathenism religious code still in limbo

[rug]

By Kevin Lilley, Staff writer
10:13 a.m. EDT May 24, 2015

A six-year quest by multiple soldiers to add Heathenism to the Army's list of faith group codes appeared to wrap up in January, with word from a chaplain that the most recent request, filed in the spring of 2014, was approved, and the code set to enter the Army's system in a week or two.

Before the move became official, the Army sidelined all such requests, pending the findings of a Defense Department working group investigating how to create a single set of faith group codes across the services, Army spokesman Wayne Hall said via email.

Such a system ultimately could be good news for soldiers who practice faiths already recognized by the other services — Heathenism, for instance, is on the Air Force list — but for now, there is only a longer wait.

"It almost feels demeaning when you have to pick something like 'Other' or 'NoRelPref' because the Army doesn't have something within administrative databases for your record," Sgt. Daniel Head, one of the soldiers pursuing the change, said via email from Germany, where he's stationed.

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2015/05/24/thor-asatru-humanism-hammer/27598169/

http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-07-11/how-thors-hammer-became-approved-symbol-veterans-administration

[okasha]

1. This is ridiculous.

The Army can grant their request pending their "investigation.". It took Wiccans forever to get even a symbol for memorial stones/plaques.