The Hidden Faiths of the Armed Forces

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In the long hush before dawn, when the wind moves across the barracks and a soldier stands beneath an indifferent moon, there are those who whisper their prayers not to a single god of heaven, but to the turning Earth itself.
They are the Wiccans and Pagans who serve — quietly, faithfully — within militaries across the world. They have carried both rifle and ritual blade, both oath and offering. And though their service is often unseen, it is no less sacred.

Shadows and Silence

For decades, Pagan and Wiccan service members in the U.S. military lived between worlds — permitted to serve, yet denied acknowledgment of the spiritual path that guided them.
Records from the early 2000s show thousands of active-duty personnel quietly listing “Earth-Based Spirituality” as their belief, though few dared speak of it openly. Some feared ridicule; others feared the career consequences of misunderstanding.
Still, their faith endured. Beneath the desert sun and the arctic night, quiet circles were cast on distant soil. Candles flickered behind sandbags. The old gods were remembered, even under government skies.

The Battle for Recognition

In 2005, U.S. Army Sergeant Patrick D. Stewart was killed in Afghanistan. His family asked that a Wiccan pentacle — the five-pointed star enclosed in a circle — be engraved on his government-issued headstone.
The request was denied.
That refusal ignited a two-year legal fight for religious equality. Pagan advocacy groups, veterans’ organizations, and civil rights attorneys pressed the Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize the pentacle as an official emblem of belief.
In 2007, they won.
For the first time in U.S. history, a fallen Pagan soldier was honored beneath his own sacred symbol. His widow, Roberta Stewart, called it “a victory for every soldier who has ever felt invisible.”

It was more than a symbol — it was proof that freedom of religion extended beyond the familiar.

Circles in Uniform

By 2017, the U.S. Department of Defense formally added several Pagan and Heathen faith codes — Wicca, Asatru, Druidry, and others — to its roster of recognized religions. Service members could finally identify their beliefs openly.
Still, the road remains long. To this day, there are no officially endorsed Pagan chaplains within the U.S. military, though many volunteer clergy and lay leaders offer pastoral care. Each small recognition — each open circle permitted on base — is a step toward visibility.

Across the border, Canada’s Armed Forces recognize Paganism within their Religious or Spiritual Accommodation Directive, allowing observances and symbols as expressions of sincere belief. In the United Kingdom, Pagan service members have formed official groups within the Ministry of Defence, though chaplaincy representation remains a work in progress.
Every year, those circles widen a little more.

The Spirit of Service

To serve one’s country while walking the old paths is to balance two oaths — one to the flag, and one to the divine cycles of nature.
For these soldiers, faith is not rebellion; it is reverence. It is the courage to stand in both worlds and serve with integrity. It is prayer whispered over steel, protection asked of goddess and earth alike.
Their creed is ancient. Their calling, eternal — to defend the living and honor the dead.

On Veterans Day

Today we salute every veteran — of every faith, every background, every path.
But let us remember, too, those who once served in silence: the witches who lit candles under desert moons, the Druids who watched over forests and airfields alike, the Heathens who poured ale to their ancestors before dawn patrol.

Freedom of belief was long promised on paper, but it was forged in reality by the courage, persistence, and unwavering faith of those who served in silence.

Written by: Casandra Blackthorn

Thank you for reading. Check back weekly for more stories and reflections from Echoes of the Occult Past.

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Disclaimer

This post is for educational and spiritual reflection only. It does not represent official military policy or religious doctrine. All rights reserved.

References

  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Approved Emblems of Belief for Placement on Government Headstones and Markers.

  • “Patrick Stewart Burial Controversy.” Wikipedia, 2024 update.

  • “Department of Defense Adds Heathen and Pagan Religions to Recognized Faith Groups.” The Wild Hunt, 2017.

  • DAOD 5516-3: Religious or Spiritual Accommodation. Government of Canada, Department of National Defence.

  • “By the Beard of Zeus — Canadian Military OKs Facial Hair.” Military Times, 2018.

  • “Guide on Religion and Belief in the Armed Forces.” Ministry of Defence, United Kingdom, 2018.

  • First Amendment Encyclopedia, Middle Tennessee State University.

© 2025 Casandra Blackthorn. All rights reserved.
This blog post and all included images are original works created for Echoes of the Occult Past. No part may be copied, reposted, or reproduced without express written permission.

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