Army Regulation 600–63
Personnel—General
Army Health
Promotion
Rapid Action Revision (RAR) Issue Date: 20 September 2009

Chapter 6 -Spiritual Fitness (Page 25)

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6–2. Spiritual fitness

a. Commanders at all levels shall encourage and provide for human self-development activities leading to increased spiritual fitness in accordance with this regulation, AR 600–20, AR 165–1, and other applicable directives.

b. Army leaders should develop an awareness of the lifestyles, cultural backgrounds, stages of development, possible relationships to religious beliefs, and the needs of their Soldiers, Army Civilians, and Family members. The CHPC will recommend, coordinate, and ensure the integration of spiritual fitness programs for units, Soldiers, Family members, and Army Civilians in their area of responsibility.

c. Commanders at the installation state JFHQ, DRU/MSC, and community level shall develop Soldiers and Family support activities to undergird, reinforce, and implement the enhancement of spiritual fitness. They will ensure time is scheduled for activities, programs, and training to accomplish the goals of spiritual fitness programs.

d. In providing for self-development activities, commanders and other leaders must ensure they do not favor one form of religion over another. The practice of religion, to the extent that it relates to spiritual fitness, must be left to the sole discretion of the Soldier, Family member, or Army Civilian. They must be free to worship or not worship as they choose without fear of being disciplined or stigmatized for their choice. (See AR 165–1 and AR 600–20).

e. All Soldiers and Army Civilians are expected to live by the tenets of the professional Army ethic and those individual values that support and sustain the Army way of life. (See FM 1.)

There it is:

They must be free to worship or not worship as they choose without fear of being disciplined or stigmatized for their choice. (See AR 165–1 and AR 600–20).

Their punishment was in violation of Army regulations.