Who has the authority to approve waivers of AR 670-1 for religious accommodation requests?

The Secretary of the Army (SECARMY) is the designated authority responsible for approving waivers of AR 670-1 concerning religious accommodation requests. This reflects the SECARMY's role in overseeing personnel policies and ensuring that Army regulations align with the rights and freedoms granted under federal law, including the protection of religious practices. Given the sensitive nature of religious accommodations, such decisions require a high level of authority and are managed at the SECARMY level to ensure consistency and adherence to constitutional rights across the Army. Other options do not possess the same level of authority to approve these specific requests, as they typically deal with operational management or other personnel matters within the Army's structure.