Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, has issued a directive regarding the involvement of Catholic service members in capital punishment. Broglio argues that participating in a firing squad is incompatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church, which has increasingly moved toward a stance against the death penalty in all circumstances.

The Archbishop’s comments were prompted by the upcoming execution of the Fort Hood attacker. Beyond the act of execution itself, Broglio expressed specific concern regarding the government's plan to livestream the event. He characterized the decision to broadcast the execution as contrary to the dignity and moral standards upheld by the Church. While the Catholic Church has historically allowed for capital punishment in extremely limited cases, recent shifts in official Vatican doctrine have declared the death penalty 'inadmissible' in modern society.

There is a notable tension between the Archbishop’s moral guidance and the legal requirements of the U.S. military justice system. While military personnel are sworn to follow lawful orders, Broglio’s statement serves as a formal request for Catholic service members to seek conscientious objection or exemption from duties involving the administration of the death penalty. The military has not yet issued a formal response to the Archbishop’s specific request regarding the exemption of Catholic personnel from these duties.