Washington ? Seeking to curb a climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy that several cadets have said is intolerant of non-Christians, the Air Force offered new guidelines Monday that discourage public prayer, disappointing critics who had sought an outright ban.

“Public prayer should not usually be included in official settings such as staff meetings, office meetings, classes or officially sanctioned activities,” the new interim policy says.

But it notes that prayer can be beneficial under “extraordinary circumstances” such as “mass casualties, preparation for imminent combat or natural disasters” and allows nonsectarian prayers in “non-routine” military activities, such as change-of-command and promotion ceremonies.

Air Force officials hope that the interim rules, to be succeeded by a more detailed permanent policy after senior Air Force officials meet in November, will put to rest concerns that arose after an investigation, completed in June, determined that non-Christians at the academy had been subjected to religious slurs, jokes and disparaging remarks.