As an Army chaplain you will have the responsibility of caring for the spiritual well-being of Soldiers and their Families. An Army chaplain's flock can consist of over 1,500 people. For this reason, the Army chaplain is crucial to the success of the Army's mission. Providing spiritual leadership for the Army Family requires a special person with a unique calling.
The Army Chaplaincy is a religiously diverse population reflecting the diversity of the Army, yet each chaplain ministers according to the tenets of his or her distinctive faith community. Army Chaplains oversee the spiritual care of their assigned units wherever they may train or deploy. They also assist with chapel-based care at their assigned posts, performing religious ceremonies, rituals, and rites in accordance with their respective faiths.
Unlike most officers in the Army, a chaplain begins serving as a staff officer immediately. As a member of the commander's special staff, the chaplain is responsible for providing advice in matters pertaining to religion, morals, and morale. The chaplain serves the Army with a chaplain assistant (56M) as part of a Unit Ministry Team (UMT). As a non-combatant, chaplains do not carry or use weapons. The chaplain assistant provides security for the UMT and assists with the administrative aspects of the UMT's ministry. Fully trained in the technical arena of religious support and Soldier-specific tasks, chaplain assistants are an integral part of the UMT's mission.
Other roles and responsibilities common to the chaplaincy:
- Overseeing a full program of religious ministries, including workshops, counseling sessions, religious education and special events.
- Officiate at official ceremonies such as military functions, funerals, and memorials.
- Provide religious ministry to a variety of armed service personnel and civilians from the US, foreign nations, and agencies.
To be an Officer in the Army Chaplain Corps, you must obtain an ecclesiastical endorsement from your religious organization. This endorsement should certify that you are:
- A clergy person in your religious organization.
- Qualified spiritually, morally, intellectually and emotionally to serve as a Chaplain in the Army.
- Sensitive to religious pluralism and able to provide for the free exercise of religion for all military personnel, their family members and civilians who work for the Army.
- Possess a baccalaureate degree of not less than 120 semester hours.
- Pursuing or possess a graduate degree in theological or religious studies, plus have earned at least a total of 72 semester hours in graduate work in these fields of study.