Branches
Army:
Applicants for the Army Chaplain Candidate Program must be at least 18 and not older than 40 years of age. For more information visit www.goarmy.com
Navy:
CCPO (Chaplain Candidate Program Officer) is the Chaplain Candidate program for the Navy. Applicants must be approved before their 40th birthday. For more information visit www.navy.com or call (901) 874-9216.
Air Force:
Applicants for the Air Force Chaplain program must be in full seminary training and must complete the program before age 35. For more information visit www.usafhc.com
ARMY Basic Requirements:
You must obtain an ecclesiastical endorsement from your faith group. This endorsement should certify that you are:
A clergy person in your denomination or faith group.
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 by all military personnel, their family members and civilians who work for the Army.
Educationally, you must:
Possess a baccalaureate degree of not less than 120 semester hours.
Possess a master’s degree in divinity or a graduate degree in theological studies, which includes at least 72 hours.
Be a U.S citizen or permanent resident.
Be able to receive a favorable background check.
Pass a physical exam.
Must be at least 18 years of age and not older than 40 years of age at time of appointment. Age waivers are available for applicants with prior military service to age 42.
Two years of Pastoral experience
www.chaplian.goarmy.com
AIR FORCE Basic Requirements:
Ecclesiastical Endorsement, DD Form 2088, from a DOD recognized endorser
Minimum two years religious leadership experience
United States citizenship
Baccalaureate degree (not less than 120 semester hours) and a Master Degree in Theological or related subjects (not less than 72 semester hrs) from an accredited institution.
Two years of pastoral experience
Must enter active duty (EAD) prior to 40 years of age or prior to 42 with 2 years of satisfactory prior active duty military service
Commissioned officers must be in the grade of Captain (0-3) and below Pass commissioning physical and background security investigation
Ability to work in DOD directed religious accommodation environment supporting the free exercise of religion for all military personnel and their dependents
Have not accepted military separation pay, VSI\SSB
HYPERLINK "http://www.usafhc.af.mil/" http://www.usafhc.af.mil/
NAVY (Marines & Coast Guard) Basic Requirements:
Qualified applicants must be U.S. citizens at least 21 years of age
Meet certain medical and physical fitness standards
Hold a B.A. or B.S. degree, with not less than 120 semester hours from a qualified educational institution
Hold a post baccalaureate graduate degree, which includes 72 semester hours of graduate level course work in a field of theological or related studies.
At least one half (i.e. 36) of these hours must include topics in general religion, theology, religious philosophy, ethics, and/or the foundational writings from one religious tradition.
Accredited distance education graduate programs are acceptable.
Chaplains then attend the Navy Chaplain School in Newport, RI for a basic orientation course.
For more information visit www.navy.com
Hospitals and Health Care Facilities
Health care chaplains normally will include hospitals, mental health hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and other such facilities. Normally for hospitals which serve a community, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is required. For details of those requirements, contact the hospital in which you are interested.
Individual duties for public and private hospitals can be obtained from the hospital which one is interested. These services will include ministry to bed patients, comforting the dying, conducting funerals, serving communion, performing memorial services or being a mediator between hospital staff and families. Their primary role is to represent the Christ to the hospital patients.
VA Basic Requirements:
(1) U.S citizenship
(2) Must possess ecclesiastical endorsement from the Associated Gospel Churches if you are interested in becoming a member of Associated Gospel Churches.
(3) Education: All applicants must possess the degree of Master of Divinity or equivalent educational qualifications. Equivalent educational qualifications means possession of a bachelor’s degree of at least 120 semester hours plus completion of not less than 70 semester hours of graduate course work which included all of the following: 20 semester hours in pastoral ministry; 20 semester hours in any combination of theology, ethics and philosophy of religion; 20 semester hours in the study of sacred writings, including the study of languages in which sacred writings are/were written; 10 semester hours in religious history and/or world religions. To meet federal requirements, education must be from college(s), university(ies), or theological institution(s) that are accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department of Education has a database of accredited institutions on the internet at: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
(4) Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE): In addition to the education requirements, applicants must have completed at least 2 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) [as defined by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE), or the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy (CPSP)]. 800 hours of supervised ministry in a formal training program which incorporated both ministry formation and pastoral care skills development may be substituted for the required CPE.
(5) Experience: To qualify for GS-11, you must have at least two years of professional experience, after completion of the M. Div. or equivalent, which has demonstrated both practical pastoral knowledge and skill, and ability to minister in a pluralistic setting. Supervised or guided pastoral experience completed during graduate professional education may be credited for up to one of the two years of experience. Part time experience is pro-rated by comparing the average number of hours worked to a 40 hour work week. Completion of a doctoral degree directly related to pastoral ministry may be substituted for one year of experience. For GS-12, in addition to the requirements for GS-11, at least one year of professional experience, equivalent in complexity and responsibility to the GS-11 level, which has demonstrated all of the following: (a) ability to serve as a consultant or expert to a interdisciplinary treatment team; (b) in-depth knowledge of related professional fields, particularly in the behavioral sciences; (c) understanding of, and ability to respond to, the particular concerns and issues pertaining to treatment of veterans; (d) knowledge of the structure, regulations, practices, and programs of health care delivery systems; (e) Ability to interpret and apply a body of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures in professional practice; (f) ability to develop and maintain liaisons with a variety of outside organizations.
Forms may be obtained from the Human Resources Management Service at any VA Medical Center, or phone the National VA Chaplain Center: (757) 728-7069.
Contact Information:
JOHN BATTEN
Phone: 757-728-7062
Email: John.Batten@va.gov
Or Write:
Department Of Veterans Affairs
National VA Chaplain Center (301/111C)
100 Emancipation Drive, Building 33
Hampton VA 23667
Federal Bureau of Prisons
General Requirements:
Master of Divinity degree or the equivalent (20 graduate hours of theology, 20 graduate hours of sacred writing, 20 graduate hours of church history or comparative religions, and 20 hours of ministry courses) from an American Theological School (ATS) accredited residential seminary or school of theology.
Ordination or membership in an ecclesiastically recognized religious institution.
Two years of pastoral ministry with experience in conducting: baptisms, communion services, weddings, funerals, and death notifications.
Willingness to provide religious and worship services in the tradition of one’s faith group and coordinate programs for inmates of all faiths.
Selected by the Federal Bureau of Prisons by age 37.
Pass physical requirements and examination by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Ecclesiastical endorsement by the recognized endorsing body. (AGC)
Must be a U.S. citizen
Complete a background investigation.
For more information visit this link
State Corrections:
Please contact AGC at 864-268-8707 for more specific information regarding the particular state in which you are interested.
Example: NC Chaplain Qualifications
Graduate of an accredited 4 year college or university
Graduate from an accredited school of theology or divinity with minimum of Masters of Divinity
Ordained or community faith supported
In good standing with faith group
CPE: Minimum of one year (4 units) or the equivalency for Chaplain I
Additional training for Chaplains II & III is required