About As a Navy Chaplain, you will be the voice of encouragement, reason and hope to thousands of Sailors and Marines, supporting and uplifting the brave men and women who have chosen to serve their country. The Navy Chaplain Corps boasts more than 800 Navy Chaplains from more than 100 different faith groups, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and many others.

• For additional information regarding the Chaplain service, please call 855-904-4002.

Responsibilities As a Navy Chaplain, your job spans a broad range of duties. You will support fellow service members during their most joyful and most difficult moments. Your responsibilities might be to:

• Conduct worship services in a variety of settings
• Perform religious rites and ceremonies such as weddings, funeral services and baptisms
• Counsel individuals who seek guidance
• Oversee religious education programs, such as Sunday school and youth groups
• Visit and provide spiritual guidance and care to hospitalized personnel and their family members
• Train lay leaders who conduct religious education programs
• Promote attendance at religious services, retreats, and conferences
• Advise leaders at all levels regarding morale, ethics, and spiritual well-being

Pay and Benefits From the day you start, you’ll receive:

• Competitive salary
• Free health insurance
• Free housing
• A retirement plan
• 30 days paid vacation per year

Education Opportunities If you’re in the process of starting or completing your graduate theological degree, you could potentially enter the Navy Chaplain Candidate Program (CCPO) as a student.

• Opportunities for continuing education are available through the Advanced Education Program while being paid full-time as a Navy Officer. Beyond professional credentials and certifications, Navy Chaplains can advance their education by:
• Post-9/11 GI Bill
• Navy Tuition Assistance Program
• Pursuing opportunities at institutions such as Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) or Navy War College (NWC)
• Completing Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) at one of the various service colleges
• Find out more about additional education opportunities for Officers, including post-graduate school.

Qualifications and Requirements

• U.S. citizen or equivalent
• Graduate degree in theological or related studies from an accredited educational institution
• Have two years of full-time religious leadership experience
• Must be able to obtain an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from a religious faith organization registered with the Department of Defense
• General qualifications may vary depending upon whether you’re currently serving, whether you’ve served before or whether you’ve never served before.

Work Environment Navy Chaplains immerse themselves in the daily lives of service members. In what can be best described as a ministry of presence, they are there to offer guidance and insight in the moment, whenever they’re needed. You could provide support while on land or at sea, when presiding over religious ceremonies on a base or when conducting services from the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

Part-Time Opportunities There are part-time opportunities as a Navy Chaplain. Serving part-time as a Reserve Chaplain gives you the flexibility to minister in the Navy while maintaining responsibilities to your congregation at home.

• Take a moment to learn more about the general roles and responsibilities of Navy Reserve Sailors.

America’s Navy is approximately 450,000 Sailors, 300 ships and submarines, and 3,700 aircraft strong. Water and salt flow through our veins in the same proportion as the sea. That mighty force is the lifeblood of the greatest Navy ever to sail unstoppably upon it, slip stealthily beneath it or fly unchallenged above it. And we defend with honor, courage, and commitment every hour of every day. We are America’s Navy. We are forged by the sea.