STATUS OF NAVY CHAPLAINS, RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS, AND CHAPLAIN ASSISTANTS
Date Signed: 3/2/2004 | MARADMINS Number: 096/04
MARADMINS : 096/04

R 022030Z MAR 04
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL MARADMIN(uc)
MARADMIN
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
MARADMIN 096/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/STATUS OF NAVY CHAPLAINS, RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS, AND
/CHAPLAIN ASSISTANTS//
REF/A/SECNAVINST 1730.7B/12 OCT 2000/-//
REF/B/OPNAVINST 1730.1D/06 MAY 2003/-//
REF/C/MCO 1730.6D/29 SEP 1997/-//
NARR/REF A IS THE SECNAV INSTRUCTION REGARDING RELIGIOUS MINISTRY
SUPPORT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. REF B IS THE OPNAV
INSTRUCTION FOR RELIGIOUS MINISTRY IN THE NAVY. REF C IS THE MARINE
CORPS ORDER ON THE COMMAND RELIGIOUS PROGRAM IN THE MARINE CORPS.//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THIS MARADMIN REVIEWS POLICY GUIDANCE REGARDING
THE STATUS OF CHAPLAINS, RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALISTS (RP'S) AND
MARINE CHAPLAIN ASSISTANTS (CA'S). COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO
REVIEW THE POLICIES ESTABLISHED IN THE REFERENCES REGARDING THEIR
STATUS AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEY ARE FULLY
TRAINED AND QUALIFIED TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM THEIR ASSIGNED TASKS.
2. PER REFS A, B AND C, CHAPLAINS ARE NONCOMBATANTS AND BY POLICY
SHALL NOT BEAR ARMS. FURTHER, CHAPLAINS SHALL NOT BE ASSIGNED
DUTIES THAT VIOLATE THEIR NONCOMBATANT STATUS.
3. RP'S AND CA'S ARE COMBATANTS, AND THEY ARE ASSIGNED, AMONG OTHER
DUTIES, TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR CHAPLAINS IN EXPEDITIONARY COMBAT
OPERATIONS. MARINE CA'S ARE ASSIGNED TO CHAPLAINS WHEN REQUIRED RP
MANNING IS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE UNIT T/O SUPPORTS THIS REQUIREMENT.
4. CHAPLAINS AND RP'S RECEIVE EXPEDITIONARY SKILLS TRAINING BEFORE
ASSIGNMENT TO MARINE UNITS, AND, ONCE ASSIGNED, THEY MAY PARTICIPATE
IN UNIT BATTLE SKILLS TRAINING.
5. SUPERVISORY CHAPLAINS ARE AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION IN THESE
MATTERS. POC FOR RELIGIOUS MINISTRY POLICY COMPLIANCE IN THE USMC
IS RDML ROBERT BURT, CHC, USN, CHAPLAIN OF THE MARINE CORPS (REL) AT
DSN 224-4627.//