INTRODUCTION TO THE RELIGIOUS PROGRAM SPECIALIST RATING The  Religious  Program  Specialist  (RP)  rating  was established to support the Navy’s chaplains. RPs are professional  support  personnel  who  are  skilled  in religious  programming  and  administration.  Personnel selected  for  the  RP  rating  are  not  clergy  and  are, therefore,  not  expected  to  perform  functions  reserved for  members  of  the  clergy.  Basically,  the  RPs  are combatants who help the Navy’s chaplains administer to the needs of persons of all faith groups by performing the  administrative  or  religious  programming  tasks  that do not require ordination or licensing. In combat areas, the  RPs  also  provide  physical  protection  to  Navy chaplains, allowing them to carry out their duties and responsibilities as safely as possible. Whether assigned to a ship or a shore activity, the RP must be able to perform a variety of duties in support of  the  command  religious  program  (CRP).  In  fact,  the RP  will  directly  affect  the  CRP  through  programming the religious needs and rights of sea service personnel and their families and by helping the assigned chaplain in the delivery of ministry. Some typical duties and responsibilities might include the following actions: l l l l l l l l l l Conducting  rehearsals Making  referrals Rigging and unrigging for religious services and CRP events Recruiting,   training,   and   supervising   CRP volunteers   who   help   in   worship,   religious education,  library,  lay  reader,  religious  offering fund,  and  other  programs Publicizing  the  CRP  and  its  events Organizing,   coordinating,   and   supporting religious education programs Serving as bookkeepers and custodians of the religious  offering  fund Providing library services on board ships Managing  and  administratively elements Determining,   requisitioning, logistics  support  for  the  CRP supporting CRP and  managing l l Managing,  maintaining,  and  supporting  the design of and determining the requirements for a religious   ministry    facility  (RMF)  afloat  or ashore Providing  physical  security  for  chaplains  in combat Although RPs work directly for chaplains in support of  the  Navy’s  CRPs,  they  are  not  considered  to  be chaplains’  assistants  or  lay  readers.  Instead,  they  are program  managers  with  a  focus  on  their  specific rating-related   skills—skills   that   do   not   require ordination, preaching, teaching theology or faith, or counseling. As program managers, RPs will typically perform specific tasks that are designed to be action oriented  and  initiative  challenging  with  an  increased reliance on volunteers. As a Navy RP, you must be prepared to provide support for all faith groups. These faith groups primarily  include  (but  will  not  be  limited  to) following  major  religions: B u d d h i s m will the Christianity  (including  Christian  Science,  Latter Day  Saints,  Orthodox,  Protestant,  and  Roman Catholic) Judaism I s l a m As a member of the RP rating, you must be prepared to support all chaplains in the requirements of each chaplain’s faith group. You must also be prepared to support  each  chaplain’s  personal  practices  and  desires, an aspect of your job you will likely learn through your chaplain’s disclosure of his or her individual preferences and  through  individual  on-the-job  and  collective onboard  training  programs. Now that you have a basic understanding of what an RP does, let’s step back and look at the history of the RP rating. Remember, you must first know where or how your rating began before you can know where it is or where it is going. ix