upon request. Shown below is a sample list of
some of the professional counseling resource
personnel and agencies which may be listed:
Pastoral counselors
Social workers
Family counselors
Counseling psychologists or psychiatrists
Community agencies which may provide
counseling services:
Mental Health Clinics
Social Services Agencies
The United Way Organization
Family Service Agencies
Catholic Family and Child Service Cen-
ters
Regional Pastoral Counseling Associa-
tion (a nondenominational network uti-
lizing religious facilities)
Military facilities which may be utilized:
Naval Regional Medical Centers
Counseling and Assistance Centers
Family Services Centers
These and other counseling agencies and profes-
sionals should be listed in the Information and
Referral (I&R) Directory which the RP main-
tains for the chaplains use. It is imperative that
the RP maintain a current listing of resource
agencies in order to ensure that referral informa-
tion is continually available for command
chaplains.
MILITARY CHAPELS ASHORE
Of all the buildings located on a military
base, the chapel is unique in that its architectural
form generally reveals its function. It is impor-
tant to note that chapel facilities are Govern-
ment property and are not controlled or
regulated by the religious bodies of America.
Their purpose is to support a Command
Religious Program. The commanding officer
has the authority to utilize buildings designated
as chapels for a multitude of religious,
command, and civil activities. Normally, the
command chaplain serves as an advisor to the
commanding officer on the use of chapel
facilities. The RP assists the command chaplain
by ensuring that Department of Defense policy
and local command directives are followed con-
cerning the proper utilization of chapel spaces.
THE CRP ABOARD SHIP
It is expected that personnel who are serving
aboard naval vessels will have religious pro-
grams made available on a regular basis which
includes provision for the sacraments and
ordinances of their particular faith group. A
variety of arrangements has been made to ensure
that naval personnel are afforded the right to the
ministrations of their religion. It is customary to
have Navy chaplains assigned to specific ships to
provide this ministry. The chaplain may also be
transferred to other ships to conduct worship
services when operations permit. The Navy
Department is now assigning RPs to ships with
chaplains to provide support in the areas of
religious programming and administration.
When a ship with only one chaplain is in
port, the chaplain may provide services for per-
sonnel of other faith groups by arranging to
have other chaplains or civilian clergy invited
aboard to conduct services, or by sponsoring
church parties to locations off the ship. At sea,
the chaplain may provide for those of other faith
groups primarily by supervising lay leadership
programs.
Special kits containing prayer books, re-
corded sacred music, and other equipment have
been developed to support the Command
Religious Program at sea. The RP needs to be
familiar with the ordering procedures for obtain-
ing materials that may be necessary to support
the CRP aboard ship.
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